I grew up near Buffalo, NY, and since starting college have lived in various other parts of the country and the world, but mostly in the California desert and elsewhere in upstate NY.

I've always been into natural history and exploring the woods and fields, and wherever I go and travel I make an effort to learn about the ecology of the region and get to know some of the other creatures and plants we share the world with. Since I was a kid, I've been especially into birds, influencing me to study ecology and evolution in college and work for a time as a field biologist. Over the past several years, I have been working more with the public, in environmental education and outreach.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

So far in my life, I have mostly used Courchsurfing when traveling to find cool people to stay with. I've enjoyed meeting these people and learning more about the area they live in. Unfortunately I haven't yet been in a situation where I can host people, but I hope I will be able to start repaying my debt to the community in the not-too-distant future.

Interests

Wherever I go, whether in urban or wilderness settings, I like to walk around or just sit still and take in everything around me. I love cooking, sourcing food from dumpsters, fermenting, and harvesting nuts, fruits, greens, and mushrooms from the wild. I want to gain skills in fishing and hunting.

• birds
• cooking
• vegetarian
• traveling
• dumpster diving
• music
• folk music
• guitar
• piano
• blues
• cycling
• hiking
• backpacking
• anthropology
• ecology
• history
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

I sing and play folk, blues, country and the like on guitar and piano, and I also play traditional Scottish music on the highland bagpipes. Beyond the genres I typically play, I most often listen to cumbia, ranchera, norteño, and Tuareg music (such as Tinariwen).

The books I read are mostly non-fiction. Some of my favorites I've read in the past few years have been: Braiding Sweetgrass, the Devil's Highway, Life and Death of the Great Lakes, and 1491.

Teach, Learn, Share

I love to cook and am always curious to learn to prepare new dishes or beverages! I'm usually vegetarian but sometimes make exceptions.

I'm always happy to teach and learn music with others. I want to learn accordion someday.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, United States