CURRENT MISSION

find meaning

ABOUT ME

Salut . . . I like to converse . . . I do my best to be well-rounded; I'm from the US and I live in Lyon, having recently started work with a multimedia company. I lived near Boston, USA my whole life. Then I just . . . moved. Everything is so new for me here, and I'm loving life. I speak some French, but I really need to improve, especially since everyone I work with is French.

I was a very active couchSurfer when I lived in Boston, hosting about 35 people and meeting the local CSers at parties. I'm always looking to learn new (and varied) things. I like to write computer code, music and poetry, engage in long conversations about virtually anything, try new things, meet new people . . . I'm happy to talk about the things that interest you.

Lyon is a cool, laid-back place. It's got energy and old-school architecture, roman ruins and music festivals, but it's best-known for being the capital of French cuisine. It's definitely the right place to go out for a great restaurant experience.

Here's a link to some interesting info about Lyon that appeared in the travel sections of US newspapers:

Lyon in the LA Times
Lyon in the NY Times

My studio is right in the middle of the city, next to the opera. There's a metro station with two lines, and it is really easy to get around using the velo'v, a network of bike stations all throughout Lyon:

http://www.velov.grandlyon.com/

You need a microchip in your credit card if you want to use the velo'v, but I'm happy to help out North/South American couchSurfers who might not have the right kind of card . . . if time permits I might show you some of the interesting things around my neighborhood. If you'd like, you can take a look at my website, http://www.johnarch.net/

PHILOSOPHY

Travel light, live light, spread the light, be the light.

-Chinese fortune cookie

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I'm now a couchSurfer across continents . . . maybe I should be an ambassador?

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

visited 17 states (7.55%)Create your own visited map of The World or Like this? try: Google Ransom Note

Interests

I love to backpack. I've been to the Canadian Rockies, the French/Swiss/Austrian Alps, the Tatras on the Polish/Slovakian border and the Scottish Highlands . . . I love artistic expression, especially via digital mediums.

• poetry
• architecture
• music festivals
• festivals
• partying
• traveling
• coding
• music
• opera
• cycling
• backpacking

Music, Movies, and Books

On my iPhone I have the Beatles, Björk, Bowie, Coltrane, Dylan, Ellington, Hendrix, Zeppelin, Moby, Monk, REM, Stones, U2, Velvet Underground etc.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Slept next to fresh grizzly tracks @ Yellowstone.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Netherlands, United States

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