CURRENT MISSION

Travel the world through connections with people

ABOUT ME

I am a 26 year old graduate from Northwestern University. I spent my youth in Southern California, and grew up with a love for travel. Nothing brings me more contentment than interacting with new people, but I also don't mind being alone, especially if I have a book (and a beer). I love good coffee and quality beer and wine, especially when paired with a movie or conversation. I've loved wilderness backpacking my whole life, but am accepting that I'm reliant on cities. I'm now been in London for three yearsworking on my doctorate degree, and although I unfortunately don't have enough space to host others, I am excited to be able to further explore Europe.

PHILOSOPHY

As much excitement as I feel in a new environment, I am more moved by connecting with new people, for the memories of emotions shared last much longer than those physical places. We are all portions of time.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

To find places to stay to see new cities while meeting wonderful people. When I have a more permanent location, I would love to open my home up to others and share my current city.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Even with my few experiences surfing, I have already met lasting friends who opened up new cities for me. Couchsurfing is beautiful because it opens up routes of travel you normally wouldn't follow.

Interests

Lifelong photographer, wilderness backpacking, cycling (fixed gear), vegetarian cooking and baking, surfing and snowboarding, reading and writing, volunteer work.

• writing
• books
• environment
• cooking
• wine
• beer
• coffee
• baking
• vegetarian
• vegan
• reading
• traveling
• volunteer work
• cycling
• backpacking
• kayaking
• windsurfing
• surfing
• snowboarding
• swimming
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

Books: Drawn to character driven narratives, as well as poetry and theory. Tolstoy is a longtime favorite, as is Faulkner Proust Kerouac and Beckett. I also have been drawn to Marquez and Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk recently for their storytelling mastery. Theoretical writers Derrida, Benjamin and Barthes have been especially influential for me.
Music: although my music tastes are hugely diverse, I am particularly fond of instrumental post rock, ambient/drone minimalist, Kraut rock and math rock.
Film: My interest in film is similar to that of literature, and I consider film on the same theoretical plane. I love Godard, Chris Marker, Sam Eisenberg, Hitchcock, and more recently the Coen brothers. Wes Anderson, Michel Gondry and Jarmusch for their unprecedented visual style. And Varda's Les glaneurs et la glaneuse is perhaps the most tender film I've seen.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

One of my most lucid and profound memories is swimming in the Mediterranean by Venice at 2am when a firework show began across the bay. I have also done a bunch of extended wilderness trips, and spent two summers on organic farms in California, and a summer restoring a castle in France. Windsurfing in Hawaii and white-water kayaking in Oregon will also always stay with me.

Teach, Learn, Share

I would love to share the knowledge about organic, sustainable farming I have been fortunate enough to obtain, as well as vegan cooking and baking techniques I've developed through trial and error. I also always love to discuss film and literary theory.
I am constantly humbled and amazed by what others know and am looking forward to anything they can teach me.
I also get way too fucking excited about making specialty coffee for people.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I've always learned the most about the world from the experience of people around me, and would love to pass a small part of that on to others. Nothing resonates more with me than cooking for/with others, but am grateful whenever I get to share experience with other people.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, United Kingdom, United States