[updated: 4.8.2019]

"It takes half your life before you discover life is a do-it-yourself project." -- Napoleon Hill

#No one should spend precious years working at a job they dislike or worrying about how to make ends meet. #

$Perhaps the biggest surprise: You need less money to “retire” at age 30 than you do at age 65.$

I am Cornelius, originate from Indonesia, grew up and at the moment work and live mostly in Surabaya.

TL;DR: solo backpacker. freelancer. independent. altruism. old fashioned (read: reason. fact. logic)

academic background: engineering in mining and sustainable energy.

What do I do?

for living: translation. trading. investing. starting up. marketing.

pro bono: consultancies in personal financial planning, business, and engineering.

for passion: almost all of my project activities. the only thing that doesn't make me passionate about it is if it has a deadline. period.

my main current focused areas: consultant and contractor for biogas reactor from farming waste into organic fertilizer. circular economy. capacity building for rural areas. solar panel technology. "food" alternatives. sustainable energy and ecosystem. urban farming.

what I keen to learn more: waste and water management. health. sanitation. education. climate change. economic. human behavior towards consumption. productivity and efficiency. natural resources management. agriculture.

what I think I would learn more when I get retired: history. culture. classical economics.

my goals: build an ecosystem that can sustain itself in term of energy, food supply, and clean water. it doesn't matter where it locates. fun and learning aspects will be involved in the way I build it. I think to finish this project before I turn 50 is quite realistic. the challenges will be commitment and dedication. no shortcuts. the keys are integration and sustainability. it has always been like that in the past, right?

PS: Last time I verified my address when I was still studying in Aachen, Germany. Just saying.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I like to travel in a sustainable way and to meet people and locals in the place I visit.

And for my guest, as long as I am available, I am able to give you free tours and guide in the city I live now Surabaya.

Interests

Having a discussion about some ironies that happens in this lovely country, Indonesia, particularly about
- the environment
- the role of sustainable and fossil energy
- the social politic
- the domestic economic
- the shortcomings, like disasters, the lack of education,
- the lacks of consistencies, control, and law
- the human relationship

I will be mostly enjoying discussion and argumentation about a.m. topics. Plus, I enjoy sarcasm, but not intentionally want to hurt anyone.

• culture
• documentaries
• diy
• technology
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• investing
• music
• sports
• history
• nature
• learning languages
• people
• hydroponics
• exotic food
• aquaponics

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: The Shawshank Redemption, Forrest Gump, Das Leben des Brian...
I mostly enjoy based on true story movies and documentaries, still, I do enjoy comedies, sitcom, and adventurous movies at the same time. I am also down for things like Marvels, DC, Transformers etc. that involve hi-tech CGI. I just love to watch it.

Books: So Good They Can't Ignore You... mostly stuff about productivity and technology development.

Music: Mostly pop music (include dangdut), casual, dance, jazz, and sometimes soft prog metal.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Nothing really special. The moment between walking a long way during hitchhiking and the moment somebody offered me a ride. I had the money and it could buy the shortcut, but not the effort and the experience. Just hard to explain.

On one occasion in Frankfurt, someone offered to host me in Berlin, when I still need to find a host in Berlin two days after that moment. Quite surprising and I like the positive randomness factor in it.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you:

- how to cook simple fast healthy cheap and tasty meal

- how to create a website using Wordpress

- Bahasa Indonesia, Deutsch, and English

In general, I will be glad to share how I live my life in the way, that is enjoyable, but still being productive and still able to maintain my lifestyle financially. It is not easy and has a steep learning curve, but it is worth it. And I am still progressing as well.

What I Can Share with Hosts

For sleeping: decent air mattress, pillow, and blanket on two square meter space

For live and life: dinner, time, attention, stories... other than that, just let me know ;)

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Vatican City State, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Taiwan