I'm a University student in Israel. I've been living in this wonderful and complicated land for 5 years. Before that, I was born in Detroit and grew up in Seattle. I love to get to know new people who are vastly different from me, dance salsa, learn, and travel through the world through water (sailing), sky (flying), and road (motorcycle riding).

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Because it's simply wonderful.

At first, my girlfriend at the time taught me how to couchsurf, and I slowly discovered that in my opinion, it is the ideal form of travel. Instead of camping by yourself, or sleeping in some culturally-disconnected hotel, you get to stay with people who actually live in the place you're visiting! Not only that, but generally couchsurfers seem to always be the most interesting and kind people. The exact kind of people you're hoping to get to meet and know. So it's just a win win.

WELL WHAT ABOUT HOSTING?
At first I thought hosting was a sort of obligation, that since so many hosts have been so kind to me to host me, I need to give back to the world and host myself. While this is true, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that HOSTING is possibly even more fun that SURFING.
WHY?
When you host you get to travel the world from your living room. You don't need to leave school, or pack your bags, or get on a plane, the world comes to your door and you even get to help them out! Sometimes you feel a little bad for staying at someone's house because someone is doing something for you for nothing in return. But when you host, you don't have this at all. And instead get to feel the happiness that comes with giving to others.

The goal of traveling in my mind is to learn, learn about other people and their way of life. The people I've met through couch surfing have taught me a lot, both through their generosity and through their exceptional life stories.

Interests

I get interested in a lot of different things but it's hard for me to stick with one thing for too long! I am into/have been into: Playing guitar, film photography and developing, running and weightlifting, learning about how things work: Cars, motorcycles, planes, computers. I love riding motorcycles like my 1998 Honda VFR800i.

And I keep finding myself working with youth as a counselor or facilitator in all sorts of different settings.

• singing
• photography
• salsa dancing
• bachata
• swing dancing
• running
• meditation
• flying
• motorcycles
• traveling
• cars
• guitar
• surfing
• sailing
• youth work

Music, Movies, and Books

Reading now:
When Breath Turns to Air (must read) - Paul Kalanithi
Fountainhead - Ayn Rand
The Pity of it All - Amos Elon
Native American History in America
Thoreau's Walden

Music:
Brandi Carlile (!)
Avishai Cohen
Tash Sultana
Gregory Alan Isakov
Daft Punk
John Mayer
Mumford and Sons
J. Viewz
Damien Jurado
RHCP
Dave Matthews

Teach, Learn, Share

I've probably got a lot more to learn than I have to teach. But I guess my life story is as foreign and unique to the people I meet as theirs is to me. So I guess I can offer what I see other surfers as offering me: a different perspective and a curiosity for what else is out there.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Monaco, South Africa, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

Israel, United States