Hello, yet-to-be-friends! I'm Mike. I grew up in the United States—in a region known as the Northeast—first in Connecticut and later in Vermont. Vermont is the place where my heart lives, but at a certain point I decided it was too comfortable, at least for my current interests. I needed more adventure! So after college I moved west to San Francisco and stayed there for six years. In early 2018, I moved to Brooklyn, New York, where I live now. I work at Airbnb, a company whose mission and values I adore, and one that inspires me to leave my comfort zone to meet new people and experience new places.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

What would travel be without other people to make it magical? I'm on Couchsurfing because when I travel, people make more of an impact than the bed you sleep in. I'm on Couchsurfing because I'd prefer make a new friend and spend a night deep in conversation rather than pay a lot of money for a too-safe, sterile hotel room. I crave human connection, and thrive on intimate conversation.

Interests

I tend to get lost in books. Books are a reliable companion and possess the power to show us other worlds (even galaxies!), introduce us to new people and experience new things, even if we can't *actually* do those things. I also rock climb, primarily in the form of bouldering. Bouldering is the term used to describe rock climbing without ropes, on large rocks, or “boulders”. In a larger scope, I am very interested in sustainable living: food, transportation. In San Francisco I rarely leave home without my bicycle or without being prepared for a walk. I have been largely vegetarian or vegan going on 7 years and love exploring the animal-friendly cuisines of new places I visit.

• animals
• books
• dining
• vegetarian
• vegan
• traveling
• bouldering
• rock climbing

Music, Movies, and Books

My favorite music is mellow and introspective. I often use the word “sleepy”. Sam Beam, or Iron & Wine, has long been my favorite musician. For reference, his song “Communion Cups and Someones Coat”. On the whole, folk music is my genre of choice, but my taste in music is vast and nearly without bounds. I often use music to accompany a mood or feeling, to push me further into a particular feeling. For that reason, punk, metal, bluegrass, EDM, classical, jazz, hip hop (and more) all appeal to me for different reasons at different moments. I think a lot about how closely we associate certain songs or artists with time periods in our lives, or even particular moments in our lives.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, England

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, United States