CURRENT MISSION

Make the world a better place in return for letting me be a part of it.

ABOUT ME

I’m a soon-to-be medical student who still holds on to that cliched idea of making the world a little bit better place. I’ll be going to Duke medical school in the fall, starting their MD/PhD joint degree program. The point of an MD/PhD program is usually to train people to be physician-scientists in basic scientific research; however, I’m going to be doing something a little bit different. My interest lies in global health, and I plan on making that the focus of my PhD. This all makes me sound like a huge science nerd, and I am, but I promise I'm a nerd about lots of other things too. Traveling has been a huge part of who I am, and I plan on keeping it that way. If I had to pick a "dream job" it would be working in Doctors Without Borders, traveling around the world providing healthcare to people who need it most. Paul Farmer is my idol. I'm also a nerd when it comes to understanding the people around me and their take on everything. I have a passion for different cultures, and one of the ways I love exploring new cultures the most is through food and/or drink. I rarely stay still for very long, and have been known to book plane tickets on less than a whim.

I can often be found outside, either in the middle of nature or the middle of a city - I think just walking around can be an adventure no matter where you are.

PHILOSOPHY

There's a lot of messed up stuff in the world, but there's a lot of amazing stuff too. I want to witness it all. I try to take an interest in everything - from the simple beauty of a landscape, to the incredible complexity of the human body, to the culture and politics of a faraway place.

I'm grateful for the opportunity at life I have, and I plan to make the most of it. I also hope to give a little back, and without trying to sound too grandiose, make the world a better place. That could mean something dramatic like saving lives, or something more plain like making a new friend over a drink or two.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I just officially joined CS, though I've been a host before with my roommates while I lived in Ames, IA. Now I'm living down in St. Louis, so I'm hoping to meet some awesome CS people down here and host anybody passing through!

Interests

Well, I like lists, so I'm filling this in list-style. ;)

Humanity
How the world works on a scientific level
How the world works on a human being level
Coffee
The natural world
Running, preferably on a trail
Learning about and exploring a place
Food... pretty much any food
Being in a new situation
Good beer
Anything that keeps me active
Conversation

• culture
• books
• beauty
• dining
• beer
• coffee
• running
• walking
• drinking
• politics
• traveling
• medicine
• science

Music, Movies, and Books

A few fiction favs: The Name of the Wind, Life of Pi, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Kite Runner, Slaughterhouse Five, His Dark Material trilogy, and (of course) Harry Potter
And a couple non-fictions: Mountains Beyond Mountains, Half the Sky, Pathologies of Power

Movies: Pan's Labyrinth, The Departed, Amelie, The Royal Tenenbaums, Slumdog Millionaire, Wall-E, Up

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I turned 21 in Rwanda, and in that one day went from genocide memorials to the most memorable and gracious birthday celebration (full of speeches and tooooons of food) that I've ever had.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Cambodia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Nicaragua, Rwanda, Singapore, Spain, Tanzania, Thailand, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

United Kingdom, United States

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