ABOUT ME
I am a physicist currently working on my PhD at Caltech focused on earthquake physics and natural hazards. I grew up in the United States and previously lived in Switzerland and Singapore. I love adventure but am also glad to just sit around enjoying a cup/glass of coffee/wine/whiskey and chatting about life.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE
Just a simple physicist trying to see the world and meet people. I'm generally pretty independent and like wandering around but I also find it enjoyable to encounter and learn from new people along the way.

I find it interesting to meet people and hear their stories, seeing the differences and similarities from various walks of life. People pass in and out of life so it is cool to learn from them as they pass through and it can be even better if you make lasting connections.

I have both surfed and hosted a bit over the past few years. So far I've had pretty amazing experiences and met some spectacular people, so I'm looking forward to see what else lies ahead.

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I myself am a backpacker and when I travel I primarily like to wander and see the cities and landscape outside of just the main tourist sights. People have different preferences though so no judgement on my part. Along these lines though, I like CS as a way to meet new people, share experiences and learn more about where I am traveling and the people who live there. As a host I enjoy meeting people who also have interests in really gathering new experiences/perspectives from their travels. I see CS more as an opportunity to make connections as if you already had a friend in the area to stay with. In this sense I don't really see my place as a free hostel but rather hope to have some interaction with my guests.

At the same time I do look at CS as a way for travellers to help other travellers and to open more doors for making seeing the world accessible and affordable. In this sense, sometimes people just need a place to crash and I am totally willing to help out when possible. Please feel free to be upfront about this in your requests.

I also might not be able to really show you around myself but am happy to if I have time. Worst case, I can try to provide suggestions for things to do and maybe we can hangout when I am done with work.
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Interests

Learn something new, particularly new languages.

I enjoy hiking, running, swimming, kayaking, snowboarding, sailing, scuba, sky diving ... pretty much open to most outdoors activities (though I am terrible at any sport using a ball).

I also appreciate the arts - sketching, painting and going to the theatre, cinema, opera, etc.

• arts
• sketching
• wine
• coffee
• running
• movies
• traveling
• socializing
• painting
• opera
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• backpacking
• kayaking
• scuba diving
• sailing
• snowboarding
• swimming
• languages
• physics
• science

Music, Movies, and Books

Stromae, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Imagine Dragons, Swedish House Mafia, Queen, Led Zeppelin, Beatles, Foo Fighters, etc. - nothing consistent and always looking forward to suggestions

I particularly am always looking for suggestions for movies, music, books in other languages to practice.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

My favorite dive trip was in Komodo National Park in Indonesia where crazy currents are created as the Pacific Ocean pours into the Indian Ocean. This region is super dangerous but also amazing in terms of the biodiversity and the big creatures you can see (sharks, Manta rays, Komodo dragons on land, etc.). Definitely recommend for any divers comfortable with strong currents and forming human chains in current channels.

Teach, Learn, Share

I like to collect opinions and perspectives. I'd love to hear your stories and views on life and am open to discussing pretty much anything. I can't think of anything particular special that I can teach but maybe it'll present itself mid-discussion. I am a science nerd so I'm totally open for a major sciencefest, though it's also cool to avoid those topics too :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, Peru, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Singapore, Switzerland, United States