I'm a talkative guy from western Canada. Even though I was born and raised there, I have a strong connection to Europe and the Balkans in particular because my parents immigrated from Bulgaria, and that's where I spent my summers growing up. I'd say I'm a healthy blend of both cultures!

I'm currently on exchange at EPFL in Switzerland from my home university UBC in Vancouver. My major is in chemical engineering!

To me, there are few better ways to pass the time, then a good conversation over food, beer, weed, or a cigarette. I've wasted too many hours talking when I should've been sleeping or studying . Culture, history, philosophy, music, and life in general are some of my fav subjects.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I love learning and exploring different cultures. It's amazing to me how different we can seem from one another depending on where we grew up, but how many commonalities there hidden under the surface. Travelling to me is a way to broaden your perspectives on life and understanding of the human experience and help appreciate things in new ways.

Too many of my friends have traveled around staying at hostels and sticking to their own groups without interacting with the local people. I think that's a damn shame and I don't intend to do the same!

Interests

• beer
• politics
• reading
• music
• skiing
• languages
• long conversations

Music, Movies, and Books

Music:
-Prog rock (King Crimson, Yes, Pink Floyd, ELP, Gong, Camel, Genesis)
-Rock (Deep Purple (Mk. II :D), Led Zeppelin, Uriah Heep)
-Other (Gorillaz, Aesop Rock, 10 youtube hour loops of Peruvian Pan Flute Music)

Movies:
LotR, Children of Men, Looper, THE DUDE, anything with the big ol' Austrian meat tank: Arnold Schwarzenegger

Books:
-Tolkein (LotR, Hobbit)
-Sci-Fi (Asimov, Lanier, Clarke, Heinlein, Brothers Strugatsky)
-Jared Diamond
-Dostoyevsky

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Delivered a speech to over 2000 people

Teach, Learn, Share

Little tidbits of wisdom like:
Mongol General: "Wrong! Conan! What is best in life?"
Conan: "Crush your enemies. See them driven before you. Hear the lamentations of their women."

What I Can Share with Hosts

Bulgarian recipes and swears
Ability to laugh about anything
The heart of your enemies

Countries I’ve Visited

Bulgaria, Cuba, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Netherlands, Spain, Thailand, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, France, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom