My name is Chris. I was born and raised in south Florida. I've lived in Bowling Green, Kentucky; Lady Lake, Florida; and currently reside in Tallahassee, Florida. I've lived for a short terms in Yosemite Valley, New York City, New York, Bristol, Rhode Island, and Playa America, Spain. I have my undergraduate degree at Florida State University in Psychology and Social Work. I plan on going on a road trip with my friend Nick from late October 2022-January 2023! Afterward, I’m moving to San Francisco to pursue my graduate degree.

I love and am passionate about many things, people, some include reading, writing, rock climbing, yoga, gardening, cooking, and meditation.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I hope to meet new people. I find that I live with a wanderlust for others. I have discovered that the primary purpose of my life is to learn from others and take this learning experience to better the human experience. I hope that Couchsurfer will be a great platform to achieve creating a more peaceful, open-minded, and loving population of humans on our Earth.

I've stayed in a few AirBnb's and I've always found that the experiences of living in a new city for a few days are significantly more intimate when I have interactions with the host. I hope to "pay it forward" and to provide the same experiences for those that stay in Tallahassee with me.

Music, Movies, and Books

Music - Fleet Foxes, Built to Spill, Arcade Fire, Rihanna, Flipturn, Amelia, Tame Impala, The Strokes, Regina Spektor, Tribe Called Quest, Mac Miller

Movies - Before Sunrise, Good Will Hunting, 500 Days of Summer, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Moonlight, Interstellar, Little Miss Sunshine, Roma, The Graduate

Books - The Alchemist, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Fire Next Time, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, The Minds of Billy Milligan, The Power of Now, James and the Giant Peach, On Writing, The Sound and the Fury, Fight Club, Animal Dreams, The Last Question, Cat's Cradle, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Check out my Goodreads! https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/85099380-christopher-gutierrez

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

The most amazing thing I've done is take a bus from Boston, Massachusetts to Tallahassee, Florida during the first day of 2018. I met this woman named X who changed my life forever the moment she sat down next to me: only because it was one of the last seats left on the bus. We had so many beautiful, loving, and open conversations that shifted so many paradigms of my life. We both shared our life stories with one another–for the sake of privacy, I won't share her name. X was raised in foster care from 15 years old and she wanted to be a counselor for those with substance abuse issues. She pursued her psychology education from her mid 40's to her mid 50's. Her grandson died when he was 2.5 years old and she picked up smoking again without even realizing it. Here are the words of wisdom that she enlightened me with as I hugged her goodbye, with a burning cigarette lightly shaking in her left hand:

"Follow your heart. Be true to yourself. Don't judge yourself: other people will do that enough."

One amazing thing I've done is lay down in Spain as I watched a flock of these beautiful egrets migrate for what felt like 30 minutes. It was as if the sky was coated in white and I felt so connected to nature.

Teach, Learn, Share

I would be able to teach some communication skills! University has taught me that the ways in which I communicate with others, especially when asking questions, has primarily been for the benefit of myself. I've learned to never ask a question that is for me, always ensure that it is for the people around you.

Other teaching things include - gardening, guitar/ukulele, vegan or omnivore diet, meditation, ashtanga yoga, cooking (various types of Hispanic, Asian, or American dishes. I can also teach knife skills and most any cooking technique) exercise, and maybe a bit about acceptance (=

Learn - I would love to learn more about writing as well as the life stories that brought our life paths to intersect with one another. Also cooking lessons as well as experiences with your spiritual/religious journeys. Would love to hear about peoples spiritual practices, whether that is going to a Mosque, Temple, or meditating at home, all perspectives have high value!

Share - I can share a meal with whoever comes! We can share our culture with one another. I can share the some of the beautiful experiences I’ve had with you and listen to your experiences! Maybe write some music or conduct a good old jam session!

What I Can Share with Hosts

An open soul and a loving, calm presence.
Some good music and reading suggestions.
An average sense of humor with some above average laughs.

Countries I’ve Visited

Bahamas, Dominican Republic, England, France, Philippines, Spain

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States