CURRENT MISSION

For a while, was doing good work in the international education field, but now am self-employed as a writer, editor and translator. Love traveling any chance I get, writing screenplays and short stories. Thinking about starting a novel.

ABOUT ME

I love meeting new people and traveling any chance I get. I love cooking, recording music, writing, and eating. I love urban exploration, taking on multiple responsibilities, and also working hard at doing nothing.

PHILOSOPHY

Be flexible! Rigidity can sometimes mean lost opportunities.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I am 37 and for years I spent most of my time in the former Soviet Union, especially Russia. The organization I was working with in Russia got shut down last year, and I decided not to return. Instead my fiancee is coming here (still waiting for her visa to go through). I am greatly interested in popular culture, social activism, conversations that find the commonalities we all share while simultaneously challenging previously held beliefs.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I formally am new to couch surfing, informally I have been doing it for 20 years! I have stayed with couch surfers before, but usually found them through mutual friends. However, I have found this a bit limiting as I have some trips planned where I have no acquaintances. In Shymkent, Kazakhstan I stayed with a wonderful Belgian-Canadian couple that showed me an awesome time. The same has been true in Nicaragua and around the U.S. I have met up with Couchsurfing groups in Canada and Russia as well. I have stayed with strangers in a variety of places only to leave as friends.

Interests

Film, conversation, reading, baseball, recording music, writing screenplays and short stories, progressive politics especially those that benefit people deemed "different" in society, making education more accessible, traveling, acting, theater, popular culture, meeting new people.

• culture
• writing
• books
• theater
• acting
• education
• cooking
• politics
• reading
• traveling
• music
• surfing
• baseball
• anthropology
• economics
• teaching
• history
• languages
• urban exploration

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Hell, I got to live in Turkmenistan, receiving a long-term visa is an achievement in itself.

Teach, Learn, Share

I know Russian language, anthropology, the former Soviet Union (popular culture, education, economics, history), dealing with thorny government officials. While this is not all I know, I definitely like discussing these topics and gladly would love to contribute to any curiosities.) I'm not a bad cook!

What I Can Share with Hosts

All of the above and promise to cook a meal!

Countries I’ve Visited

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Poland, Romania, Serbia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Russian Federation, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United States