CURRENT MISSION

To explore the hidden gems of North and South America. Short-term mission: Skydive!

ABOUT ME

I am a 🏳️‍🌈 wanderer by soul who loves going around places, experiencing cultures, cuisines, people and traditions. I try to travel somewhere at least once in 2-3 months or so, usually with no fixed plan or agenda. My camera is my only companion on most solo trips, so I am always on a lookout for a travel mate or meet other travelers. I love clicking pictures, people, emotions, expressions and food.

I am based in Austin, TX now, where I moved in 2018 after staying in Boston/Brooklyn for almost 3 years. I am a huge admirer of the New England/East Coast area and I love the culture, history and people of this side of the country.

PHILOSOPHY

I am usually a happy-go-lucky person who likes to enjoy life as it comes, not thinking too much about the future, live each moment so to say. Apart from traveling and clicking, I sometimes sketch, listen to music which soothes my ears, try a lot of good food, enjoy live-music, stand-up comedy, talk to people and explore cultures. Also, I am a technology enthusiast and a gadget freak. I am NOT much a party person and prefer gatherings to be intimate and relaxing. Though am always up for occasional drinking nights with people I care about, depends on the company/mood.

"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." So, be yourself!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Though I have been staying in home-stays and with local people while going around the Himalayas/India, am kinda a novice on CouchSurfing. I have hosted a few people as of now and also stayed with some amazing people during my travels in the US. The primary reason I look forward to couch-surfing is the fact that it lets you stay with a local, experience the place, exchange ideas, culture and food which no tours/hotels can ever provide.
Be it tasting the Balut/Bulalo in a village in Philippines or make paper boats during Loi Krathong in Bangkok or walking in the woods through the jungles of Himachal (India), a local experience is the most fascinating way to know a place and its culture.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Though I hosted few people when I lived in a shared house in Boston, however, now that I have my own place in Austin, I am hoping to host travelers more often. Regardless, I try to be available to meet up and show people around the city and its food scene if am free.

Interests

I enjoy photography, live music, stand-up comedy, food/cuisines, technology/gadgets, cultural-exchange, camping, history, art etc. I am into communities, off-beat trails and non-touristy ways to explore a country/city.

I am a big foodie and I love trying new cuisines and food, being an omnivore certainly helps here. Luckily, work has taken me around a lot and that has made me try a lot of cuisines and flavors. Can talk at length about my food adventures!

• dogs
• arts
• culture
• photography
• sketching
• lgbt rights
• animal welfare
• social action
• organic food
• watches
• music
• backpacking
• computer science
• history
• languages
• hitchhiking
• cultural immersion
• mountains
• urban exploration
• local food
• india
• game of thrones
• campfires
• islands
• local culture
• artificial intelligence
• sustainable living
• space exploration
• arts and crafts
• nature conservation

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Coldplay, Jason Mraz, The Fray, Taylor Swift, Celine Dion, Christina Perri, Ed Sheeran, Birdy, A.R. Rahman, Kishore Kumar, Sonu Nigam, Asha Bhosle and many more. I don't have any specific favorite genres, I listen to anything that soothes my ears, more into soulful and relaxing music.

TV: I have enjoyed and loved shows like Grey's Anatomy, Game of Thrones, Modern Family, Orange is the New Black, The Black Mirror, Friends, Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, Empire, The Voice, the MasterChef series etc.

Movies: I don't have a favorite genre as such. I mostly enjoy science fiction, thrillers, scary movies, light hearted romance and comedy. Many of my favorites are in different languages, would talk about them than type here, ask me!

Books: never been much into it as I never could gather the patience to sit through and read. Wouldn't mind starting though, if you have some good recommendations. Starting to read John Green lately.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Well, there are many experiences, so, I would rather keep this part for our conversations when we meet! :)

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you to cook some Indian dishes or we can cook together.
I can teach you 3 Indian languages: Bengali, Hindi and Odiya.
I can also teach you technology hacks and some geeky stuff if you are into technology, Artificial Intelligence or science.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I have lived and traveled across many counties in Asia and would love to share my stories (and lots of pictures, postcards!) about my travels, its people and the unique experiences I had.
If I am free, I can cook some authentic Indian dishes or introduce you to some independent Indian music (not the typical Bollywood) and cinema. Also, I can talk about the diversity, origin and evolution of languages and traditions in India and how faith, culture & belief-systems interplay in India/Asia etc. I can talk hours on technology, space science/physics, food, music, spices, cuisine, languages, culture, history and lesser-known facts about the countries and cultures I experienced.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Macao, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United States, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

India, Malaysia, Philippines, United States