First of all, I've no idea why my response rates have been tanking ridiculously since I stopped hosting because of moving and living conditions. Sigh.

Anyways,
Born and raised in a Southern port city of Chennai with a brief interlude in Mumbai and then in Delhi. 20 years and I had never stepped out its borders. So I took the plunge and moved to the US for graduate school to partly to expand my career options, but mostly to get out of my comfort zone, experience independence and see what the rest of the world is like.

After a memorable and exciting 5 years in the US, Fate brought me back to Asia and I lived in Singapore for 1 year. Fate intervened again and so I am now based in the Netherlands. Which was always a dream of living in Europe. Striving to very much seeking to strike a balance between work and play.

PHILOSOPHY

Work hard, live harder. Discover different cultures, enjoy life and smile each day. I very much believe that it is not just the place, but the people you share it with, that make for an unforgettable and amazing experience!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I've hosted several times when I was living in New York and Houston. I am currently settling down in Rotterdam and hope to host again soon.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Relatively new to CS and I've hosted several surfers in New York City and later in Houston, and was fortunate to meet some of the most amazing people from across the globe. I Have always been a fan of trading stories, ideas, cultures, and experiences and have learned a great deal from my CS friends. After all the interactions, I'm certainly more open-minded and aware of the world and the different cultures. Couchsurfing has also got me some caring friends. I've made a coupled of very good friends I hosted in Houston and we've since then enjoyed traveling, cooking and eating and spending time together every so often. I hope to make more :)

Interests

Dogs - I've fostered, sitted, adopted and volunteered for dog shelters so I know something about them. but definitely not an expert.
Cars - Yeah I know, typical guy with a rush for speed.
Photography - Travel, wildlife, people and more recently, animals for causes. I like to take candid photos of people, in their element.
Outdoor adventures - Biking, hiking, climbing and more recently, ultimate frisbee.

Ofcourse food, beers and happy hours!

• photography
• cooking
• beer
• drinking
• movies
• traveling
• cars
• cycling
• rock climbing
• soccer
• ultimate frisbee
• brunch

Music, Movies, and Books

My taste in movies spans the entire palate of genres. I try to catch a good movie on screen every other weekend and depending on my mood. Big on non-fiction ones. A big fan of Chris Nolan, Tarantino, Scorcese, David O Russel, Spielberg, Woody Allen, Guy Ritchie, Ang lee.

A huge Coldplay fan. But my music playlist shuffles between indie, pop, rock, Indian, blues to symphonies and soundtracks. Calvin Harris, One republic, Piano guys, Porcupine tree, Metallica, A.R. Rahman, Hans Zimmer, John Williams are but a few of the millions of artists spanned across all music styles. Genre depends on my current mood.

I used to go through books crazily when I was a kid but that penchant has since then gone. Now I'm more interested in reading new articles, opinion columns and podcasts that deal with everyday life.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Moving to the other side of the world at 19 when I knew nothing about the world.
Taking months of breaks between jobs to explore the lighter side of life.
My first Solo road trip to New Mexico, USA.
Snorkeled inches close to giant Manta Rays in the night in Hawaii
Saw the most spectacular and colorful sunset from above 14000 ft in Mauna Kea.
Flew across the country in the US to buy and drive home my very own sports car.

Teach, Learn, Share

Talk about traveling in India, Chennai (my hometown), Michigan (my 2nd home), traveling in the US, South East Asia, and can also offer advice on cooking spicy Indian food. While we are on the subject of food, would like to learn other cuisines as well. I see cooking as a therapeutic exercise and a fun activity to do it with others.
I enjoy talking about the local culture and politics wherever I go and meet people. Had some insightful and sometimes healthy heated debates about things, which I dont shy away from.

Would definitely like to improve upon my limited knowledge of the world, its different traditions from traveling and couchsurfing!

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Belize, Canada, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, United States, Vatican City State, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

India, Netherlands, Singapore, United States