I'm an Aussie guy from Adelaide in South Australia. At university I studied Cultural Anthropology and Spanish, though for now I am working as an assistant English teacher in a primary school in Madrid, Spain. I'm also working here in Madrid as an anthropology research assistant on a project centred on urban change and activism in times of gentrification.

I'm usually a bit timid when I first meet people, but pretty quickly I open up and become really chatty. I enjoy meeting all kinds of different people, of whatever ages - the differences between us can make for some really interesting and enlightening shared experiences.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

When I am travelling or living in a new place, I love to meet local people that can give me some cool suggestions, show me around, and help me to understand the local culture. I really enjoy getting to know places beyond the top 'tourist' sites, and being able to explore some of the more unknown areas that are really special. I think CS is about so much more than finding a place to sleep, but for making local connections while travelling around! I appreciate those who offer me their homes and hospitality while I am travelling, and I aim to give my hosts something valuable in return - whatever that may be.

Interests

- ethnography
- food (eating and cooking)
- arts
- travel
- languages
- urban activism
- film

• arts
• culture
• humanities
• coffee
• yoga
• traveling
• music
• hiking
• anthropology
• languages
• food
• cinema
• bars
• theatre

Music, Movies, and Books

MUSIC: I like a wide range of styles - from more classical work to (sometimes) hard techno. I love ambient chill music, bossa nova, pop, indie, rap, jazz... These are some of the musicians whose music I like: Rhye, the xx, Aldous Harding, Helado Negro, Sylvan Esso, Massive Attack, Flight Facilities, Bonobo, Lorde, Cicero, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Buscabulla, The Pointer Sisters, Air, Ana Tijoux, Arca, Astrud Gilberto, Beach House, Caribou, Cocteau Twins, Devendra Banhart, Jane Birkin, Fatima, etc.

MOVIES: I'm open to any genre and particularly like films that blend the elements of several genres - especially with some comedy from time to time! I also am a bit of a fan of foreign films, and documentaries too! Some of my favourite films are the following:
- Babel
- The Dreamers
- I Killed My Mother
- Hiroshima Mon Amour
- Jackie
- Summer 1993
- Pan's Labyrinth
- Frances Ha
- Mysterious Skin
- 20th Century Women
- Ciudades a Contraluz
- L'avenir
- A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night
- An Education

BOOKS: I love to read books, but because I had to read so often for my studies I haven't been able to read as much as I would have liked! I like most genres of books, but particularly like novels with a bit of a mystical touch to them - like magical realism. I also like to read ethnographic works (anthropological texts) about a broad range of themes - for example: urbanism, gender, sexuality, activism, environmentalism, violence, emotion and affect, art and performance, etc.

Some of my favourite books are the following:
- The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera
- The Broken Fountain, Thomas Belmonte
- Chronicle of a Death Foretold, Gabriel García Márquez
- Assuming the Position, Rick Whitaker
- Reflections on Fieldwork in Morocco, Paul Rabinow
- The Vulnerable Observer: Anthropology That Breaks Your Heart, Ruth Behar

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I did an exchange in Granada, Spain for one semester in 2016 from January - July, where I studied cultural anthropology, learnt how to speak Spanish (at a passable level!), and met a whole of people from different places around the world.

Teach, Learn, Share

Share with me some stories, places, recipes and I'll share back!

What I Can Share with Hosts

- As I am an English teacher, I can definitely teach you some English (especially with a range of Aussie slang), or else I can try to teach you some Spanish too!
- I also love to share recommendations of movies, books and music that I like, and besides from that, suggestions for where to eat or visit in any cities that I know well enough to give them for
- good conversations about whatever topics, a fun night in or a fun night out!
- an anthropological perspective on whatever we end up discussing together

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, England, France, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Malaysia, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Turkey, United Arab Emirates

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Spain