*** I just wanted to mention, I'm not able to host because I currently don't have a place to live, but I'll be happy to host and/or show people around Poughkeepsie when I'm back :) ***

Hello!

So I'm an American (New Yorker, but not from NYC, there's a difference! :) ) who is currently finishing up the Fulbright program in Rzeszow, Poland. In this program, I was an English teaching assistant at the local university (the University of Rzeszow) and had a fantastic opportunity to engage with students in my classroom, students in the local community, and many community members.

I also love to travel! But it's more than just seeing new sights; it's about culture. I love experiencing new cultures and living like they live. That is the best way to truly understand a people and their perspective on the world. It's as much fun as it is a learning experience!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

So I believe there are two main ideas people have when it comes to travel: the "vacation" idea and the "immersion" idea. The vacation idea is, unsurprisingly, what most people think of when they hear "vacation." For example, someone goes on a one week trip to Paris. They see the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Champs-Élysées, etc. They go to eat croissants, drink Bordeaux and enjoy time away from work. This is a perfectly respectable way to travel, but it is not the idea to which I subscribe. As nice as this vacation may sound, it is too superficial to me. When I go on a trip, I really want to engage with the host community. I don't just want to eat the food and drink the drinks, but I want to meet the people, try to speak their language and try to live like they do. That way, I can get a better understanding of different cultures around the world and try to become a global citizen. This latter idea of immersion, which I follow, is why I'm on couchsurfing. This seems like a great way to truly know a culture and community on more than a surface level.
I've also joined couch surfing because it seems like a great way to experience wonderful hospitality as well as to be hospitable myself. It seems that couch surfing only works if people are willing to not only take, but to give as well. To this end, I look forward to making friends in my hometown and sharing some of the amazing hospitality I've received after only a short time on couch surfing.

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Tom Waits, Classic Rock (Aerosmith, AC/DC, The Rolling Stones), Electro-swing, classically/jazz-influenced rap, Metal (Iron Maiden), the Blues (B.B. King, John Lee Hooker), etc. Basically, a lot

Movies: Primarily horror, but the story has to be good. I'm not interested in "young dumb highschoolers go to abandoned mine/haunted house/mental asylum, etc. and ghost miner/zombie demon/psychotic killer goes after them" types of movies. For example, I enjoy Pontypool, Starry Eyes, It Follows, and more!

Books: Michael Crichton (Jurassic Park), Stephen King (It), Clive Barker (The Books of Blood), etc.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Hmmm....

We'll I've hiked through the Bieszczady Mountains (google it!). There was one point on our hike where we reached higher than the tree-line and, reaching the summit, had an unbelievably beautiful 360-degree view of the entire region: mountains, valleys, low-lying clouds hovering over everything, the heat of the sun hitting you despite being in winter. It was awesome.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'm a really easy-going guy! I can offer good conversation, interesting stories, and a yearning for adventure!

And "Momma didn't raise no fool." I'll gladly share costs, and show gratitude for essentially a complete stranger letting me stay in their home (let me know what you like! Case of beer? Bit of Chocolate?). I will be happy to share what I can :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, England, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Spain, Ukraine

Countries I’ve Lived In

Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, United States