CURRENT MISSION

Never stop wandering but always stop to wonder.

ABOUT ME

About me....

I am a relaxed, down to earth guy. I love conversing with and learning from amazing people. I grew up in the land of mountains and hippies (Kootenays, BC) and my homeland resonates in me. I have travelled throughout much of the world and am so excited to be on another wander!

check out my website for a better sense of the world of Joel...

PHILOSOPHY

I am all about the little things. I laugh at loud at life's quircky happenings. I approach life with positivity and enthusiasm. Always follow your inner sense.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

It is a beautiful thing to re-affirm to people the good values and community spirit that is in people. I think we all know it but unfortunately we seem to actually SEE it less and less....

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Did some amazing surfing during my recent trip through South America. Such gracious hosts and all around lovely people. Nothing but good experiences.

Interests

travel, photography, cooking, eating, drinking, time with friends and family, being active (volleyball, soccer, skiing, snowboarding, hiking, camping....), the mind and all of its wonders

• photography
• cooking
• drinking
• technology
• traveling
• guitar
• hiking
• camping
• hunting
• surfing
• skiing
• snowboarding
• sports
• soccer
• volleyball
• swimming
• business
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

hmm.....

Music: The Shins, B.B. King, Radiohead, Dave Matthews Band, Pink Floyd, Bob Marley, Arcade Fire

Books: Tao of Pooh, The Alchemist, Perfume, 100 Years of Solitude, Lonely Planet (hah!)...

Movies: Royal Tenenbaums, Fight Club, Amelie, What the Bleep do we Know, Space Odysee 2001, Eternal Sunshine

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Some of the more amazing sites I have seen:
- Looking down into the active volcano on Stromboli, Italy (in 1998 before recent eruption), with lava shooting up into the air hundreds of meters and sun setting on the Meditteranean in the horizon.
- Swimming stomach to stomach (me on the bottom) with a big green turtle on the Prehentian Islands, Malaysia
- Skiing off numerous big cliffs into fields of powder in the amazing B.C. mountains
- Surprise visit to my Grandma on her 80th birthday

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach: I LOVE TO TEACH!
- by no means a professional but I have a solid understanding of photography (both film and digital)
- played the following sports at a pretty high level: soccer, skiing, volleyball
- educated in business: start-ups, marketing, sales, raising money, negotiation

Learn:
- increase photography skills
- environmental industry - new technology, new business, different jobs in the industry
- play the guitar and harmonica

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, Jamaica, Malaysia, Peru, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Canada