My name is James and I live in the small island of Jersey in the English Channel. Despite speaking English, we are actually closer geographically to France which is why almost all of our road names are in French, for example.

I'd love more than anything to travel the world and have as many unique experiences as possible, as spending my life on such a small island definitely has its cons.

I spend a lot of my free time doing music-related things, whether that's just sitting and listening to music, or playing one of my guitars, music is something I couldn't live without. I also have a big interest in film and photography.

While most people from my school left to go to university, including the majority of my friends, I decided to get a job in order to save up. I've being doing a few small few trips whilst working, but I'm hoping to be able to have a lot longer off in the future, without the worry of having to return at a set date.

The biggest thing to me about travelling is seeing the reality of what makes different places special, and due to this I'm not interested in big 5 star hotels that look the same on the inside no matter where they are in the world.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing gives people a more genuine feel into what reality is like for people in a chosen destination. Hotels around the world all look the same on the inside, and while package tours can show you around the area, it can be difficult to get a feel for what everyday life is.

While saving some money would be really helpful to extending my length of travel, I am always more than happy to help out any hosts as they are doing me a massive favour, especially if the help involves a unique experience I wouldn't find at home.

Couchsurfing will enable me to get into situations and experiences that would otherwise be impossible, and for me, that's one of my biggest goals while travelling.

Interests

Music - Music is a massive part of my life, I play my guitars every day, and love trying out new instruments and learning about them. I've played guitar since I was 13 as well as the piano occasionally, and I've recently started trying to get into music production.

Film - I used to run a YouTube channel for gaming, which involved a lot of editing, but I wouldn't really call this film! Film is something I would absolutely love to get into, and, second to music, is probably one of the careers that I would enjoy the most.

Photography - Although it is just hobby, I really love taking photos of the places I go, and the things I see. Despite not having a professional camera, or extensive knowledge, I have had some images featured on the VSCO homepage for example.

• photography
• running
• instructor
• traveling
• music
• guitar
• piano
• skiing
• tours

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

After only skiing once in my life (at 13 years old), I decided to take a huge risk and learn to be a ski instructor during a season in Canada, well over 7,000 km away from home.

I'd only just turned 18 and left school, but after a few weeks my skiing was acceptable, and I finished the course as a certified CSIA instructor!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Hopefully some interesting stories of places I've been, and experiences I've had. I haven't been to the most places in the world by any means, but travelling has always been a priority for me.

I'd be more than happy to help out in any way that I can, even teach some guitar if that's something you'd be interested in!

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Barbados, Canada, Egypt, England, France, Haiti, Iceland, Jamaica, Mexico, Netherlands, Scotland, Spain, United States, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, Jersey