I am a structural engineer and a general contractor - I love creating/building stuff! I opened my own engineering business in 2015 and work for myself. I particularly enjoy meeting new people and enjoying good company. Most people tell me it's odd for an engineer to be as outgoing as I am, and I would say that's my favorite quality about myself. I like to scuba dive, I play guitar, I like to skydive, and I love to travel and eat food!

I don't smoke or drink, although I don't mind people that do - it doesn't bother me. I work out alot and try to stay in good shape because it makes me feel good, but I also like to party and let loose, stay up all night sometimes, and try to keep up with the fun of South Florida even though I'm sober.

Growing up in Destin, Florida it was a common occurrence to deal with tourists every day. I worked in a fishing marina for my teenage years, and then before I went to college I worked as a chef in a seafood restaurant. This is where I picked up my love of entertaining and food, as well as an appreciation for other travelers. I love seeing people enjoy themselves.

I love to laugh. I love to cook. I love to entertain people. This is me!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I am embarking on a one-year, around-the-world trip starting January 1, 2018. I have saved money for years, paid off my debts, and am excited and perhaps a bit intimidated at how I'm going to pull this off. It has been my dream for a long time but has always been hidden under a great deal of fears and doubt.

I am on Couchsurfing not only to expand my profile in the hopes of my future travels being easier and allowing me to meet more people, but also because I love to give back. My apartment is small and probably not the most private, but I love that I have an opportunity to help other travelers around my town. I would enjoy cooking for my guests, giving them advice on where to go, and just ensuring they have a good time while they're here.

Interests

• cooking
• traveling
• guitar
• scuba diving
• skydiving
• engineering
• food
• construction

Music, Movies, and Books

I love all types of music, so it's really difficult to pinpoint. I would throw in the following artists: Kid Cudi, Pretty Lights, Imagine Dragons, Dave Matthews, Jack Johnson, Daddy Yankee, Chromeo, country music too.... pretty much everything.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I helped to create and instruct a children's personal development course in 2014 that has grown from 5 people to almost 100 volunteers and students. The course is all about helping children see the impact their thoughts have on their own lives, how to empathize with others, and how to fully express themselves and is for 8-12 year olds. It's given me great joy to instruct them and see their awarenesses grow over time.

Teach, Learn, Share

I have been involved in personal development for many years. I'm fascinated by how we all 'work' inside. Since it's usually fairly easy to be happy, I like to study those times when we don't feel happy - and why. I have learned that there are typically four ways we all communicate when our needs are not met: power, attention, revenge, inadequacy.

To build self esteem for ourselves, it's about asking for what we want and what we don't want. If we as children were told no a lot and never had an opportunity to negotiate for something, it has a great effect on our self esteem. Sometimes we have difficulty asking for what we want because we let the other person's needs become more important, or we feel guilty if we say no, or we don't think we can get it since we didn't get it as a child.

We can heal these parts of us with focused intention and empowerment to commit to overturning the lies we either created or otherwise believed as children. We can completely change our reality by changing our thought processes.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I have been told I'm a wealth of energy and positivity in general, and when I am traveling it's even more apparent. I can share household chores, funny stories, my cooking abilities, and my ability to coach a person who enjoys another viewpoint on how their actions and thought processes have brought them to where they are today - and how to change these processes to get them where they want to go tomorrow. I also enjoy playing guitar and telling jokes so I could be some form of entertainment for most people I'm sure.

Countries I’ve Visited

Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin (French part), Turks and Caicos Islands

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States