CURRENT MISSION

to live on the learning edge, trying to experience the full spectrum of being human

ABOUT ME

I'm a smily, outgoing, friendly world traveler who loves being active in the outdoors, having great conversations on many topics, laughing at myself, photographing the beauty of the world, pretending to know how to play guitar, and understanding my connection to the entire universe.

Planted and grown in Toronto.
Ripened in Vancouver.
Sundried in Perth.

PHILOSOPHY

To experience the full extent of life. All the ups and downs, the joys and the heartaches. This helps me continuously improve my mind, body and spirit.

I love learning and gaining wisdom through challenging experiences. And I love random and silly adventures!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Meeting up with CS people, hosting when I can!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Random encounters with people who somehow know my friends (this world is tiny!).
I gave a woman a lift across the border and she turned out to be an anarchist sneaking into the country!
In Laos I had some fabulous group discussions with fascinating expats I bumped into on the street, and turned out we were all CS folk!

Interests

Rock climbing, kitesurfing, photography, writing, unplanned and independent travel, surfing, philosophy, and building character through novel experiences.

• fish
• writing
• books
• photography
• beauty
• traveling
• music
• guitar
• outdoor activities
• fishing
• surfing
• sikhism
• rock climbing
• swimming
• science
• hitchhiking
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

So many! I love documentaries, films with good cinematography, and those that make you think.
I listen to many kinds of music including folk rock, trance, bluegrass, funk, etc. And love to dance when the beats possess me.
The books I read are a mix of fiction and non, to keep my imaginative but also help me learn new things.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

- Night swimming in bioluminescence in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, off our tiny houseboat while moored up against a family's small floating fish farm (and home).

- Visiting the Sikh's holiest place, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, where the hypnotic prayers sung to groovy tabla and harmonia music seemed to come from within your own head.

- Climbing in West Cape Howe National Park, Western Australia, a remove and wild place where you must scale down the 100m cliffs and perch above powerful waves smashing the rocks and cliffs beneath you -- an angry ocean the only thing between you and Antarctica.

- Getting arrested in Xinjiang province of China (near the Pakistan border). It's a long story. Ask me about it.

Teach, Learn, Share

I volunteer in a science program at a primary school, so I can teach you science if you're 11 years old. I have taught photography on a sailboat high school, and to many other friends. I have taught rock climbing to dozens of people. I have fixed computers for people including a woman who picked me up hitchhiking in New Zealand. I taught my Japanese friends how to make pizza.
What I'd love to learn more is: guitar, surfing, spirituality, happiness, poi, and writing.

What I Can Share with Hosts

-Photography discussions and tips.
-Conversation on a variety of subjects — I read way too much, and find so many things fascinating.
-Of course, this is CS, so travel stories — I've been writing since 2007 at www.michaelfuller.ca
-A general willingness to have ridiculous, silly, often pointless adventures

Countries I’ve Visited

China, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, New Zealand, Peru, Senegal, South Korea, Tanzania

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Canada, Zambia