In three short words: adventurous, open-minded, and nerdy. These are a few characteristics I know to stay pretty constant in my life; just about the only things to stay constant, really.

My journey through life is a lot like my travels: I like to stop to smell the roses, and I especially like to learn everything I can about the world around me. Whenever I'm in a new place, I'm interested in learning something about it. Could be about anything, like why island ecosystems are so unique and fragile in the case of New Zealand, who were the first people to come here, or how old is this mountain range we're hiking on compared to the age of the Earth? I like to ponder a bit, and I love to talk about interesting, thought provoking subjects that lead to more enquiry. So yeah, I think you get the nerdy bit.

There's a lot more to one person than a few words, though. I like to explore ideas and landscapes - I especially fancy a good hike with some thoughtful people. I love a good laugh and carry a sense of humour, can be goofy, smiley, quiet, thoughtful, or just the right amount of weird you need to make things interesting. Also very sociable and easy going! So let's hang out!

Part of keeping an open mind is listening to what other people have to share, so I really enjoy listening to others' stories and experiences. If you've got a story (everybody does and that's the beauty of it), I'd love to hear it!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To make new connections along the way and meet people who are gracious enough to open their homes to others.

Interests

Almost everything outside is appealing to me! I'm also madly in love with cooking and love to try new things on this front.

I've been quite lucky to find work that aligns with my interests. In the past, I've been privileged to work as a summer camp instructor, ski and snowboard instructor, nature guide, interpreter, urban planner, and have volunteered as a firefighter and wildlife monitor.

• dogs
• wildlife
• cooking
• reading
• hiking
• camping
• skiing
• snowboarding
• teaching
• history
• beaches
• parks
• mountains
• national parks
• outdoors
• learning
• current events
• good conversation
• natural history
• banter
• snow forts

Music, Movies, and Books

When people ask me my favourite band, I struggle just to name my favourite genre. So I think I've got it down to three now: folk, blues, and jazz. Anything that remotely touches these genres, I'm going to listen to. I have a really open mind about music and will listen to just about anything.

Bit of a movie/TV buff, so I try to keep current on what's good. Anything with a 9 or higher on the Tomatometer is a must see, but a good crime drama or post-apocalyptic film has always got me interested.

On books, my favourite in the comedy department goes to the one and only Douglas Adams for his Hitchhiker's series and other oddities he produced. On sci-fi, it's Ender's Game and the entire Shadow Series for it's military/political genius. And for non-fiction, it's Rick Mercer's compilation of rants published in two books - a good read for those navigating Canada's political landscape through humour.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I've experienced rare and unique creatures in each of the countries I've been to on my recent 2.5 year adventure: kicked by a kiwi bird in New Zealand; spotted a wild platypus on a quiet morning hike through the rainforest in Eastern Australia; and, walked alongside komodo dragons in Indonesia.

Teach, Learn, Share

Yes, I like all of these things.

What I Can Share with Hosts

A proper feed. I love to cook so helping or contributing to dinner in any way is my game.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Cuba, Indonesia, New Zealand

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, Cuba, New Zealand