CURRENT MISSION

live intentionally. learn experientially. be of an international state of mind. photograph culture. think BIG

ABOUT ME

Multidisciplinarian, Ordinary Radical, & World Traveler.

Lover of traveling, experiential learning, and all things photography! Very lucky to have grown up traveling with a family ingrained with an appreciation for cultural learning and foreign encounters. Now as a University student I am trying my best to continue my world exploration on my own. I find that I begin to itch when I have been sedentary for too long- once bitten by the travelers bug its impossible to fend off. Hungry for experiences in new cultures and circumstances. Extreme extrovert that feeds off of meeting and getting to know people.

Hablo español también. Estudié por cuatro años in los Estados Unidos y después cuatro meses in Granada, España. No estoy fluente, pero puedo conversar bien. Si estás estudiando inglés, me gusta tener intercambios mucho. ¡Siempre estoy buscando a gente para practicar con!

Feel free to check out my photography blog at CulturaEsVida.com to see my work as well as read brief stories and reflections about my various world travels.

PHILOSOPHY

There is always more to know and see. Experiential learning is by far the best way to spend free time. Make friends everywhere you go- everyone has a unique story to tell.

Pictures (and portraits in particular) are a beautiful thing, but don't ever let capturing the moment prohibit you from experiencing it

"You just don't know how magnificent you might be so you don't want to put any limitation on yourself, so think big, think big." - John T. Caldwell

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I got into CS after living with an avid surfer for a month summer of 2012. I wasnt really able to get involved with the Raleigh CS group before leaving to study in Spain for a semester, but when I return I am greatly looking forward to getting super involved.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have traveled through Mexico and Belice (10 days each) with couch surfers- though we stayed in hostels because they were school funded trips. After my lease ended for the summer 2 weeks before I left for Spain, I surfed almost every night on a different friends couch. They were all friends through school though. However all of this does not diminish my eagerness to surf and meet new people while abroad in Spain for 4 months!

Interests

-Location Photography (culture portraits, landscapes, wildlife, art and architecture)
-Photojournalism (I worked as photo editor for NC State Student Media for 4 months full time).
-I love reading and am currently reading Harry Potter part 1 in Spanish!
-All things outdoors: Hiking, skiing, rock climbing, scuba diving (PADI certified), and bike riding.

When I travel I like to go to the museums, gardens, and bars to experience the local culture. Having grown up a Boy Scout in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, I am always up for a day or weekend long hiking excursion to see off the beaten path sights.

• wildlife
• arts
• culture
• architecture
• photography
• dancing
• cooking
• shopping
• reading
• traveling
• blogging
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• hiking
• scuba diving
• skiing
• rock climbing
• communications
• languages
• mathematics
• science
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies:
-Garden State
-What Dreams May Come
-Nick and Norahs Infinite Playlist
-500 Days of Summer
-Inglorious Bastards
-Lucky Number Sleven
-The triplets of Belleville

Music:
*I have appreciating for all types of music provided it is good quality*
-The Avett Brothers
-Fleet Foxes
-Bon Iver
-Andrew Bird
-The National
-Lana Del Rey
-Theophilus London
-Frank Ocean
-Kanye West
-The Kooks

Books:
-Harry Potter
-The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
-The Lord of the Flies
-Fahrenheit 451
-Something Wicked This Way Comes
-The Irresistible Revolution

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Riding dromedarios through the Sahara Desert only to stop for the night to sleep in traditional Haimas (tents). Before the full moon came up, the milky way stretched vividly clear from one horizon to the next. Also seeing the sun rise in the desert is comparable to no other sunrise.

Spending New Years with the Garifuna of Belize and being invited to witness their traditional Wanaragua celebration dance.

Teaching science and math (in Spanish) with fellow university couch surfers to the children of Las Emilias Zapatas in Atencingo, México

Teach, Learn, Share

I am a Photographer who is always happy to talk shop with other photographers, share tricks and secrets with aspiring lenses, and teach those who are interested in knowing more about any of it.

I also absolutely love to cook. I feel there is no better way to take a part of a culture with you than to learn a local dish.

I, like many surfers, am learning a second language. If you speak Spanish lets intercambio! and if not, I am always excited to learn tidbits of other languages. I am also fairly accomplished at all forms of English and am happy to help those with English as a second language

Countries I’ve Visited

Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Gibraltar, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Portugal, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, Virgin Islands, U.S.

Countries I’ve Lived In

Guatemala, Spain, United States

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