I think (not sure) I have been to around 20 different countries, and I have been to all the states in the USA except one, hawaii. I have spent half of my adult life living in Europe, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia. I have learned many things, not just by where I have been, but also what I was engage in while being there. I guess this is the part where I say I'm not like many other travelers, but I guess that isn't necessary on a site like this. I've been through an array of dangerous experiences, things that could most certainly never be understood in a classroom. Not to say I have no value for education, quite the contrary. I do however crave the need for experience that can only be gained through travel. When I was younger, I lived in a more remote setting, very pleasant and safe. I was totally obsessed with the outside world, one of those people that when old enough is never coming back. Then something changed, some might say not for the better. I horded National Geographic, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and the Economist, I couldn't get enough of those magazines, and still can't.... Well maybe I could do without Foreign Policy.... Something however started to stir inside of me and I couldn't quite figure out what it was... Then I realized, everything documentary I watch, every article I read, picture I look at, sound byte I hear, the news, all of it, was another person's perspective, or even worse... a story. Then it dawned on me, the truth can not be hidden from you in the center of conflict. There was no looking back after that... Since then, I've toured a few war zones.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I have actually checked it out from the beginning but never got an account. Then, not too long ago, I met one of the coolest people I have ever met in my life. She told me about how she uses couch surfing and I thought that was pretty smart. People on couchsurfing seem easier to classify as 'open' in comparison to other social network platforms.

Then, I got this idea. I crashed and burned out of the Military, and never got a chance to feel like I came home, like at all. When I came back from deployments in the Military, I was still overseas. So I didn't come home, I came back to 'home' base and the people there to greet you are the same people you were deployed with, just home two weeks before you.

After leaving the Military I dealt with what you could classify as hard times. You don't quite feel like you ever came home, or welcomed when you are trying to figure out how to eat, what public spaces are safe for sleeping, I think you get the idea. Can't drive, can't use a phone, no shelter, no internet, things get real interesting real quick.

Recently I moved back to my home, the land of pointed furs. I was able to stay with my father (thanks JOD!) and now finally have an ability to put my life back together. Coming back home here, finally gave me a feeling like I have a place. Although most of the people I knew here are gone, whomever that was left has definitely helped me feel at home. Throughout the process of being back in this state, I did however notice different things about it. The way people treat each other in this state is very different from anywhere else. How people engage in conversations here is still how people used to talk to each other. Now a days, people maintain friendships like the maintain friendlists, or talk to each other like they are commenting on a status... Not here though, I mean it's around no doubt, but it has not consumed people yet.

Interests

I have a ton, almost like I have been trying to collect them all.

• documentaries
• education
• news
• traveling
• surfing
• economics
• teaching

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Raised an Army.

Countries I’ve Visited

Afghanistan, Austria, Belgium, Canada, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Netherlands, Qatar, Romania, Spain, Turkey, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Afghanistan, Iraq, Italy, United States