I love to meet new people and try new things. I believe genuinely in the virtue of hospitality and anyone who knows me can testify to that. I'm quick to make new friends and easy to trust, and if there's one group of people I identify with and want to lend my support to it's travelers. Everyone has a story so conversation has never been hard for me, especially in the name of civilian diplomacy. Mi casa es su casa.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Other than having a guestroom and several perfectly good guest beds, see "about me"

Interests

Literature, egalitarianism (all fronts, ) environmentalism, visual arts, scientific journalism, political discussion, philosophy, board games, acting, camping , canoeing, hiking, swimming, anything funny

• arts
• literature
• acting
• partying
• board games
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• canoeing
• camping
• skiing
• swimming
• journalism
• tourism
• visual arts
• lakes
• rivers

Music, Movies, and Books

I'll listen to any music, I like all kinds of movies although I hold plot and dialogue above all else (with perhaps the exception of comedy, ) and books... I love to read, mostly fiction. There's so, so much to read out there that I fear it has taken away from attention I might be giving to music and movies. I just finished Shogun, Jitterbug Perfume, and a David Sedaris book. I'm dying for The Winds of Winter to come out, but seven hells it's taking so long.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I was a wilderness canoe guide in the summer of 2012 in Minnesota where I paddled over 200 collective miles on the opening of the Mississippi and surrounding rivers and lakes, including a night spent on the crow wing river when the electrical hail storm from hell blew through and... I can't make it sound like it was, 100 foot tall jack and white pines snapped in half like toothpicks, thunder like endless cannon fire, so much lightning it was like daylight and the emergency satellite phone couldn't connect, 65 mph wind blowing pea sized ice sideways in the middle of summer. I know it just sounds like a fisherman's tale on here, but if we'd been on the second night of the Brule trek and not the Crow wing, every single member of our party would have been killed. People ask about bears and wolves and the like when you go back country canoeing.... those are things you hope to see on a canoe trip. Bad weather, sudden weather- that's what gets you. That night changed my respect for the outdoors forever.

Teach, Learn, Share

Talk Bernie to me

...we don't have to talk about politics haha

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'm a great cook and I know what's around. My girlfriend is native Japanese and can tell you everything you want to know. My apartment is well equipped for you to do your own thing with a full sized kitchen and wifi and a good sized separate guestroom with tons of bedding (I have had 10+ people crash comfortably.) I have a nice shower and bathtub. I'm well known and well liked in the gaijin community in the greater area with connections in Tokyo, and saying so sounds a little pompous maybe but hey, a solid network is nothing to take for granted- especially abroad. I throw awesome parties.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belize, Canada, Thailand

Countries I’ve Lived In

Japan, United States