CURRENT MISSION

cultivating empathy and affection for all

ABOUT ME

I'm usually happy, comfortable within myself, and often working toward actively connecting with others. I was born in California but my parents immigrated from India, so I often travel to India to visit my extended family there.

PHILOSOPHY

I try to practice vipassana from time to time, and to remain as mindful as possible.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Spreading goodwill and exchanging ideas for inspiration. I'm happy to host anyone who is in San Diego starting in January!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've had great experiences meeting couchsurfers and staying with people. I'm happy to be a part of this inspiring community

Interests

My academic research is concerned with how our use of language may reflect and shape how we experience and relate to the world. I am fascinated by the workings of the mind, and also by the human spirit that gives rise to amazing cultural traditions and narratives. I pursue these interests by studying how young children learn language and about the world around them.

• singing
• traveling
• music
• classical music
• psychology

Music, Movies, and Books

books: brothers karamazov, master and margarita, ficciones, picture of dorian gray, jude the obscure, lolita, wind-up bird chronicle, full catastrophe living, a manual of self-unfoldment

music--transnational electronic/dubstep (dj/rupture, filastine, flying lotus, kode9, ghislain poirier), african (toumani diabate, ali farka toure, etoile de dakar, fela kuti, ethiopiques, amadou+mariam), post-punk/noise rock (tuxedomoon, liquid liquid, wire, josef k, orange juice, gang of four, the ex, arab on radar, six finger satelite, boredoms), psychedelic (eno, my bloody valentine, spacemen 3, olivia tremor control), krautrock, and more and more

movies--shoot the piano player, hiroshima mon amour, wings of desire, inland empire, battle of algiers, live flesh, in the mood for love, yojimbo, paris texas, down by law, waking life, repulsion, fitzcarraldo, grizzly man, chappelle's block party

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Driving along the friendship highway in Tibet

Teach, Learn, Share

Knowledge about topics in psychology and linguistics
south indian classical music (I sing)

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Latvia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, Russian Federation, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Russian Federation, United States