CURRENT MISSION

To live my life as a modern day gypsy.

ABOUT ME

I crawled out of the big apple (NYC), did a bunch of stuff in between, and now I am inside a turkey (the country). I stumbled (Istanbul) as I saw it being a great place.

8 months in Australia, 1 year in Holland, 3 months in Iceland, 2 years and counting in Turkey, I think I've learned to be more than just American... and I'm still learning in Turkey.

I enjoy living like a modern day gypsy.
http://shortygeorge.com/blog/?page_id=92

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I met a traveling Couch Surfing Estonian who left his home with a guitar and some coins. He busked for food money and occasionally slept under bridges when he had no place to stay.

Busking, traveling, and dancing with a gypsy jazz band (Cangelosi Cards) around Europe was a real rewarding experience for me. It's not just about travel sometimes, but how and who you travel with. I'm the male dancer in the straw hat in the video (back then I had short hair).

Interests

I have high standards for simple pleasures.

SWING DANCING
My interest for Lindy Hop swing dancing and old time jazz music is my life passion. I'm also learning the trumpet and guitar. "I wish to linger way down on Dixie way." -Spencer Williams (song: Tishomingo Blues)

TEACHING DANCE
As an international dance instructor (Holland, Iceland, Turkey), I teach beginners to stop saying "I'm a beginner" to their dance partners and show them how to have fun with what they learned.

VINTAGE / RETRO CLOTHES
I like being in the 1920s, dressing in suits, vintage clothing, shoes, ties, belts. Style and fun should go together, suits, ties, vests included. Suits with crazy linings, textures, and patterns just add more character. I love tasteful ties with crazy designs on them.

SWING & BLUES DJ
Deejaying "swing jazz" and Blues music all over the world one of my favorite hobb-cupations. Supporting and buying music of local musicians doing what they love is also my thing.

LIGHT COOKING
I experiment with making all sorts of fruit smoothies (with green tea too). I want to learn to make banana bread. I make my version of a Turkish egg dish called Meneman.

AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY
Photography for me is about capturing a feeling, thought or story in one still, whether its to focus deeply on one thought or represent a composition of elements.

MUSIC
Took up the trumpet, but haven't played for a while. So now, I'm singing and playing guitar - gypsy jazz tunes.

• singing
• photography
• dancing
• swing dancing
• dining
• cooking
• instructor
• clothing
• traveling
• blogging
• music
• jazz
• guitar
• trumpet
• blues
• surfing

Music, Movies, and Books

SWING ERA JAZZ (1920s-1940s -ish)
These musicians that can make a difference in your day - inspiration from Louie Armstrong and Bix Beiderbecke, creativity from Duke Ellington, blue notes from Sidney Bechet, and killer rhythm from Django Reinhardt. Just listen to the subtle emotions that come out of the trumpet and clarinet in this song below. Just looking at the vinyl record shows so much character to that time period. Rose Room.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nNSLk2WzJ0

DEPECHE MODE
Imagine a brother 12 years older than you, playing Depeche Mode all the time and making mixed tapes together. Don't forget to imagine brothers singing. My memories are priceless. Strange love.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rli7Lox113g

DAVE MATTHEWS BAND
Dave is lovably quirky. To quote him and relate it to the direction of my life, "Take these chances. place them in a box until a quieter time." Ants Marching (with some funky footwork from Dave).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXPOHCsgWFw

JOHN MAYER
I saw the opportunity to dare to leave my NYC home, the home that has everything. So many questions went through my head, about why and where I would end up next. My first living abroad experience took me to Australia on the other side of the planet. Why Georgia Why.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs8dsERsal8

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I traveled for 11 weeks, dancing with a 9-piece Gypsy Folk Jazz Band from New York City. They were touring Europe, playing on the streets and I was the dancer that attracted the attention.

I backpacked in China for 1 month and although I'm Chinese-American, all the locals thought I was Japanese (this mistake shouldn't happen normally).

Countries I’ve Visited

China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, India, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Iceland, Netherlands, Turkey, United States

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