I was born in Rota, Spain on a military base to two Americans so I can legally be president of the US (just wait thirty years). I lived in Egypt for the first two years of my life, not that I remember it at all. I am just now beginning to learn Arabic but apparently my first word was ماذا. I then lived in Virginia until I was five, and then to New Hampshire until I went into high school. I've always considered New Hampshire my home but currently my place of residence is Bozeman, Montana.

Anything else you need to know, I'm on Facebook. Don't hesitate to send me a friend request, along with a message. I probably won't accept if I don't know who you are.

https://www.facebook.com/FuctTape

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Admittedly, I'm more of a surfer than a surf shack owner. Still, my extraversion and desire to meet people from all over gets the best of me and I would love to host every now and then.

It's always an option to sleep in a hostel or a hotel, but why? To me, couchsurfing is more than just a place to stay. It's a network to connect with people around the world. Without it, all these new friends might just be strangers you pass on the street without taking a second to say 'hello'.

Language learning is probably my biggest passion. Only recently have I gotten to the point where I can try speaking, even if only a few words, without being too embarrassed. This is the most important lesson I've learned. Never be ashamed to start from scratch.

Summer of 2013 I contracted a terrible disease. To my knowledge, there is no cure or treatment. This disease is called The Travel Bug.

Common symptoms include:
Wanderlust, anxiety following long periods of time in the same place, sweating, having difficulty containing excitement, and possible screaming .

Interests

I study Policy and International Relations at Montana State University with aspirations of going to law school in New England. I feel tremendously grateful for the way the world has treated me and I'm looking for a way to give back through continuing my knowledge of cultures and passions.

I consider myself a bit of an entrepreneur but I still haven't found that perfect idea. Or... could it be that I haven't found that prefect business partner? In my travels, I've met a lot of business minded people and the one thing we all have in common is that we want to leave the world a better place than it was when we got here.

Cooking. Everything. Just ask. :)

Music, Movies, and Books

Harry Potter (of course), ASoIaF (more recently), anything Hugo, Don Quixote (original and untranslated), Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs (top of my to do list), but mostly journals, scientific reviews, economics, politics, and so forth.

I have to clarify that I don't particularly enjoy fiction in written form but I looooove fiction in cinematic form. I'm immersing myself into the cinematic world slowly but surely and there are still some important movies I have never seen.

Music? Just had to get rid of my record player unfortunately. As a junior in high school I discovered Pink Floyd and I have never looked back. More recently I have gotten into jazz and classic rock.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

My first trip to Spain was nothing short of amazing. For those of you not already fluent in a few world languages, let me explain to you the most amazing thing you'll notice when you immerse yourself in a culture for an extended period of time. For the first two and a half weeks (feels longer than it actually is) I had a very difficult time speaking Spanish. I made sure to make up for this by listening, truly listening. Listening is more difficult than you might think! My brain was fried! I was going to bed ridiculously early every night. After about two and a half weeks, I was suddenly speaking Spanish! It blew my mind!

In December, 2014 I took a solo trip to Vietnam and couch surfed across the country, meeting great people and great friends along the way. I've never had more difficulty with a language than Vietnamese. Challenge accepted!

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you...
English, Spanish, how to have fun regardless of conditions or circumstances, how to make a delicious wine flavored ice cream

I would like to learn...
Whatever language YOU speak, anything you have to offer, how to make the most of my trip in your city, different perspectives on the world around us

Let's share...
Lasting friendships, at least for the duration of our stay together, hopefully longer, fine wines and delicious food, knowledge about our interests, passions, hobbies

What I Can Share with Hosts

Let's trade language lessons! I am a fun person who is all about learning and all about teaching. Every day is a fun day with me. I'm very good at accommodating to the rules of the house. I enjoy a party as much as the next guy but I do make a point to mind my own business and keep quiet. I am clean, healthy, and love an adventure.

I've also recently gotten really into cooking and I would love to cook something for the host or try their cooking, especially if it is traditional for the location. Fish is my specialty but I've also had tremendous luck with duck, wild boar, and even alligator! My favorite of all, however, is cooking vegetables. They're so versatile, healthy and, especially if paired with the right sauce (my friends call me the Sauce Boss when we cook together), delicious!

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Dominica, France, Germany, Honduras, Ireland, Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Egypt, Spain, United States