CURRENT MISSION

Avoid any flight longer than 15 hours.

ABOUT ME

I'm a realistic, sensible, proud South African. I'm selective about people I end up liking, but I give everyone a fair shot (good luck). I like meeting new people, and although I may come off as quiet while I'm taking in a new situation, once I'm settled, I probably won't shut up. I have a caustic sense of humour, although it must be pointed out that I'm no longer entirely sure that caustic means what I used to think it did. That's the by-product of taking an 'English' course in the Caribbean.

I've lived in Ghana, Grenada and the UK and I grew up in South Africa. I've been a student at five universities, so I'm quite up to date with tertiary education around the world. I'm a qualified fire-fighter and PADI Open Water Diver. I've jumped the highest bungee in the world, swung the highest bridge swing, and once I ride an elephant and an ostrich, I will have ridden every ridable animal (EDIT: Apparently, dolphins are ridable, as are kangaroos and koala bears. I have a few more to go.)

PHILOSOPHY

Why do you live your life? Whoah. This stuff is getting deep. I don't believe in following the crowd or doing what is expected and because of that, I confuse many people who have different priorities in life. I enjoy getting to know people, but I don't enjoy the facade that most people show to the world. I have goals, but at the same time, I understand that life is what makes up the space between achieving these goals. Most people aim for something and see nothing else until they reach it. I tend to stop and smell the roses and get stung on the nose.

Por qué estoy en Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I've surfed in New York, and I'm slowly meeting more and more people who find this whole thing as fascinating as I do. I've hosted in South Africa, and would love to host more. The problem is that I never seem to be there anymore. I've also done the meet for a coffee thing in Grenada - although in Grenada, "coffee" invariably means rum and a dance-off at the local marina.

I was part of the New Member Welcome team but didn't have an internet connection to keep doing that. It was cool to be the first to personally welcome someone to a global community! I'm now an Ambassador so I get to welcome people and answer any questions people might have about the city I'm in; which is - at the moment - Joburg :)

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

CS Revival meeting in NYC was cool - lots of wild characters (and one not very wild character at all, but I'm not naming names - mainly because I never found out what the name was). I also surfed in Brooklyn, which was brilliant and I host when I'm in Durban. Cool beans. I met a bunch of CSers during the FIFA World Cup in South Africa and that reinforced my belief that CS is what you make it.

Intereses

I'm interested in a lot of stuff and have an opinion on everything although I'm sensible enough to not open my big mouth when it's inappropriate, so if I'm being quiet, you're free to imagine what I might be thinking. I like anything adventurous, which includes the typical bungee / bridge swing / helicopter flights / white water etc etc. I also like unconventional excitement. I'll do anything that seems new or different, and most people think I'm a bit weird because of it. If an activity is something that should be on my bucket list, but isn't there yet, I'll do it.

• animals
• dogs
• dancing
• education
• coffee
• scuba diving
• bungee jumping
• world cup
• teaching

Música, películas y libros

I've always had a thing for auto-biographies (although not the celebrity type - people like Jonathan Kaplan). Most books I read these days are text books or non-fiction about certain medical conditions. I know, it sounds terrible, but give me some Khaled Hosseini and I'll try my damnedest to find some time.

Movie-wise, lately, I really liked Twilight, although I'm not entirely sure why and am waiting for someone to explain my fascination with it to me. (NOV 2009 update: The second Twilight was crap) I've also discovered Spanish movies and some classic Italian stuff (La Dolce Vita etc), although again, Amazon takes weeks to deliver here so I don't often see many pixels unless they're spelling out "Facebook".

Algo increíble que he hecho

I've seen the African veld from a balloon, and I wake up to the sparkling Caribbean Sea every morning (with a cow outside my window - I don't know why). I've been in an inferno while Table Mountain burned and Cape Town slept. I've listened to the call of a female Imam while the sun set in Rabat. I've fallen at 200km/h, blinded by the rush of adrenaline. I've swum at the bottom of the sea with a shark, a turtle, a ray and a school of little yellow fishies all at the same time. I've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly in people. I've seen people at their highest, and I've witnessed death. I have smiled when my friends have achieved wonders. I've cried when my dog died. I have seen many amazing things.

Enseña, aprende, comparte

I want to learn Italian... properly.

And as I grow older, I learn that I know less than I knew yesterday because yesterday I thought I was cleverer than I am today. (Tee hee hee - I just made that up and don't know what it means, but it sounds suitably philosophical... next question please)

Países que he visitado

Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Lesotho, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, Spain, Swaziland, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United States, Vatican City State

Países en los que he vivido

Ghana, Grenada, South Africa, United Kingdom

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