I'm over five months into my travelers beard now. It's grown while sitting in a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in Nepal and in the Himalayas of Bhutan, along the banks of the Ganges in India and in the tea plantations of Sri Lanka. It's hairs curled further while surfing in the Philippines and it will surely continue elongating over the next month in Myanmar.

After five and a half months traveling in Asia, I'll be heading home with a final stopover in Europe. I've spent hardly any time on the continent and cannot wait for the change of pace and the adventure.

I'm a freelance filmmaker back home. I'm traveling with a camera and mainly taking pictures.

My photo blog: http://joshmfreund.tumblr.com/

I also play bass and am always down to jam. I love music especially funk music. And if there's a dance party, I'm likely the first one on the floor.

My affect is laid back. My humor is dry. I strive to create a safe space for others to feel their most self-expressed in. People often tell me my presence relaxes them.

I'm also a burner if that means anything to you. ;)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

After traveling over many months for my first time, I've experienced the generosity of others time and time again. I truly believe in the commonality between people. My trip has reinforced this belief time and time again. People are helpful, thoughtful, kind, compassionate and caring. I love the magic of meeting new people and the possibility of connecting even if it's only for a short period of time. The memories can last forever.

I've also never used Couchsurfing officially. I have many friends who are part of the community as a host and guest, and I'm excited to finally participate directly. I'm interested in saving money, but I'm really interested in meeting people who have their ears to the ground in their respective cities. People who care about where they live and the community they exist in. Who love to share their passion for their city with others, with me! It's always nice to have guests eager to explore and re-ignite your joy for the place you may take for granted living on a daily basis.

Interests

I'm a passionate advocate for community. I'm a food lover. I'm a musician and a music consumer. I love stories and read and watch them frequently. I'll talk to you about politics and I'll explore spirituality into the night.

I also love partner dancing so if you're into that scene (blues, swing), that would rock!

• photography
• dancing
• cooking
• partying
• politics
• live music
• camping
• trekking
• laughing
• friendship
• community
• burning man
• film,

Music, Movies, and Books

Funk music tops the list of music, easily. We can start with New Orleans funk. The Meters - Rejuvenation album is a good entry point. But currently my favorite band is The New Mastersounds. Disco funk. The best dance party.

I recently read The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. It absolutely rocked me. To my core. One of the most brilliant pieces of writing I've ever read. Other recent books I've loved are Barbarian Days by William Finnegan. (about surfing) and Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs by Hunter S. Thompson.

In terms of movies, I didn't like La La Land, which I just watched. I'd happily discuss why. Other movies I've watched in the previous months and love are Sicario, Winter's Bone, Casablanca, Ex Machina, Hell or High Water, and Anomalisa.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Earlier on my trip, I re-learned a lesson I'm re-learning as much as possible:

I was in the big city of Jaipur, India about three months ago. My final morning there I woke up in kind of a sour mood, and I decided I would leave Jaipur and head to the next destination, Pushkar (where I spent about four or five days). I walked out of my room and ran into an Israeli friend I had met in the hostel. He said bye, "I'm going to Pushkar." I said, "Great I'll leave a little later and see you there." He then invited me to join him on the back of his motorcycle and leave right then and there. I thought about it, and quickly said "yes." What followed turned into one of my best days of my trip.

We set off, and my mood immediately improved. We began for 45 minutes on a major freeway. Then, we noticed another biker who was clearly not Indian. (This is abnormal, and we got a lot of strange looks from the locals as we we're riding the bike). While riding, we pulled up next to him on the freeway and invited him to pull over at the next chai stall. He smiled and signaled a yes. He was also an Israeli, and he comes to the region several times a year for work. So he was more familiar with the area than us. We all agreed that the freeway road we were on was lame, and we wanted to take side roads. So we set off into the desert and had a beautiful ride. Savannahs. Women in pink, red, purple and orange sarees. Small villages. Open roads through wide fields. It took far longer but it was gorgeous and well worth it. At intersections, we'd pull over and say "Pushkar" and people would point us in the right direction. No phones. I noticed that with my mood improved, all the things I'm thinking about regarding my home life and self development, etc was now framed so much more positively.

It's a serious lesson in take care of numero uno. When I'm living with abundance I'm my best self. When I'm taking caring of my own needs I have the most to give to others.

Teach, Learn, Share

Of course I can help teach English.

I can also teach you all about filmmaking and photography- practically or theoretically.

I can also talk about Buddhism a good amount.

If you want sports we can play tennis. I used to be a tennis coach.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can offer my self, my openness to connect authentically. My passion for life. My conversation. My perspective. My music, my art, the knowledge I've learned about the world and living this life.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belize, Bhutan, Costa Rica, Egypt, Guatemala, India, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Mexico, Myanmar, Nepal, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States