I've lived all over the world but am currently finishing my pre-masters in environmental science in Canada. I am a digital nomad and have a few e-commerce startups. I've also dedicated a large portion of my life to working with Indigenous communities in the Americas. I'm a super chilled out and well educated man...a good cook and musician as well! In the past I've worked as a dive instructor (PADI and IANTD and have my full IANTD cave certification.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm on to meet cool people when I travel, make some great amigos, get the authentic local experience when travelling and save some cash by not staying in hotels. I'm also happy to pay it forward and spread the love when it's my turn to host.

Interests

Music, Diving, Surfing, Travel, Hiking, Gardening... make the most of each day and move my feet until they can't move anymore!

• culture
• running
• gardening
• traveling
• billiards
• music
• guitar
• hiking
• backpacking
• surfing
• scuba diving
• snorkeling
• teaching
• volunteering
• budget travel
• beaches

Music, Movies, and Books

Manu Chao, Reggae, Latin Classic (Buena Vista Social Club etc.)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

While off for the weekend from my post of teaching English in rural S.W. China, I was asked to rush to a small village two provinces away to document by way of pen and photo, a baby girl at an orphanage who had a potential adoptive family in Canada.
Long story short, I brought her a teddy bear and a little pink dress...I finally found her after two days, through vague directions and asking around in my broken Mandarin. I remember the town was dusty and simple... at the orphanage the volunteer nurses were shocked to see a tattooed white guy standing at their door with a fluffy bear and pink dress...I handed the note I had a Chinese colleague previously write for me explaining why I was there. They welcomed me.
I followed my list of instructions...the nurses weighed her etc. and I recorded...I took pictures for the prospective parents...with the dress I brought and with the bear. I travelled back to my village and resumed life and put that journey behind me.
8 years later, I received a random email with photos of a well fed, well clothed pre-teen chinese girl...it was from the family and I remembered this wekend in China for the first time in 8 years!
It turns out the adoption went through and she has a life in Canada with a loving family...the email read that she "knows a painted man came for her one day and rescued her". She knows and understands that she is adopted and that she is beggining to fully understand how she came to be Canadian.
I cried like a baby...I still don't know how to respond to the email...but it is the single greatest thing I have done in my life...and I did it without knowing I was doing it.
Sometimes random acts of kindness, no matter how small, will snowball into something beautiful.

Teach, Learn, Share

Free your mind and your backside will follow!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I have dabbled in a lot of cool stuff in my short life. I've worked as a musician, a chef, a professional diver, a teacher and forever lived as a free spirited traveler. Based on my experiences I have a certain pool of wisdom that you might find interesting. I also usually travel with my guitar and some snorkel/dive gear and I'm happy to share good times.

Countries I’ve Visited

Cambodia, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, China, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, India, Mexico, Thailand