CURRENT MISSION

~ Live Life in Fullness, Not in Fear ~ create, explore, make friends, spend as much time outdoors as possible

ABOUT ME

I love the outdoors and people. I am an artist with a doctorate in biology. My work as an artist revolves around causes that I care about and want to communicate or advocate for.

But!... I totally love to live in the moment. Just did a very fun project in my hometown of Austin: Barton Screams.

Most of my life has woven itself around loving and trying to protect the outdoors, creating and living art, making friends, and exploring. In pursuing these passions I've gone in more directions than most people would consider sane. I first studied physics, art and architecture in college, and then lived in Japan for several years studying Japanese arts and language - and making friends. After moving back to the US, I went back to graduate school in biology to help myself better understand the natural world. I did research in the rainforest for years and then helped found an interdisciplinary research institute at the University of Texas. Two years ago I left the university to pursue my art full time.

I recently completed a large project focused on people who live in areas of violent conflict around the world. I expect that I will be doing quite a bit of couchsurfing while I work on this. You can see something about it on my website. You can also see a TEDx talk I gave about it.

In the past I did a long photography project about US Forest Service roadless areas - this has been a massive project that has taken me across the country over the course of five years.

You can see my work and talks at NelsonGuda.com. You can also find a bit more about me and communicate with me through my facebook page.

I've lived in several countries and have found that there is always a core of people who I can connect to in any corner of the earth. I love community. My community of friends in Austin and around the world is enormously important to me - I am constantly grateful for them.

PHILOSOPHY

I never been much for philosophy - I like doing and living. I always try not to take myself too seriously - given a choice between the silly and the serious I will almost always take the silly. Life is more like an abstract painting than a textbook or novel - mine anyway.

All that said, the outdoors is my source of spiritual renewal.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I want to share experiences, laughter, walks and stories with more people. I love hearing about other peoples wanderings through life and sharing my own. Languages help in sharing, but openness goes pretty far too.

I'll share a a jump in barton springs or a swim in the creek with anyone who comes to Austin. Always up for sharing things I enjoy... a burnt marshmallow over a campfire, a good hike, a bottle of beer, a silent yoga practice, a raucous run on the beach. I'm always needing new people to laugh at the ridiculous things I have done and keep me in line.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've been couchsurfing since before I knew there was a word for it. I've surfed couches, tatami mats, lawns and hammocks. I'd like to surf a yurt in Mongolia some day.

I've met so many wonderful people through CS, that I am a total CS convert. This is such a great community!

Interests

I love being outside / backpacking / exploring/ climbing / capoeira / yoga / swimming in creeks, springs, lakes, rivers and oceans / climbing / natural history photography / sculpture from natural objects / glass-blowing / kids books / cooking / eating ice cream / playing bach / meeting people ...

• arts
• books
• architecture
• photography
• dancing
• capoeira
• causes
• cooking
• beer
• yoga
• running
• walking
• boating
• traveling
• socializing
• painting
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• backpacking
• kayaking
• surfing
• rock climbing
• swimming
• biology
• history
• languages
• physics
• statistics
• beaches
• lakes
• rivers

Music, Movies, and Books

Music... way too long a list, but always like rockin' latin music in the afternoons and evening - Austin's Grupo Fantasma is our favorite band in Austin. Del Castillo is great too. Lately been listening to a lot of Everclear & Voxtrot. Paula Morelenbaum for chillin. Always drawn back to Glen Gould's Bach when I'm in a contemplative mood. I like variety... always open for new music.

Movies... Chocolat, My Neighbor Totoro, Cave of the Yellow Dog, Finding Neverland, World's Fastest Indian, A Charlie Brown Christmas... don't like downer movies, horror or gore - I can read that in the newspaper.

Books... Wind in the Willows, Peter Pan, Three Cups of Tea, Harry Potter, 100 Years of Solitude, Pablo Neruda poems, Isabelle Allende, too many to list...

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Watching dolphins play in sunset-lit water from a kayak, walking on a moonlit beach covered by a skim of water, swimming in a crystal stream under towering redwoods, watching a jaguar follow me along a creek at night, watching the gods sent off to return to their homes in an ancient Shinto ceremony, practicing for a dragon boat race in Hong Kong ... i guess that was more than one - i've been very fortunate.

Teach, Learn, Share

I love sharing Austin with people. I'm always up for sharing tidbits about the natural world. I like cooking, and I'm always happy share an improvised recipe. I'd be happy to help people a learn a little about ashtanga yoga. I'm always happy to pass on things I've learned about a range of things from photography to statistics.

I like to learn about other people's lives, stories and experiences. When I'm traveling, I like to learn about favorite trails in the area and get advice for when to hike them. I like to learn something about what gets other people excited.

Countries I’ve Visited

Brazil, Canada, China, Ecuador, Indonesia, Japan, Panama, Thailand, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Costa Rica, Ecuador, Japan, United States

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