CURRENT MISSION

Im currently bumming around Europe after studying in Switzerland for the past semester. I heard about CS from a friend and would really like to give it a shot before heading back the States. Looking for a place in France or northern Spain.

ABOUT ME

My name is Keith,and im from a small town in Southeastern CT. Currently studying in Boston for my Bachelors, but ive been living for the past 4 months in Geneva Switzerland. Im travelling around for a month and half before heading back to states. I love talking and debating topics, politics and religion mostly because those are my two majors. I also like researching my heritage, and parts of my trip have involved finding long-lost family members. I like just talking to people, and im trying to bring my spanish up to par so i enjoy every chance to communicate to spanish-speakers. If everything in life works out perfectly, I will join the Peace Corps after college and get my masters after my two years of service. I will then go on to work for a Humanitarian NGO, and be a small, independent author on the side. I eventually want to settle in the States, but first i want to live abroad for a number of years.

PHILOSOPHY

I dont know if I have one, easily-stated philosophy, but i would define myself as an American, a Catholic, a New Englander, sort of a Bostonian, a Liberal, an ex-music nerd, a Boston Red Sox Fan, and a lover of Swizterland, which all play a part in my personal philosophy.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I haven't done much with the CS Project because I just signed up. This would be my first go.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Ive never had a CS experience, but Id really like to before heading back to the States. When I first heard about CS I thought it sounded mad sketchy, but as ive talked to more and more people about it, Ive only heard great things. I have a few days in June where i am completely free and id love to fit in my first CS experience before moving on with the rest of my trip.

Interests

Religion, International Politics/Happenings, Travel, Ultimate Frisbee, Russia, Skiing, Soccer, Tennis, Slam Poetry/Spoken Word, harmonicas, the State of Connecticut, new fruits ive never tried before, Rock Music, bardering, Volunteer Work,

• culture
• writing
• poetry
• breakfast
• politics
• traveling
• volunteer work
• music
• rock music
• spoken word
• skiing
• soccer
• tennis
• religion
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

A list of my most recent favorites

Books: "Blue Eyed Devil" and "the Taqwacores" by Michael Muhammad Knight

Music: "And out came the wolves" Rancid, "In rainbows" Radiohead, "My Aim is True" Elvis Costello, and "Dark Side of the Moon" Pink Floyd

Movies: The Matrix, The Prestige, Pulp Fiction

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

One highlight from the past few months was my weekend at Interlocken, a town near the Jungfrau Ski Area in Swizterland. I skied the alps in waist-high powder, which complete beats the east-coast ice-skiing im used to. The next day, we sledge down the mountain, which took more than 3 hours, and was one of the coolest and most unique things ive done in my life. Honestly, who sleds down an alp? Only in Switzerland, im going to miss that place

Teach, Learn, Share

So ive been travelling for about a month now, and one thing that has pleasantly surprised me is how kind and generous complete strangers have been to me, and how little acts of kindness trascend all these apparent barriers between people, like language, culture, way of life, nationality, etc. Ive gotten a free breakfast from a frenchmen named Christian in Giverny, bummed around Croatia with a MMA Buddhist, and been warmly welcomed into two families' houses who i only knew vaguely before coming to Europe. Yet, even though complete strangers have almost always been nothing but wonderful to me, ive seen some real ugliness, even from those people who have been kind to me. Ive been with families who argue constantly and are bitter to each other while smiling and laughing with me, or couples that quarrel and whine and then carrying on polite conversation with me, a stranger.

So, my question is, why is it so easy to show kindness to complete strangers, and yet be so mean with those we love the most?

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia

Countries I’ve Lived In

Switzerland, United States

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