CURRENT MISSION

To live, learn, listen, and love everywhere I'm at.

ABOUT ME

I never know how to start with an "all about me" question. I feel like this should be accompanied by those books you used to make in preschool where your teacher told you to draw pictures in a book that included a self-portrait, a drawing of your family, your favorite animal, and your best rendition of your favorite Impressionist artist. Wait, your teacher never asked you to try to copy Monet or Cezanne? I hope your not paying student loans on that education then.

Anwyway, I'm 27 and just recently returned from a 10-month journey through South America that was easily the most amazing experience of my life. Prior to that jaunt, I was working the 9-to-5 as an analytical chemist in one of those big ole' pharmaceutical companies. Basically, I got a little burnt out on life in the lab and took a life-changer to travel/Wwoof through South America. I'd love to delve into more of my travel experiences, but I can share them with you when we meet.

I'd love to hear about your life too, but I guess this is all about me so I'll just keep going a little bit. I'm a trumpet and piano player too and love to play jazz. I've played in a jazz ensemble, a wedding band, and a jam/comedy rock band. It's been pretty interesting for my musical repertoire.

Also, I'm a runner and an avid ultimate frisbee player. If your not familiar with ultimate or have misconceptions about the sport (i.e. bunch of hippies running around with a flying disc), you should check out some youtube videos on the subject to see what I'm talking about.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I signed up for Couch Surfing prior to traveling through South America to meet some locals when I was cruising through various towns. I've shared some great conversations, meals, and drinks through CS and hope to one day offer my couch to any wayward travelers!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Over the past year, I've had nothing but positive experiences in South America through CS. I only wish that I could have spent more time with all the friends I've met. From walking around Buenos Aires to crashing on a couch in Ecuador, Couch surfing has brought me in contact with people I wouldn't have met by just rolling through a town.

Interests

Music. Music. Music. It's the universal language. I listen to anything and everything from jazz to indie rock to hip hop to Mongolian throat singing.

Also, I'm an avid runner, ultimate frisbee player, rock climber, and skier.

• animals
• culture
• books
• singing
• education
• dining
• running
• walking
• drinking
• flying
• traveling
• drawing
• music
• jazz
• piano
• trumpet
• hiking
• camping
• surfing
• skiing
• sports
• chemistry
• teaching
• wwoof

Music, Movies, and Books

Just to name a few bands/musicians: Pavement, The Roots, Arcade Fire, Bob Dylan, Beck, Tom Waits, LCD Soundsystem, A Tribe Called Quest, The Weakerthans, Cut Copy, David Bowie, the Velvet Underground, and the list goes on...
Jazz: Clifford Brown, Lee Morgan, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Jimmy Smith, Duke Ellington, and on and on
Books: Catcher in the Rye, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, The Sun Also Rises, On The Road, Picture of Dorian Grey, Into the Wild, Trainspotting

Films (I'm more a fan of directors): Wes Anderson (Royal Tennenbaums, the Life Aquatic), Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, Requiem for a Dream), Jim Jarmusch (Coffee & Cigarettes, Broken Flowers), Spike Jonze (Where the Wild Things Are, Being John Malkovich)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Salkantay hike to Macchu Picchu in Peru. An epic four day hike thru some amazing micro-climates and sites that I could never have seen anywhere else in the world. Besides arriving at Macchu Picchu, my highlight of the hike was camping below a neighboring set of ruins that overlooked the peak of Macchu Picchu. There's no other experience that could compare.

Teach, Learn, Share

I love sharing travel stories and talking about all sorts of music and musical experiences. I'm also a huge fan of learning about cultures especially through FOOD. I believe that you don't truly know someone's culture until you've tasted something they share as a meal.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Australia, Chile, Ecuador, Honduras, Peru, Philippines, Spain, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Chile, United States