CURRENT MISSION

To learn new things, to meet new people, and to have a fun time doing it!!!

ABOUT ME

Emma: I was born and raised in the beautiful city of San Francisco. Growing up in such a diverse and vibrant place is something I'll always be thankful for- in that city alone I have met such a cool range of people and had some very awesome experiences (which is probably why I was so inclined to study sociology.) Throughout high school and college I've been involved with different volunteer work, mostly in Latin America. I love and appreciate all types of art, especially music. I sing and play the clarinet. Unless it's raining or unbearably hot, 99% of the time I'd rather be outdoors rather than inside. One of my favorite things to do is get to know people. And I love to swim.

Ben: I have lived in the New York City area my entire life but spent a good amount of my childhood in England visiting the family I have there. While growing up i pursued athletic and musical interests. primarily I enjoy Ultimate Frisbee and Soccer, but I will play anything. As for music, I play the trumpet and the didgeridoo - two very fun instruments to play.During the down time a good book never huts. I tend to stick with non-fiction categories such as science, history, or philosophy (if you consider that non fiction). Since I was very little i have gone camping and hiking regularly - particularly mountain climbing. Above all else I like to explore and see new places and do new things. There is very little that does not interest me, or at the very least, very little I am not willing to try.

PHILOSOPHY

Ben: Good decisions allow us to live happy, but the better decisions allow us to die happy.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Both of us are new to the CS community and are very excited to be a part of it. Till this point our participation has included only talking to people about the project.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Emma: Very limited- other than sleeping on friends' couches for a night or two at a time, I hosted a friend who I met on a caravan bringing aid to Cuba for a month in San Francisco.

Ben: I have no experience with the actual CouchSurfing program, and I am very exited to be participating. I have participated in two home-stay exchange programs to Germany when I was in high school. Those trips are some of the most cherished memories I have, and were some of the most fun out of anything I have ever done.

Interests

Emma: music, theater, movies, politics, activism, cities, "outdoors," people, cultures, food.

Ben: music, economics,a good afternoon nap, Frisbee, exploring, mountain climbing,

• arts
• books
• singing
• theater
• dining
• cooking
• politics
• movies
• volunteer work
• music
• trumpet
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• camping
• rock climbing
• soccer
• swimming
• economics
• history
• science
• sociology
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

Ben:
Music - Pink Floyd, Infected Mushroom, Shpongle, Led Zeppelin, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Franz Liszt, Igor Stravinsky, and many more.
Books - Mostly non fiction. I read a lot of physics and philosophy books.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Ben: The most fantastic thing I ever saw was the sun setting behind a snow covered mountain range from the top of the mountain I had just climbed.

Teach, Learn, Share

Ben:
Teach: I have been playing ultimate Frisbee for several years and introducing new people to the game is fun. Even if it inst in a competitive way, throwing a Frisbee around is always a good time. I also play the didgeridoo which is a fantastic instrument. It is very different than many others because although it is a wind instrument it is played with rhythms only, since each didgeridoo is only tuned to one pitch.
Learn: I love learning new music and new cooking styles. Music is one of, if not, the best way to bring people together. Music is fun, it is active, anyone and everyone can be involved. Cooking and cuisines from around the world vary so much, even between two nearby cities.
Share: apart from exploring a favourite activity of mine is to sit down and have a good conversation with people about anything and everything: especially things I do not know much about - as a way to learn more.

Countries I’ve Visited

Cuba, El Salvador, Germany, Honduras, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Spain, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Spain, United States