I'm an American student going to university at UNC Chapel Hill. I lived in Paris for half a year (which is why my profile says I'm in Paris), but I'm back in North Carolina finishing my degree.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm currently a student so I can't do much backpacking at the moment, but I'm a little tired of the hostel routine. The AirBnBs I've stayed in are great, but there's something different about how casual and communal couch surfing is, and I much prefer that to more formal lodging.

I also haven't done nearly as much backpacking or hitchhiking as I would like, so getting to meet people on Couchsurfing who know their stuff and have great stories would be really fantastic.

Interests

• environment
• philosophy
• learning new things
• exploring new places
• meeting new people

Music, Movies, and Books

My friends describe my music taste as "road trip music" if that gives you any idea- Lumineers, Vance Joy, Hozier, etc.

I've never really been big into watching TV or movies, but I was a big fan of the movie Mud. And Forest Gump of course. For TV, I'm a fan of Stranger Things, The Walking Dead, and Whose Line Is It Anyways.

As for books, by far my favorites are Born to Run by Christopher McDougall (book about ultramarathons, vegan diets, running barefoot, human evolution, and the culture of running) and Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts (a prison escapee makes a life in India, one of the most powerful books I've ever read).

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Close tie between 10 weeks in Tuléar, Madagascar and a 3 week whitewater rafting/backpacking trip in Oregon, US.

In Madagascar, I lived in a dried grass hut on a camp with no electricity or running water for 9 weeks, doing research on marine conservation and alternative livelihoods for local fishermen. That involved a lot of close work with the amazing Malagasy people, and I "couchsurfed" (i.e. stayed with a random family I'd met) a few times there in different beachside villages in one room huts. I also spent 10 days hitchhiking back from southern Madagascar to the capital.
I dived nearly 5 times a week when I was there, doing different species surveys and artificial reef construction.

In Oregon, I went on an Outward Bound trip, which was by far one of the best experiences of my life. Next year I'm taking two semesters off, one of which I'm looking to go back to the Pacific Crest Trail to hike as much of it as I can, or maybe I'll hop on the Appalachian Trail and give that a try. Otherwise I'm looking to work in Denali National Park or Grand Canyon National Park (I'm big on nature).

What I Can Share with Hosts

If anyone is curious about Madagascar, I can talk about it for days on end. Other than that I'm pretty enthusiastic for anything, and although I'm not an amazing cook I can definitely whip up some on-a-budget quinoa or lentils. I also have a great mac-n-cheese recipe before I became a more conscious eater (I avoid saying vegetarian/vegan because while I typically avoid eating animal products, I'm not so stringent with the diet that I'll refuse to eat a dish because it has cheese on top. I'll also try a cultural dish if it has some meat, just to try new flavors).

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Burundi, Canada, China, Democratic Republic of Congo, England, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Madagascar, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, Portugal, Rwanda, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Tanzania, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Viet Nam, Zambia

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Tanzania, United States