CURRENT MISSION

To listen

ABOUT ME

Male, 22, loves meeting and listening to people.

PHILOSOPHY

I think that the biggest problem in the world today is that people don't listen to one another. Actively trying to understand those whose beliefs oppose your own is the only way we can move forward.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

In the summer of 2012 I spent three months traveling around the country and couchsurfing as much as I could. Since then I have sporadically couchsurfed throughout the country, but not to the same extent due to school commitments.

Interests

I have been studying for 5 years now to become a professional photographer. I love telling visual stories in large environments and shooting planes, trains and automobiles.

Other than that, my passions include traveling and folk music.

• photography
• traveling
• cars
• music
• folk music
• hunting

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Iron and Wine, Frontier Ruckus, Fleet Foxes and anything bluegrass or folk!

Movies: Into the Wild, Harold and Maude

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I went to Egypt alone right after the end of their revolution. Arrived at the airport not knowing a soul, or a word of Arabic. I took up working with a special needs school in Cairo for a week producing photo-marketing materials for their website and had the chance to go to an amusement park with several Egyptian kids with disabilities. The whole experience was truly life altering and has become the driving force behind everything I do.

visited 32 states (64%)

Teach, Learn, Share

While boarding a bus in Thessaloniki, Greece one day, a small boy who was all alone (and presumably part of the local Gypsy community) hopped on after me. After spotting my fairly large camera, he started to gesture to me and I began teaching him how to use it. Once in his hands, he began using it to capture everyone on the bus (without exception). Upon looking back through the images, I no longer saw life through the lens of a twenty something, but through the lens of a child and outcast. If this taught me anything, it was that I have the inability to capture all aspects of the human condition and only through teaching others can this be achieved. So I guess the long way of answering this section is that I would be glad to share my knowledge of photography. As for learning, I'm interested in anything and everything.

Countries I’ve Visited

Egypt, Ireland, Italy, Macedonia

Countries I’ve Lived In

Greece, United States