NOTE: I HAVE TAKEN MY PROFILE OFFLINE DUE TO RENOVATIONS AND A CRAZY SCHEDULE. I AM HAPPY TO PROVIDE ADVICE OR MEET UP IF YOU'RE IN SYDNEY. WELCOME TO CAPE BRETON! :)

JASON

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PLEASE READ BELOW BEFORE REQUESTING!

I take Couchsurfing seriously and try to go out of my way to give guests an experience, share food and drink, etc. This takes time and energy. I am happy to help out with advice, but please only ask to stay if you're serious about visiting and about the reciprocal social/learning exchange and interaction that Couchsurfing is about, i.e., not just looking for a free place to crash. Some little gesture of thanks is always appreciated as well, e.g., wine, dishes, a card, whatever. Google "Why Couchsurfing is Free Is A Myth" and read the article for an excellent overview of the ethics and ethos of surfing. [Seriously, this article should be required reading for all hosts and surfers.]

If you would like to stay, please write me a note telling me about yourself, your plans, and why you'd like to stay with me. I will do my best to help people out, but I will not reply to one line requests or cut and paste requests.

Also: My house is also in Sydney, NS, about 2 hours from the best parts of the Cabot Trail. It makes a poor base for exploration of the trail. It is also half an hour drive from my house to the NLFD ferry (it is North Sydney, a different town). :)

CURRENT MISSION: Educate undergrads/find time to hit the road again(!)

ABOUT ME*: I moved to Nova Scotia from British Columbia to study esoteric stuff that is of interest to me and about five other people in the world. My days are spent staring at very, very dead plankton through a microscope or trying to pass on my passion for esoteric stuff to undergrads. When not doing that, I obsess over my craft beer making hobby and do things that can be done when half drunk on home made beer, e.g., giant soft pretzels (which I used to sell at the local farmers' market) and sausages are the latest time killers. When I have time, I like to be a tour guide, and will be happy to show you around. Oh, and my place is LGBT friendly, a point worth noting, even in 2017, sadly.

*Note: This profile was the defacto couple's profile for me and my now ex-partner Jillian for many years. Many of the older references are at least as much about her as me. (She has her own profile, but rarely used it, and most of her references live here.) She lives in Cheticamp now and is really awesome! If she asks to stay with you, you should 100% agree!

PHILOSOPHY: Umm... Learn stuff. Be nice to people. Have fun. How's that?

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING: Surf, host, and evangelize.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE: Had great experiences surfing in Maine, Philadelphia, Boulder, Toronto, Alma (MI), Chicago, Milwaukee, Houston (MN), Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and have hosted people from all over the globe. Oh, and I met one of the big loves of my life through Couchsurfing. How's that for participACTION!

Interests

Me: Books, fossils/rocks/natural history, travel, micro-brewed beer, visiting, listening to fiddle, enjoying the company of good-hearted folks.

• books
• ethics
• dining
• wine
• beer
• farmers' market
• drinking
• reading
• traveling
• bouldering
• surfing
• history
• science
• tourism

Music, Movies, and Books

Fiddle. A lot. Also cliche indie rock and pop, with a strong Canadian bias . I like dorky pop-science and old school science fiction.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Went 60km down the Blackstone River in the northern Yukon, with all of my field gear, equipment, and food for several weeks in a $100 inflatable kids' Coleman raft, to save money on helicopters (science on a budget!). Saw pyramids. Touched a 6' ammonite in Bulgaria. Watched people fight over live eels at the Nanjing Wal-Mart.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I have lived in Cape Breton for the past fiveyears and Nova Scotia for a decade. I have enough familiarity to provide directions and enough residual Come From Away excitement to want to guide you (assuming I have time). I am happy to provide recommendations, etc. , on things to see and do in Sydney and the rest of Cape Breton.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Bulgaria, China, Egypt, England, Greece, Italy, Malaysia, Peru, Philippines, Russian Federation, Scotland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada

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