CURRENT MISSION

Explore the world (currently in Montreal and wanting to see New York) while I'm young and free before getting bogged down with the worries and commands of life. There's so much to see and experience in the world! Also, grow the best moustache/beard combo.

ABOUT ME

I'm a Business student currently living in Montreal for the summer of 2014. I spent this past summer studying French and interning at a denim company. I've got a chance to travel with my family growing up, but it's time to travel more on my own to see the world from another perspective. I'm entering my last year of University, so I"m soaking in all the experiences I can before entering the "real world."

I once did a denim experiment testing the bacteria counts of raw denim not washed for 15 months compared to 13 days with surprising results - the bacteria counts came out the same.

I'm currently in my 4th year of growing my hair and beard and it's brought some notoriety among my hometown Edmonton, my University community, and a bit of the Interwebz (Google "Josh Le" for your amusement).

I've travelled around Canada and the United States, Mexico, Austalia, Vietnam, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

I have a strong interest in clothing and start-ups, and I feel my future will be an intersection somewhere between the two. Some other hobbies and interests include cooking/food, sports, denim, beards, and travelling.

If you host me, I'm more than happy to pay for meals at delicious places - my ideal restaurants are ones that take humble and simple foods and make it delicious. One of my favourite restaurants in Edmonton has been around for 25 years and they serve Bulgogi (Korean marinated beef) pizza at $3 for 2 slices - it's been that price for that long and it's consistently delicious!

PHILOSOPHY

First thing that came to mind: Smile.

A smile is a very simple but powerful thing. I always say when people ask about my moustache (when I curl it) that it's a smile that never goes away.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

This will be my first couchsurfing experience, so I'm not sure where to start. Many friends that I met in my French study program recommended couchsurfing, so I figured I'd try it out. I have a good feeling that this experience will go well and be a great introduction into the couchsurfind world for the rest of my life. Depending on this goes, my place will be forever open to couchsurfers of the world!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

None really since my travelling has been pretty structured with family.

The closest I came to couchsurfing was a trip to Las Vegas during a roadtrip in May/June 2014 when we went on Memorial Day weekend without booking a hotel in advance. Frantically, we called around to no avail, but I did a little prayer, called my dad, and he gave us the contact info of a college friend from many years back. In the end, we had to drive a bit out of the city, but we came to a warm and gracious host that exceeded all our expectations - especially because we were ready to sleep in our car that night.

Interests

Denim, clothing, beards, food (cooking and eating), travelling, podcasts, entrepreneurship, start-ups, tennis, squash, cycling, photography (Nikon guy) and so much more!

• culture
• photography
• dining
• cooking
• clothing
• traveling
• podcasts
• cycling
• sports
• tennis
• racquetball
• business
• entrepreneurship
• squash

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: Zoolander - so many fond memories and quotes.

Music: Explosions in the Sky, classical piano/orchestra, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Il Divo, the Beatles - I basically listen to the same albums over and over. I appreciate music, but I don't actively seek new stuff.

Books:
Currently reading - Business Model Generation, the Retail Value Proposition
Past books I've enjoyed off the top of my head: Lee Child's Jack Reacher series, Made to Stick, Tipping Point, Oryx and Crake, Bible.

Podcasts: currently listening: Entrepreneur on Fire, Smart Passive Income, Let My People Think

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I've grown my hair + moustache/beard for 4 years now (my "anniversary" is on July 28, 2010). I wanted to break the mold of what a business student looks like, and I feel I've been successful by being a person of substance and character despite what first impressions may come from the combo. I think guys need to grow their hair out at least once in their life to understand and experience what it's like.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm steeped in a the world of denim - there's an amazing sub-culture to the denim world that blew my mind when I tiptoed into it four years ago. It's opened my eyes, broadened my horizons, and made me appreciate simpler things.