I'm always chasing after my next adventure. Chicago born and raised. Became an expatriate after graduating from high school, when I moved to Taiwan for a year for a US government language learning/cultural exchange program and have been a huge traveler ever since.

I'm passionate about technology, cultural exchange, making, self-directed learning, and using design to improve people's lives and the world we live in.

"You can't be old and wise unless you're young and crazy first."

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I love using CS to meet people who can show me around their city when I'm on the road and who want to go adventures around Chicago, New York, Champaign, San Francisco, or wherever else I happen to be living at the time. I'm popular host when I'm living in Chicago, San Francisco, and New York. Surprisingly nobody wants to stay with me in Champaign, though!

Couchsurfing Experience: I've hosted and given tours to a few people traveling through Chicago and I'm looking to get more experience surfing couches myself!

Interests

Human Centered Design, Web Design, Branding, Typography, Social Entrepreneurship, Product Design, Travel, Community Building, Self-Directed Learning, Unschooling, Photography, Printmaking, Virtual Reality, Neuroscience, Economics, Game Theory, Future of Work, Space Design, 3D Printing Tech, 3D Modeling, Digital Photography, Mandarin Chinese, Manufacturing/Innovation in China and Taiwan, Personal Development, Lifestyle Design, Mindfulness, Yoga, Food, Tea, Reading, People, Beaches, Soccer, Reading, Thrifting, Concerts, and Couchsurfing!

• design
• graphic design
• digital design
• photography
• concerts
• social action
• dining
• cooking
• desserts
• running
• meditation
• shopping
• thrifting
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• knitting
• guitar
• surfing
• rock climbing
• soccer
• entrepreneurship
• languages
• tours
• beaches
• social justice
• marketing
• web design
• virtual reality
• future of work
• social media marketing
• branding

Music, Movies, and Books

I don't watch TV too often, but when I do its usually to watch Scurbs. Best show ever!

All types of movies work for me, but I especially love the oldies. The Graduate is probably my favorite.

I'm addicted to Spotify. These days I'm listening to Jack Johnson, Edward Sharpe, Of Mice and Men, Band of Horses, Bon Iver, and Sufjan Stevens.

I've recently been reading free kindle books, some of which I enjoy and some of which are a bit hard to get through.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Sailed around the world with Semester at Sea

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm slightly obsessed with podcasts (99% Invisible, Freakonomics, Tim Ferris, NPR) and iTunes University.

I'm always looking to learn something new. Right now I'm interested in Spanish/Latin American culture, The Middle East, georgraphy (gotta get all the countries down), rock climbing, guitar, computer programming, sewing, knitting, cooking, and lots of nerdy design-related stuff.

I can teach you basic Chinese, take you to the best food and shopping places in Chicago, and make some of the most amazing green tea you can find.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Lots of travel knowledge and a large network as well as a go-with-the-flow personality.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, China, Costa Rica, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

England, Taiwan, United States