CURRENT MISSION

Personal growth, PhD, career, encounter difference, become engaged in the world!

ABOUT ME

Lazy note: some content on this profile is out of date and sorely in need of updating...

I'm a pretty intense individual. I consider life a serious work, but one of beauty and meaning like a work of art. I love to share my passions with others and learn from their passions.

I'm a clinical psychology student at Duquesne University, working toward eventually becoming a Jungian/psychoanalytic/existential psychotherapist. In 2014, before my program began, I had the chance to travel and live abroad in Europe. I'm addicted to travel now, and must say that a large part of my heart still belongs in Europe (specifically Eastern Europe). Unfortunately, I don't see too many opportunities to hop on a jet and go back abroad any time soon, so CS is one of my ways of still feeling connected to the rest of the world. If or when I'm not shoulder-deep in PhD work, I'd love to be able to host or meet travelers visiting Pittsburgh. I'm fairly new to the city myself and am also always looking for new friends in the city, new events, and so on.

PHILOSOPHY

I can't pretend to give a straight or easy answer to a single thing. Not even, "How are you?" So here's a poem by Rumi (translated by Coleman Barks):

The Tavern

All day I think about it, then at night I say it. Where did I come from, and what am I supposed to be doing? I have no idea. My soul is from elsewhere, I'm sure of that, And I intend to end up there.

This drunkenness began in some other tavern. When I get back around to that place, I'll be completely sober. Meanwhile, I'm like a bird from another continent, sitting in this aviary. The day is coming when I fly off, But who is it now in my ear who hears my voice? Who says words with my mouth?

Who looks out with my eyes? What is the soul? I cannot stop asking.

If I could taste one sip of an answer, I could break out of this prison for drunks. I didn't come here of my own accord, and I can't leave that way. Whoever brought me here will have to take me home.

This poetry. I never know what I'm going to say. I don't plan it. When I'm outside the saying of it, I get very quiet and rarely speak at all.

We have a huge barrel of wine, but no cups. That's fine with us. Every morning We glow and in the evening we glow again.

They say there's no future for us. They're right.

Which is fine with us.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

It's about an exchange of experiences and souls. I like to learn something from everyone I meet, and hope I have something to give them in return. For the most part, I'm afraid, it's been more take than give, but that's because I'm young and self-obsessed. I think that's changing steadily though.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've surfed with hosts from all over Europe during my first four-month backpacking trip early in 2014. It's been wonderful. You really learn to have faith in the good will and trust of total strangers.

Interests

psychology/psychotherapy (Freudian, Jungian, Gestalt, existential),
philosophy, astrology, Buddhism, Taoism, mysticism, poetry, mythology, history, cultures, biology, medicine, ecology, sustainability/permaculture, food, jazz, wine, art, the wild, the cosmos, people in all their strange and beautiful forms, seeing wonder in tiny things, writing, taking walks alone through streets or woods, "forest-bathing," exploring abandoned places, talking all night, coffee, tea, seeing the seasons change, doing nothing, staying in bed, getting out of bed, playing piano, drums, accordion, laughing, making fun of myself, crazy people, passionate people, people who know how to love

• arts
• writing
• poetry
• beauty
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• coffee
• yoga
• meditation
• flying
• traveling
• leatherworking
• jazz
• piano
• drums
• backpacking
• buddhist
• biology
• ecology
• teaching
• history
• languages
• medicine
• psychology

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies:
Fight Club, The Fountain, The Tree of Life, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Royal Tenenbaums, all Hayao Miyazaki films, The Science of Sleep, Dead Poets Society, The Matrix, The Big Lebowski, Seven Samurai, Rashomon, The Seventh Seal, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shining, Dr. Strangelove, Love and Death, Sleeper, Annie Hall, Midnight in Paris, Lost in Translation, A Clockwork Orange, SLC Punk, A Serious Man, Before Sunrise, The Boondock Saints, Clerks, Snatch, Network, Vanilla Sky, Waking Life, Chungking Express, Sweet Movie, Stalker, Solaris, Lost in Translation, Her...

Music:
classical, jazz, alternative, folk.....

Books:
Too many.....

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

The word "amazing" is overused. It should be reserved for miracles like seeing someone raised from the dead. So I haven't seen or done anything amazing. But I have stories. And I'm rather private, so again, ask me in person ;)

Teach, Learn, Share

I was English teacher for a while in Europe, so of course I'm always offering lessons and tutoring on the side. Ask me also if you would like me to share my poetry or writing with you. If you are a writer or artist of any kind, I always enjoy sharing and discussing. I'm by no means a master, but people tend to come to me for advice sometimes. I can also maybe teach you to play the drums. I can show you how to do Zen meditation (zazen). Again, I'm no master. I'm not always a very practical person, so mostly, I can share my thoughts and stories and attitude. I'm most interested in your stories as well, your world, your view of life.

Particularly though, I am interested in meeting other psychotherapists and also writers/artists. I'm interesting in learning more about meditation, yoga, and astrology. I love learning languages. If you can help me with Serbian or Russian, I would greatly appreciate it! And one thing I've always wanted to learn is a sort of craft like wood or stone or metal working, sewing, tailoring, leatherwork, etc. I love making anything that can be enjoyed with the senses. Needless to say, I also love cooking :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Romania, Serbia, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Serbia, United States

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