Hello!!

Where to even begin lol

So much to say...Well I suppose I will introduce myself. My name is Craig, and I am a very friendly Canadian....well, at least I think so :)
I work (on and off) in the oil sands (an open-pit mine where oil is extracted from the ground) specifically in pipeline maintenance (in the north of my province of Alberta). This is mostly how I fund my trip(s). Growing up, I was exposed at an early age to the wonders of exploring the wilderness (such as camping, mountain biking, skiing, hiking). I see myself as a very active and adventurous person. When traveling, I like to walk around the backstreets exploring hidden gems of a town/city or hiking to a beautiful vantage point, or trying local street food.

I enjoy learning new things, and am keen to expand my horizons and to understand local living. As an empathetic person, I love knowing "where people come from" and I think it is quite important for myself to understand more local culture and how they live their way-of-life.

I consider myself to be a compassionate, humble, good natured, optimistic, friendly, and empathetic person. I am fun to be around, and love nothing more than to be in a positive, non-negative environment. I like to laugh and chuckle a lot. Once I warm up to you, you will notice that I have a great sense of humor.

With that said, I am not a rowdy-person (so do not expect me to go out partying every single day).

I am an introvert, although most people would categorize me as a extrovert. I love beeing around people, but I do value some alone time (every now and then). Please do not be turned off by this, I really am not a boring person lol.

________

*** If you wish to hear more about my travel philosophy (as well as past experience I've had on the road), feel free to check out my friend's podcast on the link below.
I'm featured in one of his episodes. The episode runs at 1hr. 12 minutes. The link will bring you to Spotify. Enjoy!
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6ZIV9Vtk5fE3GIBCWG0pr8?si=XPEwVfZWQ1uiNCHMGZnqQQ ***

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I want to get out of the same old rut that most people experience when they travel (Which is: Get to a destination - Go to a hostel/hotel/guesthouse - Meet fellow travelers - Sight see - Leave (Repeat)).
I now have a strong desire to learn more about the culture. Not only about the culture, but also to understand what goes on in the daily lives of local residents. To me, that is the biggest attraction to any new destination. I have spent time living with locals (as in Bangladesh and India) and to me, nothing is more rich of an experience than staying in the home of friendly locals.

Interests

• exercise
• hiking
• camping
• scuba diving
• skiing
• swimming
• mountain biking
• freediving
• craft beer
• star trek
• snorkling
• deep conversations
• making music
• making friends
• people's stories
• airports
• roadtrips
• having a good time
• weight lifting
• trying new things
• craft beers
• distilleries
• breweries
• drinking wine
• drinking with friends
• drinking beer
• yoga nidra
• writing stories
• making money
• reading a good book
• wineries
• drinking water
• traveling the world
• making memories
• having good conversations
• playing bass guitar
• yoga & meditation
• laughing at jokes
• not taking selfies
• laughing in general
• being in a comfortable environment
• making "travel related" memories
• empathizing with people
• being polite
• reminiscing about the good ol days

Music, Movies, and Books

I have a VERY VERY big list of names for books, music and movies that fall under "My Favorite" category.
Let's just say that as far as movies go: A good plot is a big one for me (alongside a good cast of actors/actresses). Even more so, movies that have good twists, or spine-tingling suspense. So any genre is good for me (I am a fan of any genre). With that said...I do need to brush up on the "Romantic Comedy" genre as I have not seen many of those (or in fact, I have BARELY seen any) Lol.
Perhaps someday I will :)
Otherwise, I am a HUGE HUGE fan of Dune and Planet of the Apes! If you are too, then....we will get along just fine!
Also, Star Trek. I recently got into it and am hooked!

Music = I listen to anything. But of course most people say this lol. To generalize, I am a big fan of East Coast Underground Hip hop (to list a few artists: Army of the Pharoahs, Apathy, Vinnie Paz, Jedi Mind Tricks, CZARFACE, R.A. the Rugged Man, Wu-Tang Clan (and all their members), Nas, Mobb Deep, G-Unit, etc.). I am always willing to listen to different types of music, as I too am a musician (Bass Guitar player). I should mention that I am a huge Red Hot Chili Pepper fan. I don't care if they have made "crappy" music lately, I'm still a die hard fan.
Of course being a '90s baby, I'm a sucker (literally) for anything '90s to 2000's. Even the popular, classic '80s songs get me going!
So long as a song has a good chorus and memorable lyrics I'm sold!

Books. Love love books. To make it simple: the "Dune" saga is one of my ultime favorite books of all time. No questions asked. Period. Lol
(I should specify that I read only the Frank Herbert books, not the Kevin J. Anderson/Brain Herbert adaptations). I can talk about these books for hours....
Unfortunately I do not read as often as I would like to when I am on the road. In general, Self Help books are my favorite. Or any book relating to philosophy and how to better oneself.
For fiction, I love Victorian era sci-fi literature such as The Picture of Dorain Grey, Frankenstein, Dracula, Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde, some Sherlock Holmes, or anything by H.G. Wells. Arthur C. Clarke (Space Odyssey 2001, Childhood's End), Homer (The Odyssey and The Illiad), some Shakespearean plays I quite like to read also (if I have the desire to). Otherwise, I am a big Sci-Fi buff. Horror to an extent. I do need to brush up on my Fantasy reading, as I have not read many pertaining to that genre.....
To sum it up, I feel the same for books as I do about movies. As long as there is a good plot, good characters, and fantastic story telling (on the author's part) then I am happy!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

- Been on a 22 day Cruise to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands in 2016.

- I've seen a lecture by the Dalai Lama in India

Teach, Learn, Share

Hmm....I can help improve your English (if you need to). Also, if you are keen to learn more about Canadian culture...then I am your guy to talk to ;)

What I Can Share with Hosts

The rare opportunity to meet Craig Brotschi in the flesh :)
But other from that, a great experience!

...and also, an extra reference on your couchsurfing profile!!

Countries I’ve Visited

Antarctica, Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Ecuador, England, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), France, French Guiana, Germany, Guyana, Hungary, Iceland, India, Kenya, Laos, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Rwanda, Scotland, Slovakia, South Africa, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada