I recently finished my engineering PhD at Ohio State University in the US. I grew up in the rural mid-western U.S., playing a lot of sports and mostly just traveling to the east coast and Florida for vacations. I went to college at Michigan State University, where I met a lot more diverse and unique people that really widened my world perspective. Since then, I've done a lot of traveling around the US, Canada, Italy, Asia, and Costa Rica. My favorite thing about traveling is meeting people from all over the world!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I really want to experience other types of people and cultures outside of my bubble in the United States.

Interests

Great food: I'll try just about anything. Always looking for seafood and breakfast - sometimes both at once.
Great drinks: Unique cocktails are my favorite. I also love dark and hearty beers.
Sports: Tennis, golf, volleyball, American football, baseball, basketball.
Science: Love learning and teaching how the universe works. Spent several years working for NASA so always interested in space technology.

• culture
• dining
• seafood
• breakfast
• beer
• cocktails
• drinking
• drinking games
• flying
• politics
• technology
• traveling
• music
• sports
• baseball
• basketball
• american football
• soccer
• tennis
• volleyball
• golf
• engineering
• science

Music, Movies, and Books

Rock music is my favorite, but not the heavy stuff. Mostly alternative, indie, and folk rock. American Country music is my guilty pleasure. I usually just listen to it while I'm doing something outside in the summer.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I once rode a bull in an amateur rodeo in rural Ohio! His name was Spooky and I was thrown off in about 2 seconds, rolling out of the way just before he landed on me with his two hind legs. I'm not a cowboy but it was something I had always wanted to do!

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach and share about all aspects of American culture and travel destinations, plus many unique drinking games and cocktails! I can also attempt to explain the sorry state of American politics.
I'd like to learn as much as I can about the places I'm visiting, the perspectives and attitudes of the people, and traditions, customs, etc.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I love making breakfast, and my specialty is banana pancakes if you can point me toward the right ingredients. I can otherwise pay for some drinks or meals if you're willing to show me some good spots! There's nothing like good conversation with a "stranger" from another country over a drink or meal.

Countries I’ve Visited

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Hong Kong, Italy, Malaysia, Montenegro, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Thailand, Virgin Islands, U.S.

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States