Hello, I am Luke, I am a full-time undergraduate student in Civil Engineering at North Carolina State University. I think a lot about how to build cities that are better suited for all their residents and resilient to changing conditions, and how we can support billions of humans in the long term without destroying the beauty of the natural world. I enjoy running, cycling, hiking, and really anything that gets me moving out in nature. I love to read, write, and think. I’m an introvert, but some of my most meaningful experiences in life have come from connecting with the people around me (even when I might prefer a nice book and a cup of tea).

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm on Couchsurfing to try a way of traveling and experiencing the world that isn’t strictly transactional, in a world where many things are increasingly financial; The ability to move freely around the world is a basic freedom, going back to the beginning of human existence, but in a world of nation-states and ‘economies’, there are large barriers to traveling. The financial burden of traveling means that the ability to travel, rather than being based on desire to travel, respect for the areas one is visiting, or interest in expanding one’s horizons, is largely based on socioeconomic status. Couchsurfing is one way to fight back against those forces, and to make travel more meaningful and less superficial.

Interests

• running
• reading
• cycling
• backpacking
• history
• urbanism
• fantasy books

Music, Movies, and Books

I read a wide range of books. In fiction, I mainly read fantasy; some of my favorite authors are Ursula K. Le Guin, N.K. Jemisin, Terry Pratchett, and Brandon Sanderson. Probably my favorite fictional book that I have read is Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay. I love seeing what kinds of worlds people can imagine when they are not limited by realism and seeing messages of hope in deeply distressing places. In non-fiction, I read a lot about history, Urbanism, and Psychology. My favorite non-fiction book is The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrow, because it brings humanity to the earliest humans. For music, I almost exclusively listen to albums, some of my favorites are Open Every Eye by CHVRCHES, Good & Evil by Talley Hall, LP3 by Hippo Campus, Waterfall by Fish in a Bird Cage, and Paranoïa, Angels, True Love by Christine and the Queens, as well every album that Paramore has made. I have a hodgepodge of albums that I ‘collect’ (save on Spotify), and listen to again and again.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I’ve been on two trips backpacking around central Europe with some friends. We traveled by train and tried to visit as many interesting cities as we could in a few weeks. The second trip was my favorite; a personal highlight was Trento, Italy. It is a beautiful city in the Alps, and we met some great people at a local bar that caters to students. We also traveled from Trento on a day trip to the Val Gardena in the Dolomites, which has some of the most beautiful views that I’ve ever seen, a verdant alpine meadow surrounded by jagged peaks that seem ready to cut the sky.

Teach, Learn, Share

I am always looking to learn new things, including physics and mathematics, linguistics, history, philosophy, architecture, public policy, ecology, and really any topic that helps me understand the world that we live in. I’ve learned a lot of interesting things over time, through reading quite a few books and frankly too much time on the internet. I’m always willing to teach anything that I know or share my perspectives on the issues that we (humanity) face. I am always open to new ideas and new perspectives; I don’t consider very many of my beliefs to be set in stone.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I enjoy cooking; I rarely use a recipe (it usually turns out well). I am willing to share what I make; I especially enjoy making bread, it is delicious fresh out of the oven. I also like to share my knowledge and perspective on the world. I am always willing to help out, whether that is around the house (I’m an engineer, I’m always trying to figure out and fix things) or just by listening; everyone deserves to be heard and understood.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Monaco, San Marino, Slovenia, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States