I'm a composer and sound artist, and academic.

Completed a PhD in ecological sound art at the University of Adelaide. Currently working there as a research associate.

Do quite a bit of local musical theatre musical directing, with recent shows including RENT, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Strictly Ballroom, and Beauty and the Beast.

Maybe it goes without saying based on what I just wrote, but I love the outdoors, and am ever seeking out hikes or or bush walks. Camping trips are also great.

Over the past few years, I’ve become quite involved in Tibetan Buddhism (during a fairly transformative period of my life). I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have some amazing experiences here, including meeting the Dalai Lama at Uluru in Australia, and going on two Buddhist pilgrimages in 2016 (India and Nepal) and 2019 (Nepal).

Throughout my youth, I've been involved in a variety of community and volunteer organisations, Scouts Australia, and Rotary youth development programs.

I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have many incredible opportunities throughout my life, and the challenge of hardships, and am ever happy to mutually share experience and insights to this amazing interconnected world with you.

Instagram: @budeljesse

Website: www.jesse-budel.com

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm keen to learn about the places I visit through the perspectives of people who know these areas intimately, so that I can spend meaningful time each space and develop meaningful friendships with people the world over.

Interests

• environment
• politics
• technology
• video games
• reading
• music
• classical music
• electronic music
• ecology
• philosophy
• science
• travel
• buddhism
• queer
• lgbtiq
• tibetan buddhism

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Quite an eclectic mix as I'm a classical trained musician but currently working with more experimental approaches. As a brief selection of composers/artists: Nico Muhly, John Adams, John Luther Adams, Steve Reich, Maurice Ravel, Kaija Saariaho, Gabriel Kahane, William Basinski, Ben Frost, Tim Hecker, Frank Ocean, johnlukeirl, Fall Out Boy and Panic! At The Disco (from my teenage years!),

Movies: Anything by Wes Anderson

TV: Schitt's Creek, Sense8, House of Cards, Games of Thrones, Westworld, Please Like Me, Black Mirror, Stranger Things, Grace and Frankie, Breaking Bad, Jessica Jones, Lost, Alias

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I've been incredibly fortunate to have had numerous amazing experiences in my life, with a brief selection below:

- Lost 40 kgs (approx 90 lbs) over the course of a year (mid 2011-mid 2012), and kept it off since. This was during a time of immense personal changes.

- Met His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Uluru in 2015.

- Roadtripping up the US West Coast, and visiting numerous national parks including Redwood, Crater Lake, Mt St. Helens, Mt Rainier, Denali National Parks and Yukon Charlie River Preserve.

Teach, Learn, Share

Music/sound art - I'm fairly knowledgeable about contemporary classical and experimental music, and am keen to share some of that knowledge and experience with you (perhaps even play for you!).

Environment/outdoors - I'm fairly passionate about the environment/ecology and the outdoors (my current research is focussed on creatively engaging with it, and I have spent a youth in Scouting), so I'd be keen to talk more about this or even go for a walk or hike if you're up for it.

Travel - I've been pretty fortunate to travel to various locations, including Italy, France, the Netherlands, India, Nepal, Vietnam, Singapore, USA and Canada, and would delight in sharing insights and from these trips.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Nepal, Netherlands, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia