CURRENT MISSION

To see what a year (or more?) living instead of working might do for me or the world.

ABOUT ME

Last year I quit my job as a civil engineer (designing water and wastewater treatment systems for cities and towns around Boston) to allow more time for... everything else. I want to travel, to understand what really makes the world go around, to enjoy life, the planet, and the lives of others, and to ultimately figure out the best use of my talents for when I inevitably settle down to work again.

The first phase of my unemployment was spent riding my bicycle around New England, staying with old friends. You can read more about that trip here: www.escapedhuman.blogspot.com

The second phase of my unemployment will be a 2-month trip through Ireland and the UK.

The third phase was another trip to Honduras to continue volunteer work on some drinking water supplies for rural villages. I've had the pleasure of being the Professional Mentor for the past few years for an amazing group of undergrad students at Northeastern University. You can read more about our projects here: www.ewb.neu.edu

The fourth phase was traveling around with some friends in Columbia and Venezuela. They've got a blog at: www.jessandjustin.blogspot.com

The fifth phase was doing some volunteer civil engineering work in India. There is a hospital in the state of Gujarat that has been discharging it's wastewater pretty much directly into a major river, and has decided to clean up its act. So I spent three weeks there reviewing the situation, and will be working on designing some solutions for them.

The sixth phase is open to suggestions.

PHILOSOPHY

People weren't made to sit in offices, staring at computer screens all day. So I quit, and am hoping to find some better alternatives for myself and everyone else.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I'm setting out for a two-month bicycle journey across Ireland and the UK. Hopefully I'll be having some great conversations along the way. When I finally settle into a place somewhere (perhaps Boston) I'll definitely be opening up the couch for others to use.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

New to couchsurfing.com but not to the concept. I just finished a 650-mile bike ride through New England, crashing on couches of friends or relatives (or friends of friends) just about every night.

Interests

• drinking
• traveling
• volunteer work
• blogging
• cycling
• engineering
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

Some of my favorite books are Watership Down (Richard Adams), That Hideous Strength (C.S. Lewis), Stranger in a Strange Land (Heinlein). Recent reads that I really enjoyed were The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver) and Mountains Beyond Mountains (Tracy Kidder).

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I once paid a live chicken 25 cents to shoot baskets. He was only using ping-pong balls, and the net wasn't at regulation height, but it was the best quarter I ever spent.

Countries I’ve Visited

Czech Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Honduras, Iceland, New Zealand, Poland, Slovakia, Spain

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

• 

•