I'm a student, male and 20 years old, who, despite growing up outside of New York City, goes to college in a small town in rural Ohio. I'm a Political Science major and am interested in comparative politics, international relations, and political philosophy.

Outside of the classroom, I like to talk about what I've learned inside of the classroom, read a lot of magazines and books, debate topics with those I disagree with, and go hiking when it's nice out. I also enjoy looking at maps of cities, playing video games, and debating some more.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I was hiking the Grand Canyon a few years ago when I met a couple from England who were traveling around the world. After spending a few days on the trail with them and talking, they said that they would not have been able to do the trip without the help of the amazing people at Couchsurfing.

Being a teenager and living with my parents at the time, I never really got involved with the site, although I always kept it in the back of my mind for when I was living on my own or traveling.

In my travels (mainly to Western Europe), one of the best parts of my experience was living, staying, or socializing with family friends who lived in the places I was visiting. Not only did their knowledge and experiences give me a different and, I believe, more authentic view of their home, but I learned that the act of learning a new place with someone who's proud of their home can be one of the most rewarding social experiences between a group of people.

With all of this in mind, I joined Couchsurfing in early 2015 as I began a six-month trip to three countries on three different continents, hoping to find not just a couch to crash on for a night or two, but a network of individuals who were as enthusiastic about sharing their hometowns as I was about learning about them.

Regarding my "Not Accepting Guests" status, I'm abroad for six months and will be moving to a different building upon my return to Ohio. Once I'm all settled in, the status will be updated!

Interests

• books
• politics
• video games
• traveling
• socializing
• hiking
• cartography
• international relations
• political science
• science

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Arcade Fire, Madeon, Slaptop, The Beatles, Bon Iver, Kanye West, Beck, Kendrick Lamar, Neutral Milk Hotel, The Lumineers, The Shins, The Rolling Stones, The Strokes, Jay-Z, Phoenix, Jackson Five, Stevie Wonder, Red Hot Chili Peppers

Movies: Deep Water, 180 Degrees South, Incendies, Inception, Ted, Z, Patton, Skyfall, The Unknown Known, Man on Wire

Books: Crime and Punishment, 1984, Slaughterhouse Five, Brave New World, Homage to Catalonia, The Shadow of the Wind, Clandestine in Chile, American Tragedy

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

After finishing my freshman year of college I traveled to Morocco and climbed Jbel Toubkal, the tallest mountain in the country and the third tallest on the African continent at 4167 meters.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Brazil, Costa Rica, Denmark, El Salvador, France, Germany, Greece, Morocco, Sweden, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Spain, United States