CURRENT MISSION

Beating fear with curiosity

ABOUT ME

I am both a student and teacher; I used to rely on the public education system for my learning experiences, but now I feel sick of being confined within that system and I am hungry for experience to educate me on the nuances of humanity. I am a piano teacher because I enjoy watching my students gain that sense of reward that comes with learning and appreciating skill and art, and I also teach because it requires that I thoroughly understand the methods and reasons I employ during my music-making. I am not really a group person when it comes to conversation, but I can say that I'm a pretty decent conversationalist and philosopher if we are one-on-one. Oddly enough, my favorite thing to do is play music with others, so I guess I am more adept at groups when it comes to musicianship. I am constantly seeking the balance between science and art and trying to understand their union. I have been raised with a scientific mindset my whole life, but traveling has opened me up to those things not quite quantifiable, and those are the things I hope to make sense of now.

PHILOSOPHY

I used to have this one filled out, but I should really stop feigning that I possess such a degree of consistency...

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

My best friend and I backpacked Europe for a few weeks during the winter, and as students on a budget we looked to couch surfing for a good portion of our accommodation. What started out as wanting a free bed became connecting with local mind sets, having authentic experiences and seeing hidden sceneries. While I may not be looking for couches anymore, I still would like to use CSing to meet up with locals on my travels.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Surfing in Europe, meet ups in Melbourne.

Interests

Classical music--Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Schubert, Mendelssohn; chamber music, especially playing piano trios with my two extremely talented younger brothers; accompanying; teaching

Volunteering at my local Co-op where I can discuss important social, environmental, and political issues with really fun, interesting, and passionate people, not to mention support a local business which tries to run itself in the most ethical ways possible.

Good coffee, and especially good cappuccinos. A well-made cappuccino is difficult to come by but I will be forever a loyal patron if you can make it. Maybe one day I will open my own cafe.

Tossing ideas around. I can be contentious if I like you, take it as a compliment. It's because I'm not entirely sure where I stand on everything, so I play devil's advocate to figure it out for myself.

• arts
• dancing
• ballet dancing
• education
• coffee
• yoga
• running
• meditation
• traveling
• music
• classical music
• piano
• surfing
• art history
• biology
• business
• teaching
• history
• mathematics
• philosophy
• physics
• science
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Amelie, Black Swan, The Corporation, The Departed, There Will Be Blood, Food Inc., Fight Club, Pulp Fiction, The Vicious Kind, Gainsbourg, Inglourious Basterds. I like creative presentation or thought-provoking documentaries.

See interests for music. I could go on and on.

A Brief History of Nearly Everything, Harry Potter, Godel, Escher, Bach, Sex at Dawn, The Elegant Universe, Eating Animals, Outliers. Good science or economic writing. Philosophy. Realismo magico. Short stories

I promise there are more things I like but I draw a blank when asked.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I spontaneously booked a flight to Puerto Rico that flew out the moment my last final was over. I went to one of the Spanish castillos/forts in Old San Juan, and it started raining so all the tourists left. I stayed and walked on top of the green fortress which I had all to myself, along with the ghosts of the past. It was haunting and incredible to be in complete tranquil and alone and independent in the expansive solitude of the fortress and the sea on all ends. I don't think I can adequately capture the experience in words.

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach: classical piano, music history, music theory, some concepts in mathematics and physics, as well as biology. My thoughts on the intersection of these topics.

I want to learn more about recent music history and influence, art history and appreciation. If you want to teach me something mathematical or scientific, I want it to be as technical and nitty gritty as possible. Someone please teach me any type of dance, particularly ballet, as well as yoga or meditation.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, United States