CURRENT MISSION

To do the best traveling I can despite a lack of vacation days!

ABOUT ME

I'm from the east coast of the US, previously lived in Texas for 5 years, and am currently settled in Kansas for a while (hopefully!). I used to use Couchsurfing years ago when AirBnB didn't exist and this was - by far - the best way to meet local people wherever you traveled.

I also used to travel far more often, but now that I've settled into a 9-to-5 I've cut back a lot. That hasn't stopped me from always planning the next trip and daydreaming about just packing up and roaming for months at a time.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

At this point, I'll only be able to hang out with fellow travelers (for anyone who goes to Kansas for some reason), but could probably host in a pinch. I may even try to couchsurf myself on upcoming travels, but I fear AirBnB has diminished the community - I hope to be proven wrong!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've only hosted 1 or 2 surfers, but have gotten the opportunity to stay with great hosts in Scotland, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and China. Mostly I've used it for meeting locals/other travelers in new cities so I can have an "instant friend" to hang out with. That's worked quite well, so far (US, Germany, Oman, Iceland, Thailand).

Interests

Learning about anything and everything: cuisine, language, architecture+art, and world history. In terms of what I actually do as hobbies: cocktails and spirits, video games, piano, biking, and civic engagement.

• architecture
• dining
• cooking
• drinking
• traveling
• cars
• music
• piano
• cycling
• surfing
• ecology
• engineering
• history
• science

Music, Movies, and Books

Books: Classic fiction, and lots of nonfiction on history, science, culture, economics, or some combination of those.
Music: indie rock, R&B/funk/soul, classical (particularly piano concerti), hip hop, jazz (60s and contemporary)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Being the only person to show up to a raga concert in India (Kochi) was pretty lucky: the musicians invited me to sit on the stage with them, turned down most of the lights, and just jammed on the sitar and tabla. Absolutely hypnotic.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can't help but share knowledge I've learned (often from other people) on history, culture, linguistics, cuisine, art, and how it all interconnects in surprising ways. My theory is that, if you can connect the dots on why things are the way they are, it's so much easier to remember it all.

As a spirits/liquor enthusiast, I love to learn about a country's drinks (alcoholic or not). I find that alcohol can explain a lot, even if you don't drink any.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I enjoy sharing through cooking and making cocktails, and by showing visitors around our little city.

Countries I’ve Visited

Angola, Bahrain, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Malaysia, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Saudi Arabia, United States

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