CURRENT MISSION

To get as many people as possible to do what is impossible. "It is always impossible until it's done"--Nelson Mandela)

ABOUT ME

I am outgoing, easy to get along with, adaptable to new circumstances, generous, open-minded, curious, nerdy, silly, good with languages, well-traveled, unorthodox, peace-loving, big hearted, with a big appetite for food and life.

PHILOSOPHY

If you have the talent and the opportunity to do something great and you don't, you are wasting your gifts.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Contribute my knowledge and experience from traveling/living around the world to anyone who wants it.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have been hosted in Bulgaria, Turkey, and Kosovo, met up w couch surfers in Latvia and Austria, and hosted in Jerusalem.

Interests

I read voraciously, keep up with the news, study languages, play basketball, debate, discuss, and passionately preach for peace. I play basketball, run, act, cook, and sometimes watch kids. :) I am a diplomat for my day job but at night I ask people to dream of a better future for all of us.

• dining
• cooking
• running
• news
• traveling
• basketball
• swimming
• international relations
• languages
• military science
• psychology

Music, Movies, and Books

Siddartha--Herman Hesse
Hitch 22--Christopher Hitchens
Teardrop--Massive Attack
You and I--Mark Maitland
Memento--Christopher Noland
Inception--Christopher Noland
Zoolander--Ben Stiller
12 Monkeys--Terry Gilliam
Monty Python and the Holy Grail--Terry Gilliam
Meet the Parents--Jay Roach
Austin Powers--Jay Roach
Man on the Moon--Milos Forman
The People vs. Larry Flynt--Milos Forman
2001--Stanley Kubrick
Eyes Wide Shut--Stanley Kubrick
Being John Malkovich--Spike Jonze
Before Sunrise--Richard Linklater
Fight Club--David Fincher
Clerks--Kevin Smith
The 6th Sense--M. Night Shyamalan

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

1. Swimming in a hot spring in -20 degree weather in Siberia.
2. Making it away safely from gun-toting guards in the Congo.
3. Serving as a soldier in the Mexican army.

Teach, Learn, Share

Language learning tips and tricks
International relations insight
Thai cooking skills
Historical knowledge
Cross-cultural psychology

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Laos, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Russian Federation, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Vatican City State, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Iraq, Israel, Poland, Russian Federation, Taiwan, United States