Hello! After 25 years in life I've decided that I no longer want to play by the rules of standard society. I left work last month to pursue a nomadic lifestyle of creative spontaneity. I'm not a typical "just wanna see the world" traveler. Having lived in NYC for 7 years, my rent was so high that I realized I could travel around for far cheaper than staying in New York while I establish a geographically independent income. Obviously I'm always excited to explore a new city, but I'm more the focused, productive type rather than the aimless wanderer/consistent partier—though I'm always happy to enjoy live music and the occasional techno party! As long as I've gotten my work done ;)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Obviously the allure of free housing while traveling is a motivation, but I'm also a huge fan of meeting locals rather than being part of the tourist horde. I've become a fan of Airbnb for this reason—it's awesome to drop into someone's home [when invited, of course :)] and be able to assimilate into their version of the local culture.

I've met so many incredible people in my travels, and many of them have spoken very highly of Couchsurfing. I decided that it's time for me to give it a try.

Interests

people + words = conversation
solitude + words = writing + reading

travel, adventure, technology, futurism

• arts
• culture
• writing
• poetry
• performing arts
• photography
• diy
• dancing
• partying
• electronics
• technology
• reading
• traveling
• blogging
• painting
• coding
• magic
• music
• live music
• spoken word
• business
• software

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Some friends and I started an art collective in NYC called Stageless Arts. We host an event called Open Brain every two weeks—essentially an open mic for all forms of expression rather than standards of just music, poetry, dance, and stand up comedy. People have shared everything from those standards to photography, film, painting, massage techniques, genetic counseling, artificial intelligence, DIY hardware, rocket and drone design—the works.

You can check out our website here: www.stagelessarts.com

And specifically, my art on that website: http://stagelessarts.com/blog/?category=Michael+Ketigian

Teach, Learn, Share

My core skill is writing. I was Operations Director of a small software consulting startup in NYC for a bit over two years. This entailed: copywriting, marketing, event coordination, business development, recruiting, and project management.

I also write and perform spoken word poetry [see link above]. And I'm currently learning to code.

I'd be glad to share any of these skills, and I'm /always/ down to share poetry!

Would also love to learn from any coders out there :)

What I Can Share with Hosts

Spoken word poetry, copywriting abilities, computer usability/wizardry, insights on gear/electronics/efficient, budget-friendly travel.

Also an open brain and heart.

Countries I’ve Visited

Armenia, Bahamas, Cambodia, Dominican Republic, Greece, Indonesia, Ireland, Jamaica, Malaysia, Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, Venezuela, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Sri Lanka, United States