I just got home from living two years in Bethlehem, Palestine, where I was doing an M.A. in Peace Studies and building a social enterprise. Now I'm married and taking a brief hiatus from couchsurfing.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

People who would not normally hang out with each other are brought together because of their basic human needs: food and shelter. And when basic needs are generously provided we experience true, heartfelt, human interaction.

Interests

I want to search for the marrow of life. Seek its meaning and purpose. Whether through deep conversations over a pint of craft beer, diving into a good introspective book, immersing myself in the beauty of nature and art, or giving my time and money to help oppressed and marginalized people of the world.

• arts
• books
• beauty
• dining
• beer
• news
• reading
• soccer
• olympics
• business

Music, Movies, and Books

3 favourite films: Little Miss Sunshine, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Sunshine.

3 favourite directors: Wes Anderson, Danny Boyle, and the Coen Brothers.

3 favourite books: The complete poems of Robert W. Service, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, and the book of Matthew in the Bible.

3 favourite material objects: my pillow, my ukulele, and my tobacco pipe.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I got 750,000 views on a news story Al Jazeera + posted about my business.

Other things include:

Sailed through a pod of whales off the coast of Vancouver, BC.
Hiked up to Machu Picchu and basked in the glory of the Andes.
Watched an A-league soccer match in Santa Fe, Argentina amidst violent cackling fans.
Camped in the middle of Jasper National Park.
Swam in the Blue Lagoon hot spring in Iceland.
Watched a sunset from St. Benedict's monastery on the hill of Monte Cassino, Italy.
Spent hours staring at Goya paintings in the Prado Museum in Madrid.
Cheered for Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Snuck onto the roof of the Palais de Justice in Paris.
Dressed as Waldo in Manger Square, Bethlehem, while the Pope conducted mass.
Watched a lightning storm over Megedo in northern Israel.
Hitchhiked 5,500 kilometers across Canada in 8 days (with a $100 budget).

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach Ukulele (I bring it with me everywhere I go).

What I Can Share with Hosts

A small gift :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Cyprus, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Spain, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Argentina, Canada, Equatorial Guinea, France, Israel, Palestine

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