Hi, my name is Joe Esten. I just finished up my degree at the University of Wisconsin Madison, in Madison, WI, USA. I studied Communications and education and am a returned Peace Corps volunteer from Namibia. I would love to travel around and stay with couch surfing hosts to learn more about the culture of the world.

Over the past few years I have worked at a children's day camp, organizing activities for children from the ages of 4 to 15. I have also spent my time at college supervising at one of the college dining halls. I have also now worked on a cruise ship as a youth counselor for the past year exploring the world through ports. I was able ot meet a variety of children from all over the world with this process and learn all about different cultures too. Both of these experiences have made me a hard working individual and have taught me that you learn even the smallest lessons from anyone that you meet.

I would describe my self as a motivated optimist. I can find joy in anything that I do and work hard trying to accomplish the tasks in front of me. I love to learn and want to continue doing so for the rest of my life. I am never shy when it comes to challenges. I can always come up with a creative solution for any problem even if it's not the easiest. I am organized and clean when it comes to living standards. I spent a couple of years rooming with 9 other guys which were interesting, but it taught me to keep my area of the house clean and still livable.

I hope to continue learning and traveling throughout the world. Both of these are passions that I strive for. :)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I love to travel and explore the world. I enjoy talking to people, listening to stories and learning about different cultures. This is an opportunity to do all of these things and build lasting friendships.

Interests

Soccer, hiking, backpacking, Ultimate Frisbee, Reading

• culture
• education
• reading
• traveling
• hiking
• backpacking
• camping
• surfing
• soccer
• communications
• teaching

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Anything and everything that comes on. I have no preference for music and I will gladly listen to something new.
Movies: I love all movies. I love animated and kid movies the most.
Books: Again I read everything I can get my hands on. Light children books to dense novels.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I have done quite a bit of traveling in the past 4 years since I graduated from college. With all this traveling I have many stories to share and can add humor in any situation. I am outgoing and can talk about any topic under the sun. I will not be a boring surfer once you get to know me!

Countries I’ve Visited

Angola, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Croatia, England, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Malawi, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Portugal, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Swaziland, United States, Vatican City State, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Countries I’ve Lived In

Namibia, United States