CURRENT MISSION

Travel the world while getting my PhD!

ABOUT ME

I'm a PhD student at Virginia Commonwealth University studying contemporary art history. There's nothing else I'd rather be doing! Before going to graduate school,I was born and raised in Baltimore, MD and I attended the University of Maryland where I majored in studio art and art history. I'm a big fan of the outdoors, and love to hike, bike, and kayak when possible. When I'm confined to the city, I love art (for obvious reasons) and going to galleries and museums. I'm a very outgoing type of person, and I love meeting new people from all kinds of different backgrounds.

PHILOSOPHY

I suppose my personal philosophy is all about living life to the fullest. As cliche as this may be, I really believe it. I like to think I embody this by traveling as much as possible, eating adventurously, and being open to new experiences. I do my best to ignore the small hiccups of daily life, and always focus on the bigger picture. Everything, in the end, will be alright.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I'm new to Couchsurfing, but I'm really excited to try it out. I'm eager to surf on other people's couches and interested in hosting good-natured surfers.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I haven't had to opportunity to surf yet, but I'm looking forward to it. However, I've done AirBnB before which was a great experience for me.

Interests

Art, music, good food, and good beer! I'm a seasoned traveler who is not afraid to go off the beaten path for the "authentic" cultural experience. When I travel, I do my best to learn new languages, seek out local restaurants, and immerse myself in the culture. I read a lot as well, anything from Harry Potter to art history books (don't have much of a choice about these) to philosophy and critical theory. I think this is one of my problems -- I like everything!

• arts
• culture
• books
• contemporary art
• dining
• beer
• traveling
• music
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• hiking
• kayaking
• art history
• history
• languages
• medicine

Music, Movies, and Books

My taste in music, movies, and books is, well, quite diverse! Right now, I'm really into bands such as The Knocks and Die Antwoord (and have been for some time!). At the end of the day, if I can dance to it, it's good to me! Of course, I still occasionally indulge in my favorite tunes from those awkward teenage years, such as Taking Back Sunday, Blink 182, and the Foo Fighters. I honestly like just about everything. In terms of movies, I enjoy good Hollywood (and Bollywood) spectacle. Some of my favorites include Lord of the Rings, Gladiator, and other Sci-Fi/fantasy/historical epics. I love a good foreign film from time to time, such as RoboGeisha. Again, I like everything.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

This is a tough one! I've had some amazing experiences in my life that I'm quite thankful for, but recently I had the pleasure of attending a friend's wedding in Delhi. It was a big, fat, Punjabi wedding, and I don't think I'll ever see or be a part of anything like it again. Indian weddings may be the best, so if you get a chance to go, do so!

Teach, Learn, Share

So, if there is one thing I can share and teach it's art. As a PhD student, I've basically devoted my life to the study of it. So if you want to learn about contemporary art, 20th century European/American art,or South Asian art, I'm your man. I'm always interested in learning new languages, even if it is just a few words!