CURRENT MISSION

To benefit the community and the Environment by sharing my passion for sustainability and outdoor adventure.

ABOUT ME

Kia Ora, Bro!
I'm an American-Kiwi currently living in New Zealand while earning a BSc in Environmental Science and Geography from the University of Auckland.

I'm a huge outdoor sports junkie. I love meeting people on my travels who share my passion for extreme adventures and being spontaneous. I live for those picturesque landscapes and triumphant summits.

I've been a professional white water rafting guide in the states and continue to guide trips on rivers all over the north island on weekends with my Uni club.

I travel on the cheap as much as I can during holidays and manage to get out of the city to do something fun almost every weekend.

Some day I hope to start an adventure based sustainability school and to have a small farm. I'm a fan of eating local food, CSAs, and community gardens and hope to visit as many sustainable communities as I can all over the world.

PHILOSOPHY

I'm a fan of the go with the flow mentality... Take advantage of opportunities that come your way, be spontaneous, be silly, and live life to the fullest, but stay grounded and remember your roots. We shouldn't get too hung up on stuff; Keep that which makes you happy, let go of what holds you back. Do what you love and love what you do. In my opinion, life's purpose is to be happy and to make others happy.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have very little couch surfing experience but I'm in love with the concept!

Interests

White water kayaking and rafting, snowboarding, hiking, environmental science, sustainability, photography, traveling, rock climbing, homesteading, gardening

• fish
• photography
• environment
• dining
• cooking
• breakfast
• clubbing
• flying
• gardening
• traveling
• socializing
• homesteading
• outdoor activities
• fishing
• hiking
• kayaking
• surfing
• snowboarding
• sports
• rock climbing
• geography
• science
• tourism
• rivers

Music, Movies, and Books

Books:

The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac

A Man without a Country by Kurt Vonnegut

The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
Into thin Air by Jon Krakaur

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
Mother Toungue by Bill Bryson

The Harry Potter series

Music:

Dave Matthews Band, Ray Lamontagne, Jack Johnson, Mat Kearney, Matt Nathanson, Alt J, Ben Howard, Eddie Vedder, Mumford and Sons, Ingrid Michaelson, Gregory Allan Isakov, Bon Iver, Coldplay, Cowboy Junkies, James Vincent McMorrow, The Cranberries,

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Saw the sun rise at 3:30am atop Cadillac Mountain in Maine, the first place in the US to see the sun rise.
Skydived over my hometown
Kayaked over30+ foot Maruia falls
Summited Mt Washington in winter
Mushed a dogsled in Canada
Hiked into an active island volcano (White Island)
Guided rafts down 10+ rivers in NZ and USA
Lived a summer in a treehouse that I helped build
Slept tent-less under a meteor shower

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach/share with people about earth systems, about sustainability, how to whittle, how to roll a kayak, how to read a river, how to cook a mean breakfast burrito, how to skin a rabbit, about photography and composition, and about how to plan and pack for trips efficiently.

I'd love to learn how to fly fish, how to take better night photography, how to preserve jams and veggies, how to build a house, and how to farm.

Countries I’ve Visited

Bermuda, Canada, Mexico, Netherlands, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

New Zealand, United States