CURRENT MISSION

Finally branching out from Italy and growing my country count on a two-month expedition to Europe.

OK, one month will still be Italy. I'm working on this.

ABOUT ME

I think that I am far more interesting conceptually than in words, but I'll try to sum it up. I find the most difficult decisions about traveling abroad involve which books to bring, and whether bringing my guitar is a wise choice. I plan extensively for trips and proceed to ignore most of my notes. I prefer exploring without a goal. Given the choice between a landmark tourist destination and an amazing meal, I will always choose the meal. I tend to be reserved, but can carry on conversations with those more social than I. I am generally proud of my intellect and humor. I strive not to be a tourist, though I am not above bringing a camera along. I want to learn.

PHILOSOPHY

I believe in education: independent, worldly education as well as "book-smarts" and university education. I believe in personal experience. I believe in a life which puts aside artificially constructed limits. I am not the number-one adventurer in the world or anything, but I thrive on being able to choose when to try something new. I believe it is better to try something new and hate it than only do what you're familiar with. I believe we, as people, should be inventing ourselves as authentically as we can. That partly requires education, but also experience and autonomy. I believe we cannot understand ourselves as individuals without having at least some understanding and empathy for others.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

My home living situation is not currently conducive to supporting guests, especially anonymous ones, but I am always happy to show people around places I know and love, when time and funds allow.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have been a long-time proponent of meeting friends from far off places, and have been a couch-crasher of this nature since 16. I was able to save a considerable amount of money on a trip to the west coast of America through these means, meeting people at each stop and getting a local taste of the area, instead of simply relying on the tourist staples. As I have said above, I do not normally have the ability to host myself, but did play host to a new friend from New Zealand a few years back.

On this site, I have shared meals and moments and conversations and experiences. Local eateries I would never find myself, and authentic Italian dives? Check! Italian Metallica cover bands? I'm in! Driving into the countryside to stargaze? Probably not my wisest choice, but magical! I prefer to have some time to explore a city on my own alongside time to explore and get to know my hosts, but I'm usually game, and I'm always looking to experience more!

Interests

I love music and literature, my first loves in that order. To some degree, I love all creative endeavors, given that there is true creativity involved, but give me a great book or an amazing album and I'm happiest. I dabble in creation of both, as well, though I am no pro. I love exploring new foods and food cultures. I can cook a bit, but I'm more interested in how others express themselves in the food. Obviously I love travel, and finding the interesting secrets a city has to offer. I tend to be quite interested in open adventures, so if I can spend time doing something I don't do regularly, I consider it a day well spent.

• books
• literature
• education
• dining
• cooking
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• guitar
• adventure races
• teaching

Music, Movies, and Books

I don't love many feature films. Smart comedy and thoughtful drama are the best bets.

I have a fondness for something in every genre musically, but rock and roll is my favorite. My favorite band is Pearl Jam, and still hold a fondness for the bands of their era, but recently I am falling in love with artists like Andrew Bird and St. Vincent.

Kurt Vonnegut is probably still my preferred author, with "Cat's Cradle" being my favorite work of his. I also loved Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises," Adams' "Hitchhiker's Guide" series, and Garcia-Marquez's "100 Years of Solitude," all for quite different reasons. There is a soft spot in my heart for Italian literature, especially by Calvino and Pirandello.

In general, for any category, I am unlikely to be interested in "fluff," and approach most popular content with a critical eye, but I am not contrary simply for the sake of being so.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

The most exciting thing on the agenda is finally getting to see Il Palio in Siena (this summer!), but of the things I've accomplished already, I'd say the most interesting story I've got is when I managed to almost die at La Rocca in Assisi.

Teach, Learn, Share

As someone who is working on becoming bilingual, I can offer some practice to Italians hoping to keep on top of their English, or English speakers needing to practice Italian (this latter will be equally beneficial to myself). I will also probably be traveling with some part of my extensive musical collection, and will be happy to share artists who may be new-to-you. I am always willing to join musicians who might want an eager, if not perfect, accompanist, cooks who want a novice sous chef, and trading some knowledge on either end. And if you think I can answer some questions or anything, feel free to ask, as perhaps I can.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Italy, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Italy, United States