Instagram - @lifeisjake

I'm a dreamer and like to think about the "What if's" of life and opportunity. I am generous, peaceful, and can fit in with any social strata.

I'm a climbing addict (v5/11a climber) - let's crush some rock!

Huge outdoors person. Love foraging and learning about local flora and fauna.

My career has consisted of democracy development, civil liberties & community organizing, and digital communications.

Interests

The three basics - music, food, and festivities. I always enjoy an opportunity to go see live music, no matter what the genre. If you recommend it, I will go into it with an open mind. Food, either on the street or prepared by friends or hosts, is the greatest insight to a city, a family, a person. And what is life without celebrating it? Whether it's a circle of new friends around a fire, or an all-night costumed revelry with thousands of people, we are a social species and I enjoy being part of that.

But you have to have the opposite experiences, too - solace by yourself or with a select few in the wilderness. Sometimes, the need grabs me to stick around for a sunset, or spend time by myself skipping rocks on a solitary creek. Finding that time to do nothing but soak up the world around you is medicine we should all take.

• acting
• dining
• running
• reading
• music
• live music
• hiking
• rock climbing
• swimming
• medicine
• beaches
• foraging
• natural sciences

Music, Movies, and Books

Books!
Cosmicomics - Italo Calvino
The Prophet - Khalil Gibran
The Sparrow - Mary Doria Russell
Empire of the Summer Moon

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Hiking through the jungle of Baracoa, Cuba to swim in a cave, eating fresh guanabana on the way up, and ending the day with a sunset swim on the black sand beaches.

Being a guest of the christening of Greek relatives' private place of worship on a hill of the island of Syros, with the sun setting on the ocean behind us, lighting up the white walls of the house with golden light.

Reading outside in a groove of trees in northern Ghana (Tain), being surrounded by little kids who had never seen an "obruni" (white person), and watching them daringly, clandestinely touch my arm hair in wonderment.

Visiting an orphanage in Southern Sudan and seeing kids who have seen and been through things I can only imagine running around and acting like - well, children! And being just as happy to be around me as I was to be around them.

Teach, Learn, Share

Would love to offer web development or helping to write content for the web!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Climbing gear!

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Austria, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, France, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Jordan, Kenya, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, South Sudan, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Cuba, United States