I was born and raised in Montreal Quebec. I'm the youngest of three brothers and I'm an uncle of two intelligent, creative and beautiful nieces. Friends would call me funny, honest, loyal and great at parallel parking!

At 19 I moved to Toronto to study acting at Ryerson University. I was in the business for 10 years. I did a few commercials, and small independent movies that maybe 5 people saw. My highlights were: Touring all over Canada with two different theatre companies for young audiences, I acted opposite Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Owning Mahoney" (if you blink you'll miss me but he's one of my favorite actors so it was worth it!), I played the lead role of Eugene in Neil Simon's "Brighton Beach Memoirs" which was a dream of mine and I also created a one-man show about my cancer experience called "My Left Nut" which I toured to high schools and cancer retreats.

Although acting was my first passion I decided to change careers and became an elementary school teacher. I teach grade 5 in French immersion, which means all the subjects are taught in French. I never imagined I would work professionally in French since it's not my first language but I love it. I also love this new career. It combines all my passions such as working with kids, drama, art and mentoring.

I swam competitively growing up so athletically I'm most comfortable in the water but I love being active and the outdoors like hiking, biking and camping. I recently got back into swimming and joined a masters swim club. My goal is to beat my oldest brother in the 100m breaststroke. It's definitely great motivation for training!

I'm creative and an artist. I love to draw and it's still a goal of mine to paint like Bob Ross. I love architecture, design, photography and illustration. My love for illustration is probably why I enjoy reading graphic novels. The combination of artwork and great story telling make for a cinematic reading experience which is completely engaging.

I love movies (especially from the 80s), tv (British tv is the best), live theatre, podcasts and I LOVE stand-up comedy! Seinfeld, Sarah Silverman, Ricky Gervais, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock to name a few.

As I mentioned I'm a cancer survivor so I know something about overcoming adversity when life kicks you in the balls. I had testicular cancer so life literally kicked me there. The up side is that cycling is more comfortable now! Joking aside, it was a profound life experience and I'm grateful to have survived.

Finally, I'll share that I'm returning to the stage in May in a production of "Visiting Mr. Green" by Jeff Baron. I've dreamt of doing this play ever since I saw it years ago in Montreal. I am thrilled that I'll be acting again and sharing this play with audiences soon.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

There is so much of the world I haven't seen so traveling is definitely a major goal of mine. While I've been to a few places they were mostly all inclusive resorts which have their merits but you don't get an authentic experience of the country you're visiting. So I am excited to travel and actually explore new cities and experience the rich history and vibrant cultures in each destination.
I was fully prepared to use hotels or AirB&B but then I discovered Couchsurfing and was instantly intrigued. The fact that it's free is obviously incredible but to be perfectly honest what excites me is the prospect of meeting locals who can offer a unique and more authentic way to discover a new county. I also have never traveled on my own so I think this can be a great opportunity for me to meet people, make connections and maybe even new friendships.
In this internet age of social media that supposedly brings everyone closer I feel we're more disconnected than ever. Everyone is glued to their devices, texting, tweeting or posting when they could be engaging with one another face to face, in the moment. It seems like Couchsurfers share that value of connecting with people and building a real sense of community. I'm excited to participate.

Interests

• documentaries
• movies
• board games
• drawing
• podcasts
• camping
• tennis
• swimming
• visual arts
• tv shows
• theatre
• stand up comedy
• netflix
• graphic novels
• star wars
• musical theatre
• seinfeld
• back to the future
• bob ross

Music, Movies, and Books

Making a list of favorite movies would take too long. Here are some of my favorites in no particular order: Star Wars, Back to the Future, Indiana Jones, Shawshank Redemption, Godfather, Die Hard, Goonies, Field of Dreams. Honestly there are too many. I love movies and talking about movies.

I'm not a super avid reader but when I find an author I enjoy I usually go through their list of books. I've loved reading books by: John Irving (A Prayer for Owen Meany), Nick Hornby (About a Boy, High Fidelity), Michael Chabon (The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay), John Grisham (The Firm), Stephen King (The Stand), Brian Selznick (Hugo Cabret), and of course Harry Potter.
As I mentioned I LOVE reading graphic novels. Some favorites: Black Hole, MAUS, My Friend Dahmer, anything by Daniel Clowes, Mouse Guard, Fun Home, Persepolis and anything by Jeff Lemire.

I enjoy all kinds of music like rock, jazz, funk, classical. Some favorites are: Pearl Jam, U2, ACDC, Led Zeplin, Beatles, Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Bryan Adams, Michael Jackson, Jackson Five, James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Green Day, Nirvana

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I created a one-man show about my experience being diagnosed with testicular cancer called "My Left Nut." Since the typical age range for testicular cancer is 15-39 I wanted, in particular, to inform teens about it. I toured the show to high schools and also to cancer retreats and events for cancer organizations. Performing this show which was funny, informative and inspirational was one of the best experiences of my life.

You can follow this link to a short trailer of the show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7cGami7Z_Y

What I Can Share with Hosts

Hopefully I can share an experience that would be mutually enjoyable, respectful, entertaining and memorable. I think I can share meaningful conversation as I'm a good listener and enjoy learning about people's journey. I can share a laugh.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Cuba, France, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Puerto Rico, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada