I'm currently in the Philippines. I came here with the US Peace Corps but I realized that's not what I want to do at this point in my life. I realized there is a bigger dream that I have and that is to travel around the world on a motorcycle. This is what I've been wanting to do for many years but I've always been afraid to do it. I realized this is the time. Now or never. So, I left the Peace Corps and I'm coming to Europe to buy a motorcycle and begin my journey. During the journey, I want to do volunteer activities and meet locals through organizations such as Couchsurfing. I am also very much interested in Intentional Communities. I'm visiting one in October in Portugal.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I don't like being a tourist. I've been a tourist for many years in many parts of the world, so I've done it. I'm not interested in sight seeing. I'm interested in learning through direct experience of the places I go to. That's one reason I joined the Peace Corps. I would rather sleep on someone's couch in a real home than to go to a hotel room. It's more than the cost aspect of it. It's seeing things that are new. Meeting new people, being introduced to new ways of looking at things. This is my now most favorite mode of travel.

Interests

I am a very simple person with very simple taste. I rather live in a cabin in the forest than a mansion in a city. I rather eat simple foods than exotic cooked food at an expensive restaurant. I rather talk deeply and simply about real things than pretentious talk about things that don't really matter. I love motorcycle, obviously because it has allowed me to travel in a way that I enjoy the most. I love hikes in nature and looking within for all the answers to my questions. My most favorite mode of exercise is swimming. So, wherever I go, I look for pools or lakes that I can swim in. I also like to take pictures of nature, children, animals and old people.

• reading, swimming, travel, science, philosophy

Music, Movies, and Books

My favorite music is definitely Jazz. I love going to jazz concerts and particularly I love watching the drummers. I watch a lot of documentary movies, but my all time favorite movie is Shawshank Redemption, an American movie about the life of a prisoner who one day claims his freedom. I also love Star Trek, especially the Next Generation with Captain Picard. My all time favorite author is Hermann Hesse, who wrote psychological fiction.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I suppose the most amazing things I've done have been my trips on my motorcycles. It started in my twenties and my first trip of 3500 miles along the western coast of the United States. My recent trip was to Alaska with my dog, Uzi. The other most amazing thing I've done has been teaching science to children in a very innovative way using music, magic, acting, and experiments.

Teach, Learn, Share

I like to think that I'm becoming wiser as I grow older. Sometimes I make mistakes that make me wonder if I have been becoming wiser! But, in general I like to teach and inspire. I like every encounter I have in someway to be inspiring to me and to the other person. I'm not much of a small talker. I like to learn from other's experiences. I like to learn how they live their lives that is different from mine and what I can learn from them.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I don't know how to answer this question. I guess it dependents. I can't predict that.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Croatia, Egypt, France, Italy, Malaysia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Iran, Israel, Philippines, United States