Hi all!! I'm now 13 months into a trip through Europe, Central and SouthEast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific! I grew up in Maryland where my family and my "stuff" currently resides, but have been living in NYC for the last 11 years. Prior to that I was in Washington, DC for 6 years. I studied architecture in college and worked as an architect and urban designer for about 12 years before moving into developer-side project management. I like the work but traveling is my passion and I decided now is the time to take a nice long trip :)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm giving couchsurfing a try so I can learn more about the places I'm in. I love hearing about the local history, eating local foods, and just in general, understanding local culture.

Interests

• architecture
• photography
• sketching
• wine
• running
• eating out
• hiking
• scuba diving
• skiing
• sports
• beaches
• biking
• local food
• urban planning
• local history
• local culture
• urbanism
• drinking coffee
• local cuisine
• drinking beer

Music, Movies, and Books

I like all kinds of music but least favorites are EDM and country music. I am not a big reader... I prefer to look out the window when I'm transit or work on editing/culling photographs or working on my blog during those times. While traveling I don't have much down time. I'll sit still for an hour and then need to get out and explore! I have certainly seen my fair share of binge-worthy tv shows and like movies; both are great for a little break if I feel like a need a few hours to decompress.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I've done so many amazing things and hope to do more!! An amazing experience I had was shark cage diving in Cape Town. Exhilarating! More recently, I just completed the trek to Everest Base Camp. Very challenging but absolutely incredible :)

Teach, Learn, Share

I feel like there's so much I could put here... and aren't we teaching, learning, and sharing every day?? While I don't fluently speak another language, I would love to be able to master one someday. In the meantime, I'm happy to help those wanted to learn english slang, idioms, etc. Might sound kind of dumb but I think people appreciate it. Other than that, I read music, play an instrument, sing etc. Not a dancer, but happy to watch and learn. I'm not a master chef but like local cuisine and learning new recipes.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Well, I'm sure lots of things. I like understanding the history and current state of the countries/ cities I'm in. I think that engaging in good conversations and asking questions about everything around you is a way of sharing your perspective with hosts. Additionally, basic things - like cooking, organizing, architectural/design recommendations, and a knowledge of the real estate industry is maybe something people are interested in understanding more about.
Also - I've been to 85 countries (unfortunately I don't have the time to add them one by one right now on the list below - so ASK! I'll fill them in as I have time :))

Countries I’ve Lived In

Italy, United States