Hello! My name is Patrick Ballow. I am an a 4th year college student and avid traveler! My travel lust began after traveling to Nicaragua in high school and was amplified when I studied abroad for 4 months in Seville, Spain. My list of places I want to travel to is immense but I am young and I am taking it one trip at a time. I am an easy-going and energetic person who loves new experiences, meeting new people and stepping out of my comfort zone! I love to cook, try new foods, and experience different cultures!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Why am I on Couchsurfing? Because I want the most authentic experiences when traveling. I want to see new cities and countries through the eyes of the people that have grown up and lived in the places I am lucky enough to travel to. I want to learn new skills from my hosts, whether it is a new recipe, drinking game, or some local vocabulary. And I can hopefully return the favor by providing some experiences from my own culture! The best part of traveling is meeting new and interesting people and what better way than by Couchsurfing since the app draws people that feel the same way!

Interests

• cooking
• music
• soccer
• eating
• going out
• talking
• spontaneity

Music, Movies, and Books

My favorite Music: So diverse I do not know where to start
Movies: The Big Lebowski, A Tu Mama Tambien, Resorvoir Dogs, Waking Ned Devine
Books: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

This past winter, a couple friends and myself were in Granada, Nicaragua for New Years Eve and we went out with some friends that we had met in our hostel. After a few drinks at the hostel, we went into the streets awaiting the fireworks and energy of the locals that we had been excitedly awaiting. As we walked down one of the main streets, we saw several older women dancing to salsa music in entryway to their house. The speakers inside projecting the rhythmic vibes into the streets. Spontaneously we decided to join them in their celebration and they accepted us as dancing partners with open arms! We danced and danced and before I knew it a crowd of locals and travelers had joined in! The street was now full of people dancing salsa and enjoying the company of friends and strangers. Experiences like this are why I love traveling!

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach: I am a native English speaker and almost fluent in Spanish. I am a good soccer player. I can cook.
Learn: I am trying to improve my Portuguese but I am also interested in learning some of whatever language you can teach me. I want to learn how to cook local cuisines and learn new cooking techniques.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can share with hosts my stories, experiences and friendship! I can also help with cooking and maybe help with language learning if it is something that you are interested in.

Countries I’ve Visited

Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia

Countries I’ve Lived In

Spain, United States