Hello! My name is Jason, and I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico! As of right now, I'm not in school, but working and saving up for occasional trips and journeys! My work schedule is very light, which means I have plenty of free time to take small trips, and host other travelers here in Albuquerque as well!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I've always found travelling to be a wonderful and reinventing experience. Having somebody in a city that can give you tips, show you around, and be a useful and friendly resource is a fantastic thing. Figuring out how to meet people and finding a place to stay can be such a stressful endeavor, and couch-surfing makes the whole process so much easier.

Interests

I'm certainly a jack of all trades, master of none type. If I'm not swamped with work, I generally spend my time in coffee shops, taking long walks, going out for drinks with friends, painting, ect, ect. I like to consider myself someone who can find some kind of joy in a task, so I'm always down to try anything new, and expand myself as a person.

• arts
• writing
• poetry
• cooking
• beer
• coffee
• walking
• politics
• painting
• music
• political science
• road trips
• biking
• museums
• comedy
• coffee shops
• breweries

Music, Movies, and Books

When it comes to music, I tend to lean towards 90's alternative rock, jazz, classical, and occasionally rap and spoken word. Although, when it comes to audio of choice, I've become more of a podcast junky as of late.

When it comes to movies, I'm not particularly picky, and usually cool with anything, but nothing beats a good Quentin Tarantino flick.

As far as books, my favorite authors are J.D. Salinger, George Orwell, Chuck Palahnuik, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Charles Bukowski, Hunter S. Thompson, and philosophy here or there.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

In the summer of 2015, I was backpacking in Costa Rica. Towards the end of my excursion, one of the last cities I visited was a small town constructed right next to a large forest called Monteverde. One day, I was making conversation with a local at a coffee shop, and he told my friend and I of a particular tree that he was insistent that we visited. A few days later, we spared a few hours to go find this particular tree, only using the vague instructions he gave us in limited English. After wandering around for a while, we finally found what he was talking about. In front of us stood a tree about 50 feet high. The reason that this tree was unique, was that it had succumbed to a particular vine that wraps itself around it, and completely hollows it out. This left one with the ability to climb the tree from the inside, with naturally occurring stepping stones and holds. Having a fear of heights, I was hesitant, but after being egged on by my travelling buddy, I climbed it.

This particular endeavor was frightening if you are claustrophobic, and/or afraid of heights. The beginning of the climb starts out wide, but as you ascend the tree, it becomes tighter, as the tree leaned forward towards the top. In order to look outside of the tree, I had to squeeze myself through a circumference that was marginally larger than my body's, so I had to literally squeeze through it. The amazing part, was that once you got to the top, you were treated to a breathtaking view of the entire city of Monteverde.

I understand that "climbing a tree" might not categorically fit with the term "amazing" by most standards, but it was a great reminder to me that taming your fears and doing something you're not comfortable with can be an incredibly rewarding experience.

Teach, Learn, Share

I think I have a lot to give when it comes to finding neat places in the city. I've lived in three different spots in the city over the years, so I'm pretty familiar with neat, and unspoken spots in the city. I grew up in the heights, and I'm familiar with a bunch of fun outdoor activities like hiking or mountain biking. I've also lived in the uptown area, where there's a lot of touristy attractions, which is good for shopping or restaurants. I currently live in the nob hill area, which is the best spot when it comes to being exposed to Albuquerque's culture, and really getting to know the city.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Given that my working schedule is usually pretty light, I have plenty of free time to accommodate any traveler's wishes in terms of giving a tour, providing food, or accompanying on fun activities in the city. I'm also happy to just provide sleeping arrangements and leave whomever with autonomy to go explore on their own, and have their own self guided experience. I'm open to whatever!

Countries I’ve Visited

Bahamas, Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico