Just graduated from University of Notre Dame in Indiana, USA.

If you spend your whole life saying "I'll do it later", you'll never get anything done. My goal in life is to say yes to opportunities as often as possible. People's biggest regrets are almost always NOT doing something or NOT taking a risk when they could have.

My favorite part of traveling has been the people I've met:
~I spent three days with a 33 year old cafe owner in Agadir, Morocco touring the city and learning how to make espresso while communicating exclusively through Google translate.
~Instead of sleeping on my overnight bus to Pamplona, I stayed up talking (in Spanish) to a 22yo bar tender who lives in the area.
~Made incredible friends in Pamplona with other Americans who invited me and one other to crash on their Airbnb couch for two nights
~Spent 2 straight days on a bus in Morocco and learned all about a 16yo guy's views on Brexit, gun control, and gap years--visiting him and his family in Brixol, UK later this summer
~Met a father and son in a pub in Belfast and spent 4 hours sharing Guinness and talking about Northern Ireland's history and culture with live music in the background

A whole year abroad!:
~6 weeks "studying" (we had really easy classes thankfully) at the Technical University of Valencia, Alcoy Campus (in Alcoy, Spain). Sadly this part is already over-- was one of the best experiences of my life so far
~11 days traveling through Morocco, first with a friend, then by myself, then with an alum from my school. Very mixed feelings on my experience there, would love to share
~around 47 days traveling by myself. I have a 6 days in 1 month Eurail pass and am trying to be as spontaneous and flexible as possible (so far, the farthest ahead I've thought is 5 days). Spent my first 4 days in Pamplona, Spain.
~I started school August 17, studying abroad at my school's London campus. As an engineering student, this was my only semester-long option, but as I looked into it I've become more and more excited.
~While in London, a new program to study in Rome opened up and I was selected. Currently spending the spring semester studying in Rome while learning Italian. Luckily, I made it home for Christmas to see my family!

I've fallen in love with Spain and I've decided I want to live there some day. I've studied Spanish for 5 years and it's my dream to become fluent. For any bilingual hosts, I'd rather misunderstand a quarter of what you say and struggle to respond in Spanish than speak English. I am also trying hard to improve my Italian wherever I can.

I don't want to go broke sleeping in fancy hotel beds and eating at high class restaurants but I'll happily take out loans or skip a few dinners for a once in a lifetime opportunities.

Highlights of my trip so far:
-cramming 11 people into a tiny Airbnb in Barcelona
-taking a two day, 18 hour bus ride to get to the desert for a camel tour and sleeping under the stars without any light pollution
-Being introduced to the culture of Amsterdam with friends I had met in my hostel on my final night there (my first and only time)
-Running with the Bulls in Pamplona
-Accidentally going to one of Grenada's largest club openings of the summer and partying until the sun came up
-Hiking around a natural park on some small mountains and discovering a cave then a hidden pool in the mountains in Alcoy
-Visiting Cairo by myself last weekend to see the Great Pyramids of Giza

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I love traveling and meeting new people. I'd rather stay with a friend on a couch or in a crowded hostel than in a hotel room any day.

I'm also trying to travel on a low budget since I'll be abroad for so long. The less I spend on lodging and food, the more I can spend on travel and experiences.

Trying to get away from the solely partying traveling-- I want to actually experience the culture of where I am

Interests

Traveling, outdoor activities, climbing mountains, running around, running in general, trying new foods, trying new things, taking risks, staying up late, partying until the sun comes up (aka any club in Spain), casual drinking games, pregaming in hostels, playing cards (Euchre if you know it!), relaxing on a beach, playing volleyball, meeting new people and sharing stories

• traveling
• engineering

Music, Movies, and Books

Almost any music. Since coming to Spain, any/all Spanish clubbing music
Reading "The Boys in the Boat"
I'd rather be outside or hanging out with friends than watching a movie, but nothing beats "The Other Guys"

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Ran with the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain. Got trampled by tens of people when I tripped over a few already fallen, right as 3 or 4 bulls were running beside me. Besides being incredibly sore, I was luckily uninjured. I was entirely sober but had spent the night sleeping (well until it started to rain) on a piece of cardboard in the nearby park with a friend I had met that morning. Absolutely unforgettable experience.

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach-- Ummm I learned how to make sangria in Spain. Definitely willing to share that recipe
Learn-- Love learning languages, especially Spanish and Italian. In Egypt, I tried to pick up some Arabic but didn't get far past the numbers :p
Share-- Talking about travel experiences, advice on where to go, what to do there, hidden gems and things you can't find online

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'm excited to hear and share stories, advice, and suggestions for travel.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Bahamas, Canada, Cayman Islands, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Poland, Spain, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, United States