CURRENT MISSION

Find a windshield wiper that works

ABOUT ME

I'm a reporter at the National Post. Check out my stuff at http://news.nationalpost.com/author/tristinhopper

I've been married for almost two years, I'm a giant (6'4") and I fancy myself a frequent cyclist.

If sending me a CouchRequest, feel free to fill the "Why I want to meet you" box with random numbers and symbols. It's pretty hard to explain why you want to meet someone after skimming through a social media profile.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm fond of saying that Canada is home to every race, creed, language group and nationality that has ever existed on planet earth.

After growing up in a country where a simple Skytrain ride can have you brushing shoulders with the peoples of five continents, it's made me all the more interested in finding out (as best I can) about what makes the different peoples of the world tick.

When I hear about a election result in Germany or a drought in California, Couchsurfing has allowed me to think about these far-flung events in relation to how they affect real people I have been privileged to meet.

Interests

I'm lucky to work in a profession where my fragmented knowledge and lack of attention span is nurtured. So, while I am an expert in nothing, I can feign expertise in anything.

Aside from that, I'm a big comedy fan. If I'm going out, it's usually to take in some stand-up. I used to do it myself, but it's been a while.

I make beer, but only because I'm a cheapskate when it comes to buying alcohol. I make bread, but only because I like how the dough feels when you knead it. I cycle often, but mainly it's one of the only ways I can force myself to exercise.

• writing
• beer
• exercise
• news
• cycling
• boxing
• communications
• journalism

Music, Movies, and Books

Cried at the end of The Rise and Fall of Prohibition, by Daniel Okrent. For some reason, the description of the brewery whistles ringing out in Milwaukee after laying silent for more than 10 years got to me.

To be honest, most of the books I've been chewing through lately are long-form histories about the American Civil War. I've caught myself bringing up General George B. McLellan quotes in work meetings or arguments with my wife. It's a serious problem.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Chilkoot Trail. I hiked the same Alaska-Yukon path followed by the gold seekers of 1898 - except with much less weight on my back.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I've lived in all Canada's most major cities (plus its Northern territories) and six years of journalism has put me into contact with basically everyone the country considers important. So, I'm your source if you have the slightest curiosity about the giant country perched atop the United States.

Similarly, I can give a rollicking good explanation of how Canada is a Constitutional Monarchy (The Queen has the final say on laws, but she politely chooses not to!)

I can make a very good homemade pizza, but it took three years of eating terrible pizza to get the recipe right. I'm currently on Year Two of another three-year odyssey to make a passable menu item.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, France, Germany, Kenya, Malawi, Switzerland, Tanzania, United States, Zambia

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, United States

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