I was born and raised in Northern California. You've probably heard of some of these places: San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, Davis/Sacramento, Mendocino and Humboldt.

I am also a dual citizen of Poland. My grandparents were from Warsaw and moved to the USA during World War II, where my mother was born. It was a long and expensive process to become a Polish citizen (which took several years and several thousand dollars), but totally worth it! If you have a similar opportunity, go for it!!!

So in 2011 I traveled ALL AROUND Europe looking for where I would like to live and work when I became an E.U. citizen. Of all the cities I visited, Nice was my favorite. Now that I live here, I keep travelling around and visiting more great cities of Europe, but it still remains the most "me" city I've ever found. Viva Nissa la bella.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I first got involved maybe 6 or 7 years ago, hosting backpackers in my tiny apartment in San Francisco. I made some lifelong friends this way, and couchsurfed around Europe in the Summer of 2011.

In 2015 I moved to Nice, France and have been using CS as a resource to meet people in different cities, mostly for meetups. I'm not sure if it is the CS culture that has changed (it has), or me (I have changed, too), but I haven't been hosting or surfing as much in the last couple years.

Right now I do currently have my own studio apartment in Nice! It's not very big (1.5 rooms), but I am close to the beach and city center, with an air mattress that can sleep 1 normal-sized or 2 small humans maximum.

To be perfectly honest though, much of the magic of Couchsurfing seems to have been lost since I first discovered it. I'm not trying to brag, because I, myself was pretty late to the party. But the community has become more corporate, less intimate. There are many people who consider it an alternative to AirBnB or Tinder or Craigslist or LeBonCoin, who use it to promote their own business, etc., and that really bums me out.

If you do actually read my full profile and we seem like compatible people, I'm more than willing to meet up for a coffee or a beer, show you around my piece of paradise, and even consider hosting you for a few days. You're going to have to send me a message that breaks my cynicism though, convince me that you're actually interested in stepping into my world and not just a cheaper alternative to the many fine local youth hostels I'm also happy to recommend.

Interests

I'm considering opening a California-style taqueria here, because none exist. I realized after I left California that there are not SO MANY things I miss (other than my friends). But Mexican food is probably #1. I have been making tacos, burritos, nachos, margaritas and micheladas pretty much non-stop since I got here -- and I'm proud to say that my cooking is starting to actually taste like the food I grew up on (with lots of help from my food-savvy friends back in California and Mexico). If you stay with me, be prepared for a steady diet of beans, rice and tequila.

I played in a lot of bands when I was younger, worked in a record store and at a radio station. I don't play anywhere near as much as I did in my 20s, but I do have both a guitar and a mandolin right now, and I'm always down to jam.

I'm also a big fan of playing pétanque. I learned how to play years ago from my CS hosts in Marseille, and brought two sets of boules home to San Francisco, where I spent many weekends learning the ropes from 80-something French expats in Golden Gate Park. I recently found the perfect location in Nice where we can play with a panoramic view of the entire city and the Mediterranean. It's a great way to spend a lazy afternoon.

Other than that, I'm a pretty normal guy. I would really like to go hiking in this area, but I have not found the time. Would be more than happy to explore the many hiking trails that are only a bus or train ride away. I love movies, both arthouse and blockbuster. A proud Star Trek nerd. Always open to film/tv suggestions.

• design
• cooking
• wine
• beer
• picnic
• mexican food
• movies
• music
• karaoke
• hiking
• camping
• philosophy
• beaches
• art
• stargazing
• chilling
• bicycle
• tacos
• tequila
• petanque
• rock n roll

Music, Movies, and Books

MOVIES:
Ghost Dog, Barfly, The Big Lebowski, Before Sunrise, L'auberge Espagnole, Les Petits Mouchoirs, Last Tango in Paris, Purple Rain, In the Electric Mist, La Grande Bellezza, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, The Lobster

MUSIC:
Björk, Charles Bradley, Television, Talking Heads, Os Mutantes, Brian Eno, Caetano Veloso, Bela Fleck, Jane's Addiction, IAM, NTM, Prince, Joy Division, Iron Maiden, David Bowie, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Bob Marley, Desmond Dekker, etc.

WRITERS:
Kerouac & Hemingway & Burroughs & HST & Rimbaud & Rumi & John Le Carré as a guilty pleasure

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

While I was living in England, I got the opportunity to visit Stonehenge during the Winter Solstice (one of only two times per year when you're allowed to walk up and touch the stones). There were many weird neo-pagans there, singing and drinking wine and praying to the wind gods. What a trip!

Teach, Learn, Share

I love to cook. From quiche to risotto to guacamole and margaritas, I'm happy to teach you some of my favorite recipes.

I speak mixed levels of English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Portuguese. I'm always happy for a language exchange!

Sharing is what CS is all about. I hate the recent commercialization of this website. Picnics, not pub crawls!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I will make dinner and drinks, sing you songs and tell you jokes all night, every night!

I believe very much in the OG philosophy of the sharing economy that CS was founded on. I will do my best to leave your guest-space cleaner and refrigerator fuller than when I arrived.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

England, France, United States

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