CURRENT MISSION

Earning a Masters Degree in Public Affairs in Urban Sustainability

ABOUT ME

I am a a graduate student at Indiana University - Purdue University in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA receiving a Masters of Public Affairs in Urban Sustainability. I also work full-time for an environmental regulatory agency. I go around Indiana and ensure utilities, steel mills, foundries, and other industrial sites are following the rules - or what Indiana calls rules *scoffs*

People call me an activist, environmentalist, hippie, tree hugger, brother, uncle, chocolate lover, drinker, smoker, humanist, socialist, realist, dreamer, friendly. I enjoy hiking, apple cider, kayaking, camping, smores, smashed potatoes, fried potatoes, canoeing, cabrewing, snorkeling, caving, traveling, getting to know people, letting loose - letting go.

PHILOSOPHY

You don't love yourself, how the hell you gonna love someone else?! Can I get an amen? Thank you mama Ru.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I have been lucky enough to host 2 amazing guests so far. This experience has been one for the ages. I am excited for the adventures that are in store!

visited 7 states (3.11%)Create your own visited map of The Worldvisited 25 states (50%)Create your own visited map of The United States

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

My friend told me about this phenomenon so I had to partake. He has hosted many couch surfers and hasn't had any negative experiences. I hope I can do the same and create a positive couchsurfing experience for me and for others :)

Interests

C-SPAN, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, National Public Radio, cycling, Au Bon Pain, calling Bridget a Schlampe and having her call me one back, traveling around the U.S., camping, bouldering, hiking, canoeing, visiting pioneer towns, pulling grass from the eart when i don' want to listen to someone talking, or covering an ant with dirt and watch him escape to put more dirt on top, x-box live, running, rollerblading on the Monon, rollerblading on skyscrapers, fireworks among other minute explosions, debating about nonsense in evolutionary terms, reading the newspaper.

• books
• dining
• cooking
• chocolate
• running
• drinking
• reading
• traveling
• bouldering
• cycling
• hiking
• canoeing
• kayaking
• spelunking
• camping
• snorkeling
• boxing
• rock climbing

Music, Movies, and Books

Favorite Music:
Vitamin String Quartet, Kronos Quartet, Philip Glass, Tracy Chapman, the Section Quartet, Smashmouth, Notorious B.I.G, Bone Thugs n' Harmony, Eurythmics, Cake, Ciara, Eve, The White Stripes, Pussycat Dolls, CSS, Lykke Li, Santogold, M.I.A, Estelle, Lenny Kravitz, Modest Mouse, Gorillaz, U2, The Vines, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Residente Calle 13, Coldplay, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Tupac, The Bismarque, Julieta Venegas, Rob Smith?, Unusuable Signal, The Killers, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Queens of the Stone Age, Rammstein, Journey, R.E.M., The Beetles, Queen, Moby, Madonna, Pit Bull, Don Omar, Gwen Stefani, Counting Crows, Classical (Bach, Chopin, Mozart, Beethoven-the masters), Barenaked Ladies, Smashing Pumpkins, Imogen Heap, Aventura, The Bestie Boys, The Beegees, The Who, Jenny Devoe, Missy Elliot, John Legend, Daft Punk, Erykah Badu, The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Hilary Hahn, Fat Boy Slim, Foo Fighter, Fleetwood Mac, DMX, Fuel, Green Day (evidently the list is numerous)...

Favorite TV Shows:
TV? What does that mean? I do watch PBS, no lie

Favorite Movies:
Hotel Rwanda, Babel, Black Book, V for Vendetta; X-Men; Ace Ventura, Amorres Perros; Crash; Los Naranjos; La Albufera Documental; Clockwork Orange; Y Tu Mama También; Coffee and Cigarettes; What Dreams May Come; White Chicks; Thirteen Ghosts; The Glass House; Peter Pan; Fantasia 2000; Children of Men; The Nightmare Before Christmas; Pan's Labrynth; Superbad; Robin Hood; Blade; Nosferatu, Birds, Psycho, Big Fish, Horton Hears a Who, A Bug's Life, The Lion King, and...

Favorite Books:
The Evolution of Virtue; Why is Sex Fun?; Charlotte's Web; Harry Potter(1, 3, 5-7); Willy Wonka and the Glass Elevator; SlaughterHouse Five; The Chronicles of Narnia; Kite Runner; Zodiac; Disco 2000; A Reason for Hope; The Jungle; Dracula, Frankenstein and the Modern Prometheus, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, A Christmas Carol, Intro to Public Administration (Chapter 5) The Color of Water, Cat's Cradle; Where the Wild Things Are, The Giving Tree, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, Green Eggs and Ham; and...

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I had the opportunity to travel to deliver books and document a project at the Kabwende Primary School in Musanze, Rwanda during the summer of 2009. It was a trip I'll never forget

When I lived in Spain for three months, I had quite an adventure. I was 17 and on my own. I remember missing the bus to get home once so I walked two hours from the capital to my house, through the Valencian countryside, enjoying every minute. My host mom, on the other hand, was not so pleased.

Teach, Learn, Share

Pull up the people, pull up the poor
You're never fully dressed without a smile
Shante you both stay

What I Can Share with Hosts

Food, drinks, memories, laughter DERP

Also, I heart cooking so like I will totally cook and cleanup afterwards too.

Countries I’ve Visited

Benin, England, France, Ghana, Netherlands, Rwanda, Spain, Togo

Countries I’ve Lived In

England, Ghana, Spain, United States