I am a traveler, wine aficionado, and fun fact extraordinaire.

I'm in the process of finding myself, which I have done by living in six countries in the span of five years. I heard a wise man once said "to improve is to change, to perfect is to change often", so I am just trying to embody change in the time I have left on this Earth.

I’m a former professional volleyball player who has now retired and lives in Berlin.

I have a love nugget of a cat named Indiana "2 Chainz" Jones, who has turned out to be much fatter than I ever intended. (Cat) Parenthood is hard.

I played quite a bit of volleyball. I played while getting both of my degrees, and professionally. It presented me with a great deal of opportunities, but I am an athlete who does not identify with athlete/jock culture.

Most of the time, I can be found in my room reading, out exploring on my own, or on my perpetual journey of finding the perfect IPA.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I think there's something inherently beautiful about learning about a culture from someone who lives within it. It means so much more to see a country through the eyes of a resident than to pass through only seeing tourist attractions.

I'm attempting to learn Portuguese, and it's a long and arduous task.

Interests

I write quite a bit, and I think the process of capturing thoughts on paper is a beautiful one.

I love hearing people talk about something they're passionate about.

I'm quite interested in the interwebz and how it has completely and radically changed the way we communicate, and how virtual reality has become a part of our everyday lives.

• cats
• culture
• wine
• athlete
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• scuba diving
• volleyball

Music, Movies, and Books

I watch too many movies, and mostly of the mind-bender/action/thriller genre. V for Vendetta, Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind, The Prestige... to name a few.

BOOKS! You can't make me choose. I'm a self identified bibliophile, and honestly my hoarding of books has become a problem when packing for overseas flights. And yes, I know a kindle is the answer to my 'books are heavy' problem, but LONG LIVE THE HARD COPY

I'm a big Kafka fan, which should tell you something about my personality.

I listen to mostly folk-ey, indie music, but will listen to most anything. I have a deep-seated appreciation for those who can create music, and write lyrics to match. I don't have anything near that capability, so who am I to judge those who do? My tastes are Florence + the Machine, Fleet Foxes, The xx, Kimbra... to name a few.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Cliff diving in Pula, Croatia

Mission work in a gypsy village in Romania

Eating an entire sleeve of cookies in one sitting

Teach, Learn, Share

I consider myself to be open-minded and will try anything once (okay, within reason).

Besides the fact that I am quite literally still learning, as I am still enrolled in school, I think living in a new culture and traveling to new places is the best way to learn - not only about yourself - but about all of the diverse, incredible humans that make up the world.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I have a lot of stories from my travels, mission work, and student experiences. I love meeting people from other cultures to share my experiences and learn about theirs.

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Bahamas, Croatia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, Haiti, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Scotland, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

England, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Portugal, Spain, United States