I'm an artist and student from San Francisco, currently living in Philadelphia. I love to learn and want to see as much of the world as I can.

At the beginning of the year I sold as much of my artwork as I could and bought a one way ticket to Istanbul. I'm taking a semester off school and traveling around the world painting, trying to spend enough time in a few places to really get to know them. I've been in Europe for three months, and will be going to Morocco next, then to Thailand where I intend to study meditation and Thai boxing.

Check out my artwork at http://freemanschlesinger.com

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I've traveled using hostels and B&B's in the past, but I feel like CS is the best way to get an immersive experience in a new country. I love the spirit of reciprocity that so many couchsurfers and travelers share.
Even though I'm still relatively new to couchsurfing, I've already met people who blew me away with their level of hospitality and trust. At the moment I'm traveling and only surfing, though after starting to get a sense of the CS community I look forward to hosting travelers when I get "home."

Interests

I'm interested in anything art-related, and love traveling because I'm fascinated by cultural differences. My best teachers are my friends, and I try and stay open to learning from anyone I can.
While I've been traveling I've reevaluated what I want to do every day, and it comes down roughly to painting, working out, meditating and reading. Of course I'm also down to have a beer and make a new friend along the way:)

• arts
• cooking
• beer
• working out
• meditation
• reading
• traveling
• painting
• drawing
• surfing
• boxing

Music, Movies, and Books

While traveling I have rediscovered my love for reading. I think it's amazing how a book can change your experience somewhere, and how you can end up remembering the book and the place inextricably. There are of course too many favorites to list, but recently I've been reading Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Hemingway, and Murakami.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I have given drawing lessons and English lessons in the past, and would be happy to help out around the house any way I can--be it cooking, cleaning, or attempting to fix things.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Macao, Mexico, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Thailand, Turkey

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States