CURRENT MISSION

Gain perspective, gather stories, make memories, meet interesting people, run as many miles as I can, and bring my community together in restorative, meaningful ways.

ABOUT ME

I graduated from undergrad in the spring of 2013 with degrees in Spanish and the Humanities (Classics and Medieval Studies). In December 2018 I completed my master's degree in Education. I love coffee, craft beer, walking long distances, and genuine human interaction.

I have really lofty ambitions, big ideas, and deep family roots in Appalachia. I am currently teaching Spanish and coaching baseball in NE Tennessee. Along with my students I organize a large community street festival that celebrates Latin American and Appalachian cultures alongside each other in the public square of Cumberland Gap, TN. This will be our 3rd annual event and it is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever.

PHILOSOPHY

One ought to love: love one's self, love others, and love the earth - remembering that respect is an inherent component of love. Relationships are the most important things we have in life, and building healthy ones is a worthwhile mission.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've been hosted a handful of times in Ecuador, the U.S. and in the U.K. I've had a wonderful time, and the one "bad" experience (that was just weird, not even bad) was memorable and a great story to have now that I look back. I love the entire project and its authenticity.

Interests

Fly fishing, trekking, canoeing, sailing, teaching, cooking, guitar, singing, reading, languages, travel, golf, volunteering, and spending quality time with people.

I thrive on narratives - I guess I could say that I collect stories... thankfully my travels and outgoing personality help me find more and more. I love helping people and getting to know them on a genuine level.

• fish
• humanities
• poetry
• singing
• education
• dining
• cooking
• beer
• coffee
• yoga
• running
• walking
• flying
• flowers
• reading
• traveling
• guitar
• fishing
• canoeing
• camping
• sailing
• tennis
• golf
• teaching
• languages
• tourism
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

LITERATURE
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Allen Ginsberg
Patti Smith
Kafka
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Travels with Charlie
Walt Whitman's
Pablo Neruda
Rimbaud
James Baldwin
Edouard Louis
Andrea Gibson
Max Ehrmann

MUSIC
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STS9
Amos Lee
Lester Young
Thelonius Monk
Charlie Parker
Sarah Vaughn
Trampled by Turtles
Fleet Foxes
Father John Misty
Field Report
Benjamin Clementine
Rainbow Kitten Surprise
Bon Iver
Chance the Rapper
Esteman
Flume
Glass Animals
The EAgles
Natalia Lafourcade
Hozier
James Taylor
John Prine
Kaleo
Troye Sivan
Magic City Hippies
Milo
Sylvan Esso
Sam Smith
Shovels and Rope
The Tallest Man on Earth
Wild Child

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Camino de Santiago - Spain.

Free roaming the wild of Scotland for a month.

Four years of working at a summer camp in Norther WI, learning from amazing kids and even seeing the northern lights.

Studied in Santiago, Chile; Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Canoeing the Canadian Boundary Waters for a week.

Tour guide at an Eco-lodge in the Cloud Forest of Panama.

University English assistant and publication translator in Barranquilla Colombia.

Hiked 600 miles of Pacific Crest Trail from Canada to Oregon.

Fulbright-Hayes Recipient 2017, Ecuadorian and Peruvian Andes

Teach, Learn, Share

This is a cool section. I'm somewhat of a jack-of-all trades and master of none, which can be frustrating at times. I would love to learn anything - especially about sustainability - from people. As far as things I could share, I am passionate about yoga, fly fishing, camping, and languages. I would love to impart anything I could on someone willing to try.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I am a pretty good cook, if I say so myself. I also love to entertain people with food and stories. I speak Spanish and love to write poetry. I have hiked many long-distance trails over the past 5 years, and fly fishing is a favorite hobby of mine.

I am a considerate guest who cleans up after himself and loves to surprise with fresh flowers. I'll walk your doggos, clean your dishes, and make you biscuits and gravy for breakfast. I love feeding people.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, Germany, Morocco, Panama, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Colombia, Panama, United States