CURRENT MISSION

Onward and upward. I am constantly trying to be a better version of myself, and learn new things all the time.

ABOUT ME

I am a student at Indiana University at South Bend majoring in Spanish and Latino Studies. I've taken the long road to earning a degree, but I have done some traveling in the meantime which has made it worth it. I tend to be shy at first with people I've not met, and become more conversational after introductions have been made. I am a twin, and a proud uncle of a beautiful 4 year old. The friendships I have are very important to me and long lasting, as I I don't have much family that lives around. My friends are thus the family I have chosen, and they are treated as such, earning my love, trust, and loyalty. I love adventure, and welcome it with open arms. When I decided to go visit Ecuador, it was on a whim, I bought a one way ticket, and stayed for 6 months. It was the best time of my life. I was able to learn a lot about the country, people, my family, and myself. I made friendships that continue today, and realized how much I want to travel and get to know different countries, customs, and people.

PHILOSOPHY

Treat others as you would like to be treated.
If you're going to do something, to it to the best of your ability.
Learn. Continually.
Choose to love, even when that is the most difficult thing to do.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have no experience, yet, as i just signed up on CS. I hope that will change in a couple weeks.

Interests

I don't have very much free time as I am a full time student and work almost full time hours, but when I am not busy with either of those I enjoy reading, strength training, playing catch with my dogs, spending time with friends, and, of course, traveling. I enjoy talking about travel, as one of the most enjoyable times in my life was when I spent 6 months living in South America from 2008 to 2009. I like doing outdoor activities, such as hiking, climbing, and kayaking, although South Bend does not present opportunities to do those things very often. Also, I am a huge movie guy. I love going to the theaters or renting movies and could easily spend a weekend inside watching movies.

• dogs
• dancing
• cooking
• partying
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• kayaking
• rock climbing
• languages
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Gladiator, Forest Gump, Love Actually, Tears of the Sun, The Lord of the Ring, Slumdog Millionaire

Dave Matthews Band, Mana, Juanes, Coldplay, Mumford and Son, Foo Fighters, Avett Brothers, Ben Harper

Lone Survivor, Masters of Chaos, Man's Search for Meaning, Wild at Heart, See no Evil, Jawbreaker, Oh The Places You'll Go

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Living in Ecuador for 6 months was the best time of my life! I had been there before, but only for 1-2 weeks at a time. But being there for an extended amount of time allowed me to appreciate the country so much more. I was able to sit in its magnificence and let it consume. I was changed by the time I came back to the states, and for the better. I climbed mountains, walked up a volcano, drove through the jungle, party on the Pacific Ocean, learn to dance, learn spanish, learn to cook ceviche, get to know family, help those in poverty through a non-profit, overcome some of my shyness, meet great people and make amazing friends. Not only did I fall in love with the country and people of Ecuador, but of the world. I appreciate other cultures and languages so much more now, and want to travel the world. Its amazing how small and less intimidating the world starts to feel when you go over seas and make friends.