IG: ryanrballard

I am a yogi, traveler and lover. I feel extremely privileged to have been able to do all that I have been able to, especially travel and live abroad. I currently live in New York City. I have lived very different lives Cleveland, San Diego, Berkeley, Buenos Aires, Accra, Mumbai, and Mexico City. The journey continues with more to see and explore.

Besides career and other objectives, I lived a valued-centered life. I enjoy living passionately and traveling, enjoying the presence of others and sharing happiness. My goals are to be open, to let go of fear, and to trust and love myself. I want to be around people who love their life!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I have surfed couches on five different continents and hosted people from all over the world since 2006! I remembered the first time I heard about it I was sitting in an internet cafe in Amsterdam without a place to stay and a Kenyan traveler turned to me and told me about it. Since then, the experience has been an incredible way to meet people from all over the world and build local connections. I have never had a bad experience and honestly really liked the people I have met! I have hosted and met up with many people in California, Mumbai and Mexico City and I have surfed in Argentina, Brasil, Peru, Uruguay, Nigeria, Togo, India, Spain, Mexico, and even the US!

I am not often in a living situation that is able to host surfers, but whenever I can - I do!

Interests

I am passionate about photography, yoga, cycling, impact investment, and nature. I adore cities, the mountains and the beach. I love plane rides across the world, the first moment after stepping out of an airport in a new country, handstanding, random acts of yoga, cracking up, and incredible people that know how to appreciate simple joys.

• arts
• photography
• dancing
• cooking
• wine
• yoga
• traveling
• volleyball
• anthropology
• entrepreneurship
• beaches
• impact investment

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies, Music, Books? Yes, yes and yes! Let's talk about them. Also, DANCING is really my thing.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I have hiked one of the highest peaks in the world at sunrise, drank Egyptian tea in Tahrir Square moments before the 2011 Aran Spring protests broke out, meditated in isolated corners of the Himalayas, danced reguetón with a former Mexican president, watched the sunrise over Daal Lake in Kashmir while listening to muslim Fajr play, scuba dove with tropical fish in the Caribbean, been the first to walk into Machu Picchu at sunrise, surfed waves in the beaches of Ghana, had a chat with the former US president Bill Clinton on global climate issues and his wife running for president, drove and eaten my way from the north of Italy to the southern island of Sicily, bungee jumped off an abandoned bridge in Los Angeles, sold multi-million dollar homes to the richest elite in India, driven across the US in a broken 30-year-old camper, swun from palm trees in empty beaches of Sri Lanka and eaten rice and lentils of the floor of one the major leather producers in the largest slum in Asia.

I‘ve got a few more incredible stories to exchange over beer :)

Teach, Learn, Share

I can cook, I know a good amount about photography, I can have pretty good wine talk, anthropology talk, social entrepreneurship and international development experience, love to dance, and show off and teach yoga moves.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Yoga, cooked meals, a loyal friendship, a good spirit and a lot of good jokes.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Barbados, Benin, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Cuba, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Peru, San Marino, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City State, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Argentina, Ghana, India, Mexico, United States