I'm an American who loves to meet other people different from myself. I have worked in laboratories, farms, and forests and by far the best part of each was connecting with others. Now I have gone back to school to study forestry in Germany, and get in touch with the land of my ancestors. I'm an upbeat person who enjoys engaging humanity through positive word and gesture. I have lived in both excess, and in destitution, and I think most of us could get by with a little less if we all shared a little more.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing breaks the paradigm that we are all separate from one another. It fosters the perspective that we can find common ground and break bread with one another if we are willing to let down our walls. I am Couchsurfing because I want to explore new places and see them through the eyes of their inhabitants. I love the feeling of altruism and empathy that stems from opening my life up to stranger, or being taken in as family by one you don't know. Learning how many different ways people choose to live gives me inspiration and more understanding of humanity's diversity.

Interests

• dancing
• cycling
• camping
• trail running
• forestry
• travel
• good conversation
• foreign cultures
• tree climbing
• banjo
• organic farming
• cooking and baking
• meditating
• reading and writing

Music, Movies, and Books

Music:
Gregory Alan Isakov
Muddy Waters
Gorillaz

Movies:
Never Let Me Go
Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind
The Hours

Books:
Slaughterhouse Five
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
The Lord of the Rings (The Fellowship of the Ring)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Changed the clutch assembly in my Subaru, with no help, and no prior mechanical experience.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I would be happy to bake you bread, serenade you with my banjo, or go for a walk around town. Or possibly share a bottle of wine and exchange stories.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, China, France, Guinea, Malaysia, Thailand

Countries I’ve Lived In

Sierra Leone, United States