I'm a young man who recently graduated from college, and I'm currently trying to find my place in the world. I'm currently working as a bus driver with plans to return to school for an advanced degree once I find my calling, but I am being very cautious due to finances, loans, etc.

When I first meet someone new I can come off as a little reserved because I prefer to listen and ask questions, but once the conversation gets flowing I would be delighted to share stories and experiences.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm a young man who grew up very poor and did not have the opportunity to leave my state, much less the country. I have always wanted to travel and meet new people leading different lives, and to explore their lifestyles and countries. I am very fortunate to have saved enough money to go on my first trip out of the US this coming November, but this is truly only possible because of the generous people such as those on Couchsurfing and the affordable hostels. I am so grateful to have been introduced to this community, and I hope someday when I have my own apartment that I may be able to begin hosting people myself and extending the same opportunities I am being shown.

Interests

I like many things in this world! I like people very much, and talking with them about what they enjoy. I also like movies, video games, photography, languages, and beaches. Tinkering on computers is something I do relatively often and I enjoy doing basic maintenance on cell phones, laptops, and desktops.

• culture
• books
• photography
• dining
• drinking
• movies
• video games
• traveling
• history
• languages
• neuroscience
• beaches

Music, Movies, and Books

Books:
Stiff - Mary Roach
Voices from Chernobyl - Svetlana Alexievich
Gulp - Mary Roach
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings - Maya Angelou
Collateral Damage - Zygmunt Bauman

Movies:
Alien (1979)
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
괴물 Gwoemul [Korean; The Host] (2006)
The Italian Job (2003)
Intouchables [French; Untouchables] (2011)
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009)

Music:
Neko Case, Marina & The Diamonds, Volbeat, No Doubt, Vienna Teng, Marty Robbins, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Florence + The Machine, Of Monsters and Men, The Killers, Led Zeppelin, Sharon Burch, The Cranberries, Dessa, Nicki Minaj, Ella Fitzgerald, Elvis Presley, Fleetwood Mac, The Rolling Stones, Sara Bareilles, Frank Sinatra, Matchbox 20, P!nk, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sheryl Crow, Taylor Swift, and many more.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I'm unsure if I have ever truly done anything amazing when I compare my life to the incredibly rich history that humanity already has. Comparatively I've honestly done little of significance in my short time here, but I can recall something that was amazing to me, personally:

I was given a very rare opportunity to conduct my own experimental paradigm with octopuses involving studying their chemosensation and interactions with novel objects, working with a group of roughly five other neuroscience students. I will never forget it and almost cannot believe I was awarded the honour of working with such brilliant and beautiful creatures. If such a thing interests you I would love to discuss it, but because this was undergraduate level it was rather messy and not really groundbreaking.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I am very quiet and strive to make sure my presence is not bothersome, but I do love to talk and engage in games, etc with others. I'm very no-fuss about sleeping arrangements and am used to sleeping on floors occasionally. I do not drink alcohol, but while abroad I will try to be a bit more open to trying a small amount of local varieties if they are important to local culture (such as in Ireland). I also do not smoke, but am tentatively open to trying very small amounts of tobacco if culturally relevant.

One important thing of note: I have a very unfortunate list of food allergies. I feel terribly about it, but I am going to have to miss out on almost all local food options. It is truly a tragedy and a bit infuriating, but I will have to create my own meals whenever possible or stick to things I know are safe for me. If you are so kind as to allow me use of your kitchen, absolutely anything dirtied will be hand cleaned and dried by myself - I insist! I never want to be a burden or an inconvenience.

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States