CURRENT MISSION

Launch a career!

ABOUT ME

I decided that after I graduated from University, I wanted to live abroad. I aimed for Russia and ended up in Ukraine. I was helping to run a hostel in Kyiv with a Brazillian friend of mine for a while but that came to an end so I'm back in the States. So you might conclude I'm a little adventurous, but honestly it comes in fits and starts. I'm trying to find comfort in the uncertainty of everything. And now I've finally landed in Seattle, a fine city, and I am living with my girlfriend and our dog.

I think I'm a reasonably intelligent fellow, and I love to talk politics, philosophy and literature, but if I can do all this with a drink in my hand, that's even better. I like to find myself surrounded by new and varied people.

PHILOSOPHY

I've always been ambivalent or confused about things like this. I used to give them all a lot more thought than I do these days, for better or worse. But I suppose I more or less settled on the notion that we're best off chasing down new experiences and then, in the ecstasy of it, deciding what to chase down next.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I have both hosted and surfed many times and met many wonderful people along the way, some of whom are still close friends. I get together with members of the Seattle CS community for potlucks and Scrabble from time to time, though I should do more and be more social!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

The thrill of showing up on a stranger's doorstep is breathtaking sometimes. It's always a pleasure to get to know the kind of person who will take a perfect stranger into their home. With an ex, I took a great trip up the Pacific coast a few years ago, staying with CSers the whole way. It was fantastic fun and how I found a deep fondness in my heart for the city of Seattle.

Interests

I enjoy travel and meeting new people, of course. I suppose that goes without saying on this site. I can't imagine some curmudgeonly person writing, "Oh, I hate meeting new people. I definitely prefer the confines of my own home, because I hate strangers and new things." So.. other than that, I love talking about science, particularly chemistry. I used to be an avid student of Russian, since I lived in Russia and Ukraine for a time, but since returning to the states, I have been lazy. I want to practice, though. And Spanish too! Please be patient with me, as I am terrible at both.

• dogs
• writing
• literature
• running
• drinking
• electronics
• politics
• traveling
• chemistry
• science

Music, Movies, and Books

I know that I am destined to read Godel, Escher Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I graduated from UVA with a BS in Biochemistry, which was quite challenging. I am prouder of that accomplishment than I thought I would be when I set out to do it. During the years I was away at school, my family was going through a lot of things, and there were many times I thought I might drop out and go home. But I persevered. Then I lived through Moscow and Kiev in the winter, but that was just delightful!

Teach, Learn, Share

I think this is a great idea! I am a chemist by training, so if anyone wants to learn anything about science, I'll happily teach everything I can. I am also an amateur techie, building computers and troubleshooting electronics, so if you've got a broken computer or vacuum cleaner lying around your house, I'll happily take a look at it and tell you how you can fix it or give you a hand with it.

Countries I’ve Visited

Bahamas, Canada, Czech Republic, Mexico

Countries I’ve Lived In

Russian Federation, Ukraine, United States

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