James Garland's Photo

Unverified Profile

  • Payment not verified
  • Phone not verified
  • Government ID not verified

Maybe Accepting Guests

  • Last login almost 7 years ago

Join Couchsurfing to see James’s full profile.

Overview

  • 31 references 23 Confirmed & Positive
  • Fluent in English; learning Portuguese, Spanish
  • 35, Male
  • Member since 2012
  • Adventurer of Life, @big_hat_hitcher
  • University {BS Economics}, but I prefer the ongoing educa...
  • From Laramie, WY, USA
  • Profile 100% complete

About Me

CURRENT MISSION

Chase powder...

ABOUT ME

I am on a mission to travel the world and see it from a different perspective. Travel is a great way to open your mind and meet new people. Travel is a teacher like no other. I am currently enrolled in online travel writing & photography courses offered through Matador U. I am chasing the dream of becoming a location independent writer and photographer. Check out some of my photos: https://500px.com/garlandjf

When exploring I love to do a lot of walking to really get to know a place and notice the small details. Sharing new food and drink is one of my favorite aspects of travel. I will try almost anything, but not knowing what it is always helps (the 'worst' thing I have eaten was a cat spine stew in Vietnam).

I am an eccentric and independent person. I enjoy not making solid plans and finding a path to a unknown adventure. Sometimes this ends with a dead end, but it is always worth a try. I like to walk. I like to get a bit lost. I love hiking in nature, rock climbing, mountain biking, skiing and trying new things.

I want to help create a world where plastic shopping bags do not exist!

I believe staying close to nature, good food, good art (sculptures, gastronomy, music etc.) and great company are the essences of life. I like to joke around and have intellectual conversations too. I always want to learn more about everything!

visited 16 states (59.2%)Create your own visited map of Brazil or Free android travel guide

visited 22 states (9.77%)Create your own visited map of The World or Like this? try: Google Chat Bot

visited 32 states (64%)Create your own visited map of The United States or website vertaling duits?

PHILOSOPHY

Aspiring minimalist and selective atavist; trying to be as resourceful as possible.

Live simply.

Time is anyones most valuable asset.

Living, loving and learning.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Looking to host; looking to surf; looking to give rides; looking to meet new friends. Its about meeting a local and getting the inside experience of a city. I like authentic travel experiences, not the cookie cutter tourist stuff! I love to cook with local food and share meals and conversation while surfing! I am very passionate about being part of the CS community and am not just looking for a free place to stay. I take a lot of time browsing profiles and carefully selecting hosts to write personal requests to.

I get it, Laramie, WY is not exactly a destination (unless you are looking to climb the beautiful granite cracks at Vedauwoo). Most people coming through are just looking for a place to stay while they cruise across my state on I80. I certainly don't mind hosting someone who is just passing through and wanting to save a few bucks. However, I do like to get to know my guests at least a little. Just let me know what your objectives are from the outset.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Bunches, both through CS and also just by serendipitously meeting other hospitable humans. The site is such a great place to connect with like-minded individuals and get advice about your own community and beyond.

Interests

The grand outdoors captivate me and enliven the spirit. Good food, good art and great company are the essences of life. I love to travel, seeing and trying new and exciting things.

Reading, writing and photography. I hope to publish a book someday. For now I am just writing as much as I can. Only the future will tell how all my fragments of writing will eventually come together.

Off the beaten path travel. Avoid the cliche tourist activities while delving into the true local culture by making friends. I am up for almost anything. Climbing trees and rocks (ice someday soon), hiking, exploring, biking, yoga, snow and the associated activities, transportation by skateboard, cooking, reading, writing... I want to do a little bit of a lot of different things!

  • cats
  • arts
  • culture
  • writing
  • books
  • photography
  • education
  • dining
  • cooking
  • yoga
  • walking
  • drinking
  • shopping
  • reading
  • traveling
  • socializing
  • music
  • outdoor activities
  • cycling
  • hiking
  • surfing
  • sailing
  • skiing
  • skateboarding
  • rock climbing
  • teaching
  • tourism
  • hitchhiking

Music, Movies, and Books

~MUSIC~
JAZZ {Galactic, Bela Fleck, Weather Report, Herbie Hancock} , JAM {Keller Williams, moe., SCI}, REGGAE DUB {Doc Pablo}, the CLASSICS {Neil Young, The Beatles, Clapton, America, Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens} , INSTRUMENTAL & WORLD...

There are some good films but people spend too much of their lives sitting idle in front of the manipulation machine we call TV. Real world adventure documentaries are cool, but get inspired and go out and live your own adventure!

Books and Nat Geo magazine. Thats some good stuff. I like to read the time tested classics (Twain, Rand), travelogues and tales of adventure.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Almost all of them would probably be in nature...but there are so many that they will just have to come up in conversation when we meet.

Conquering the snow capped, dining-room-table-sized summit of Huayna Potosi that stands at 6,088 meters (19,974ft) outside La Paz, Bolivia.

Extensive hitchhiking, not out of necessity, but more as a challenge and in search of an experience...If you see me, pick me up!

Teach, Learn, Share

This is really neat. Life is a process of never ending education and you can always learn something from everyone. Humans are the 'great communicators' and we must socialize face to face.

I can help with English and teach rock climbing.

I want to learn to sail and play an instrument.

Share great meals and stories.

Countries I’ve Visited

Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

Old School Badges

  • 4 Vouches

Join Couchsurfing to see James’s full profile.

My Groups