I am a curious human, who is all about making people laugh and feel included. I practice open-mindedness. I try and learn about different cultures/perspectives wherever possible.

I have many hobbies and pursuits and love the ocean. Currently working in renewable energy and travelling around.

I also speak semi-fluent Japanese (or at least I did in 2012) but very keen to practice. I want to learn German and French so pls help let me know if you want to do language exchange.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Interested in meeting like-minded people who share a similar approach to travelling and the world. Also wishing to interact at a more local level with people from a wide range of backgrounds.

I’ve been interested for a while in the idea that you can never stop being a tourist and you are kind of always in a bubble when you travel. Whilst this is probably true, I am eager to push past the ephemeral membrane of the self couched in one’s own lived experience and the fact that the whole idea in travelling for pleasure/perspective is somewhat absurd/ridiculous/a privilege, and seek out more natural and less contrived experiences. But it’s all a bit of a paradox and pursuing these lofty ideals and CS principles of being conscientious whilst travelling is a better place to be than walking blind into a hedonist’s dream replete with kitschy trinkets and knock-off apparel.

Interests

Music (eg minimal/acid techno through to bebop/cool jazz and a side of disco), contemporary art (eg minimalism, expressionism and surrealism and other such -isms), reading, hiking, rowing, yoga, hockey, philosophy, solo backpacking and the ocean.

• arts
• culture
• contemporary art
• dancing
• cooking
• yoga
• meditation
• reading
• traveling
• minimalism
• music
• dance music
• hiking
• backpacking
• hockey
• rowing
• techno

Music, Movies, and Books

Favourite films: The Warriors, A Clockwork Orange (anything Kubrick does is exceptional) and Metropolis (because who doesn’t love a bit of German expressionism).
Favourite books: Fiesta -The Sun also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, David Copperfield - Charles Dickens and other classics/sci-fi/political non-fiction
Favourite music: The Knife, Shed, Everything Everything, Aphex Twin, Autechre, John Coltrane, LCD Soundsystem. I have a pretty broad taste but these days I typically seek out disco, Detroit techno and funk.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Summiting Mt Fuji in Japan while battling 70km/h winds.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach basic Japanese, saxophone, clarinet and cooking.

I would love to learn and develop new language skills.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Share my experiences, perspective and my excitement for life, people and culture.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, France, Georgia, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Netherlands