CURRENT MISSION

Howdy Howdy Everybody!
Before COVID-19 I used to use uber and lyft to travel across America-(I used to take a whiteboard n two chairs with me everywhere that I went- sat down in random locations across this nation and asked strangers that I met along the way: (through my whiteboard:) "What's, Your, Story?" and then nonjudgementally/noninterruptively- listened to strangers who sat and shared with me their stories [for hours at a time] listening to them with my fuuuulllllll gift of attention filled with no perception giving/ no advice giving/ no tape recording/ no video recording/ just listening with my fulllll gift of attention to anyone and everyone who stopped by and shared their stories) while using Couchsurfing n Airbnb to find my locations of stay (and listened to my own hosts take on the question: "What's, Your, Story?" aswell!)

I've travelled across North America 5x (been to over 647 different cities)
and have written 5 books along my travels of the different stories I've heard along the way (From Seattle to Miami- and from Quebec to LA).

By the end of my 5th book; I was (this year- before the 'Rona shut everything down-) going to be travelling from North America to South America for my 6th global tour to write my 6th book of: "meeting 100+ strangers sharing with me 100+ stories by finding 100+ people (at festys/towns/n cities everywhere from North America to South America) to take on the question: "What's Your Story?" -------and now COVID-19 became a new reality that asked everyone to help flatten the curve and self-quarantine/stay at home/don't travel/work from home- me included.

I've been going through the mindset of:
"But I need to find 100+ people to share 100+ stories cause I got a 6th book to write!" to:
"But I have to do my part and flatten the curve and self-quarantine and not travel for a while!" to:
"But I have to find 100+ strangers and collect 100+ stories of people being asked: "What's Your Story?" and hearing/reading 100 responses of people "really taking on the question" for my 6th book!" to now:

"I'll just collect 100+ "What's Your Story?" stories over the internet. (hit me up if you're interested in being in a book where your story is 1 of 100+ people sharing their story to "What's, Your, Story?")."

But more specifically with Couchsurfing:
I'm still going to be going on my 6th listening tour (of asking people: "What's your Story?") across North n South America (and so I am looking for hosts in every western-hemisphere-State-n-Country) but I won't be beginning such a 6th tour across the Americas- until AFTER the "Earth is 100 days COVID Free!"
So if you'd like to host a travelling listener looking to listen to random people share "What's Your Story?" in your town/city/festy/boat/home/or even backyard! Hit me up to be able to share your story in person when this COVID-19 pandemic is over (or via messaging if you wanna share your story now and then give me an update if and when we finally meet when this pandemic is over)!
If you'd like to send me your story in response to the question: "What's Your Story?" Feel free! I'm looking for over 100+ stories as you read this sentence!
If you'd like to just share your story and be in my next book, (a 6th book in a series of people sharing their stories from across the globe where this 6th book would be full of 100+ strangers sharing 100+ "What's Your Story?" Stories,) feel free checking out my site for more details at: https://www.fiverr.com/share/jj95kZ ,,, but sharing your story is free! There's no guarantee it'll be in a book if you just dm me your tale (but that's just cause that's how I fund my travels outside of uber n lyft as I listen to stories for free by selling space in my "What's Your Story? Books" for those who want their stories carried and reprinted and shared again and again with others who want to see their story in a book full of stories hahaha)

But outside of what I am doing;
My name is Storytelling Salem; and I'm a travelling listener and storyteller.
I travel across the country listening to people sharing with me stories when they respond to the question: "What's, Your, Story?" as I sit in random locations across the nation with a whiteboard and two chairs listening to anyone who stops by with my full gift of attention; and am constantly looking for more stories- so please feel free sharing your tale today even via dm! But I am also a storyteller; in that I am an author of 5 books full of hundreds of stories of the people that I've met along the way; while now presently writing my 6th book; which seems like it's about to be a "What's Your Story? Covid-19 Edition."

I invite everyone reading this to help me make a ripple through history- by influencing the historians of tomorrow- to read your story as one of the living lives of this era going through this COVID-19 Pandemic by sharing with me "What's Your Story?" And how COVID-19 has affected you. (Like who were you before this pandemic/what was your story before this COVID [from beginning to present is always most desired!)? What has life become like once this pandemic started? This pandemic will theoretically be going on for another 17-18months; what was month 2 like? How bout month 6? Month 10? Month 15? Year 7 like? Keep me updated in sharing your story; as the month's go by- there will be multiple pandemic books coming out- and I'm also looking for storysharers who keep sharing their tales of taking on this Pandemic and how life has changed for them and what life is like.
This is what I do.
I listen to stories.
I look for stories.
And for those who share their story through my website: https://www.fiverr.com/share/GzD0vZ ,,,will have their story go into a book. If nay and you just wanna host? That's cool too cause I'm honestly looking for over 100+ people who can host me while I travel from North America to South America so I can write my next book after this COVID-19 series of books end when this pandemic ends hahaha! =D!

Thank you for reading;
if you may have any questions- please feel free asking!
But in a nutshell:
"I'm looking for 100+ stories!
If you're reading this- Please feel free sending me your stories in responding to the question:
"What's, Your, Story?"
and "I'm looking for hosts who'd be up for hosting someone travelling across the country asking people: "What's Your Story?" for 2 nights and 3 days, once this pandemic is over- everywhere across the Americas =D!

-Storytelling Salem

ABOUT ME
Born in Morocco,
Learned my English in Dubai (Before it was DUBAI!!!)
Lived for 20 years in America (MA, OH, TN, & CA)
Went to BGSU down in OH for Uni.
Triple majored in Philosophy (with a concentration in Epistemology), Poli Sci (with a concentration on international relations), and Listening (it was a unique major in my Uni that I fell in love with and now use as a way to travel across the land and write books about what I see and hear. I'm hoping to pick up quite a many stories during this Trump Era- feel free sharing your thoughts on Trump!)

PHILOSOPHY

We are the Stories-
That we tell ourselves.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I've used uber and lyft to travel across America; while using couchsurfing and Airbnb to find my locations of stay. Couchsurfing has always been phenomenal to me the times i've experienced it; and now i'm looking for couchsurfing hosts for my 6th tour across America once this pandemic is over.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

ITS BEEN INCREDIBLE! I signed up the first day of my travels when my plans have failed and the people I've met so far have been nothing but great.
Locations I've been to so far in this order:

Portland, ME -> Burlington, VT, -> Montreal, QC, -> Syracuse, NY, -> Erie, PA, -> Bowling Green (BG), OH, -> Columbus, OH, -> BG, KY, -> Nashville, TN -> BG, OH, -> Huntington, WV, -> Charlottesville, VA, -> Washington, DC, -> Wilmington, NC, -> Greenville, NC -> Myrtle Beach, SC, -> Savannah, GA, -> Athens, GA, -> Bowling Green, OH, -> Merrimac, MA, -> Bowling Green, OH, -> Bellefontaine, OH, -> Chillicothe, IL, -> Chicago, IL, -> Milwaukee, WI, -> Madison, WI, -> Minneapolis/ St. Paul, MN, -> Des Moines, IO, -> Ozark, AR, -> Lincolkn, NE, -> Omaha, NE, -> Bellevue, NE, -> Bowling Green, OH, -> Lakeview, CO, -> South Park, CO, -> Boulder, CO, -> Santa Fe, NM, -> Salt Lake City, UT, -> Rainbow Nationals in Unita National Forest Park in Utah, Las Vegas, NV, -> Tempe, AZ, -> Los Angeles, CA, -> Manhattan Beach, CA, -> Venice Beach, CA, -> San Fran, CA, -> Humboldt County, CA, -> Eugene, OR, -> Portland, OR, -> Salem, OR, -> Olympia, WA, -> Seattle, WA, -> Lolo Hot Springs, MT, -> Chicago, IL, -> Bowling Green, OH, -> Merrimac, MA, -> Boston, MA , -> Bowling Green, OH , And that's just to name a few. So far since March 2014, ive stayed in up to 647 different cities across America now.

Interests

Storytelling, philosophizing and quote collecting.

• arts
• books
• festivals
• traveling
• music
• camping
• storytelling

Music, Movies, and Books

Books: Ishmael, and The Story of B (Both by Daniel Quinn).

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I've travelled across America 5 times so far (planning my sixth tour once COVID19 ends hopefully this year).
and I've written 5 books (presently on my sixth book) so far.

Teach, Learn, Share

What color is a mirror?

Hypothetically speaking,
Upon your travels,
You meet someone with a whiteboard (and an extra chair) asking the individual strangers walking by him in this lifetime:
"What's, Your, Story?"
Would you stop?
Would you share?
If time did not exist for a while-
What would you share to the question:
"What's, Yoooooouuuuuuurrrrr, Stoooooooryyyyyyyyyy?"

What I Can Share with Hosts

Stories from across the nation and one day globe; and an ear to hear n read stories.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Morocco, United Arab Emirates, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Morocco, United Arab Emirates, United States