Hi! My name is Daniel and I teach biology in an independent high school in Phoenix, AZ. Traveling internationally is a passion of mine, and meeting new people from around the world is a large part of that passion. I've found that crashing on strangers' couches, reserving a bed in a hostel's common room, and camping by the side of the road are the best ways to get to know a place and meet interesting people. I am an environmentalist and generally seek out wildlife and spectacular landscapes when I travel. I also enjoy a good adventure; backpacking, bike touring, scuba diving, climbing, and skiing are my favorite activities!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I will be bike touring around Iceland on the Ring Road with my younger brother (20) this summer (June 26-July 20). While we will be camping almost the entire way, we expect to be regularly battered by intense winds and rains. I am therefore on Couchsurfing in the hopes of finding a few yards in which to set up a tent and/or a few couches to crash on and a few showers in which to get warm! And, of course, I hope to meet some different people along the way! I want to get to know other travel enthusiasts!

Interests

• dogs
• wildlife
• beer
• gardening
• reading
• live music
• cycling
• backpacking
• rock climbing
• soccer
• adventure
• wilderness

Music, Movies, and Books

Favorite music is tough, but here's a small sample: Bruce Springsteen, Griz, Tallest Man on Earth, Rolling Stones, Jay-Z, Jim Croce, and the Eagles.

Books are equally tough, but here are a few: The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver), The Lacuna (Barbara Kingsolver), Everything is Illuminated (Jonathan Safran Foer), Game of Thrones (George R. R. Martin), A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving), and The Snow Leopard (Peter Matthiessen).

Movies (again, this list is NOT comprehensive): Good Will Hunting, My Cousin Vinny, 180 Degrees South, Shawshank Redemption, Lord of the Rings, and Happy Gilmore.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I lived in a national park in Costa Rica (Parque Nacional Santa Rosa) for a year studying wild, white-faced capuchin monkeys. This meant following five groups of ~20 individuals through the forest, alone, for ~8 hours a day. It was an incredible opportunity to think and reflect. I enjoyed cutting myself off from the madness of modern life -- no phone, no internet (most of the time), and nothing to do. I also enjoyed getting to know animals as individuals: after a year with the same ~100 monkeys, I felt as though I knew each one of them very, very well. I knew their personalities, their relationships, their quirks, and how they would react to any number of situations. They're so similar to us!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Because we will be bike touring, we won't have much with us! That being said, you would always have a place to crash in Phoenix, AZ or Seattle, WA. And (for those of you seeking more instantaneous gratification), I am always eager to swap stories! I can be very low impact (give me a closet underneath the stairs and I'm happy!) and would happily do chores around the house/property.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, Nicaragua, Norway, South Africa, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

Costa Rica, Ecuador, United States