My name is Jesse Irwin. I was raised on the small island of Maui in the Hawaiian island chain. Growing up in Hawaii raised me to be very open-minded, friendly, and relaxed. I love to meet new people and bounce from big topics and jokes. I am passionate about music and food, making it and experiencing it! I also try to involve myself in as many other arts and forms of expression as I can.

In my junior year of college, I studied abroad in beautiful Sweden where I met my girlfriend Rita, who was studying there as well from Cambodia. Now she has joined me and we're currently living out this crazy adventure in Lüneburg, Germany. Living and traveling abroad has sparked a passion in me for discovering the various cultures, traditions, and lifestyles of people around the world. I love to learn new skills, make new foods, and create beautifully spontaneous friendships with all that I meet.

You can also check me out and learn more about us on our Instagram page @withyouifly

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

When I'm on the road: As a way to save money while meeting new and interesting people. I love the idea of sharing culture and finding like-minded individuals to talk about life and love with.

When I'm at home: As a way to stay connected to adventure of traveling and to give back to the couchsurfing community! I love introducing people to my city and I will happily welcome you here (:

Interests

I love the kind of people that you can both: make simple observations about the beautiful world around us with and get into deep conversations about life, love, politics, religion, philosophy, etc with.

It also is so exciting for me to jump into a sample lifestyle of another culture and really experience it as the members of that culture do; going to a local pub with friends, hiking to a local viewpoint, checking out a hosts favorite local band, etc. That's what drives me! To see a new part of the world from a different perspective than the average tourist and to learn more about the diversity of the human experience.

• arts
• culture
• literature
• poetry
• performing arts
• photography
• documentaries
• concerts
• music festivals
• education
• environment
• yoga
• politics
• reading
• podcasts
• live music
• cycling
• hiking
• backpacking
• camping
• rock climbing
• philosophy
• science
• hitchhiking
• sustainability
• parkour
• comedy
• acoustic guitar
• local culture
• cambodia
• hawaii
• alan watts
• jack kerouac

Music, Movies, and Books

I don't love any particular genre of movies. But I really enjoy Miyazaki films (Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, etc.) and movies like Donnie Darko, Fight Club, Moonrise Kingdom, Her, Garden State, Boyhood, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, etc. Movies that either make me look at life through a new lens or take me away to someplace beautiful. Science fiction is also always welcome in my heart ❤

I love live acoustic, indie and folk music. To me. this music often contains a very true depiction of the human soul and I enjoy the rawness of it. On sunny days when I have a lot to do, I love listening to old 1920's-1950's swing music.; it makes me feel snazzy! Beyond that, I can go in many different directions depending on how I feel at the moment. I have lo-fi hip hop for studying or working moods, post-rock for the days of nostalgia, and alt/indie-rock for the nights to remember.

I also love to read. Some of my favorite authors are Stephen King, Isaac Asimov, J.K Rowling, Jedidiah Jenkins, and Jack Kerouac. In general, I like books that teach me new ways to live and present interesting ideas of the world. I'm currently rereading Kerouac's "On the Road" and Jenkins' "To Shake the Sleeping Self". They make me eager for the next adventure!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

As a guy from Hawaii, who studied in California I met a girl from Cambodia who had been studying in France. And where did we meet? Sweden (of all places). Life is just beautiful!

Teach, Learn, Share

TEACH
I could teach any host about my childhood home (The Hawaiian islands; Maui in particular) and the Hawaiian culture. I also could show them some great music. While I don't know how to speak Hawaiian, but I do know how to fake it pretty well. I could give you the tools to speak your own fake Hawaiian too (: I also know quite a bit about science (from my mom, who is a professor, and from Rita who has a master's in Sustainability Science).

Finally, because I graduated with a bachelor's degree in music industry, I am always game to talk about music: the business, the bands, the spirit behind it, music theory, and general guitar basics!

LEARN
I always love to learn about the culture of wherever I am staying and I enjoy seeing the city and countryside of that area through the eyes of a local. Also, lessons in cooking, making music, various sports, or your own personal hobby are always fun to experience!

SHARE
I have quite a few stories built up in my mind and heart for a life that is just getting going and I love to share them. I also love to share music. Sharing music, literature, travel stories, and philosophy is what makes me live and I'd love to share it with you!

Also, as both a guest and a host, I will always share my time. As a guest, I will always be up for helping out with dishes, cleaning, yard work, home projects, you name it! If you welcome me into your house expect nothing less than my complete respect of your space. As a host, I will always do as much as I can to make sure you have a comfortable stay. When we have extra food, it's yours. I'll do my best to keep the place clean for you and to provide whatever bedding for you that I can afford.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can share with my hosts my passions, love, skills, and a helping hand for any sort of house cleaning/project. I can explain to you how I, with all the trouble in my own life and in the world currently, STILL believe that life is BEAUTIFUL! I can recount some of the adventures I've experienced which make me hungrier for the world and have helped to shape me. I can spend hours going on youtube adventures trading discussions on music, philosophy, or traveling. I can also make some pretty damn tasty meals to thank you for the place to sleep and good conversations!

Countries I’ve Visited

Cambodia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand

Countries I’ve Lived In

Cambodia, Germany, Sweden, United States