I'm a doctoral student in comparative literature at New York University, working on the literature of the Americas. I believe the two greatest virtues are compassion and curiosity; both require us to take account of the world outside of ourselves. Coming from a large family, travelling as much as I can, and living for the last several years in New York with numerous roommates, I've tried to cultivate these virtues. I love hearing people's stories, reading, traveling, hiking, learning new things along the way. I'm passionate about food, politics, and art.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I see Couchsurfing as a more meaningful way to travel than simply booking a hotel and taking pictures of ruins-- though I do love ruins. I look forward to hosting, once I have the space to do it.

Interests

Literature, politics, urban design, history, and food: I'm a culinary tourist.

• arts
• literature
• design
• dining
• politics
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• hiking
• history

Music, Movies, and Books

Nina Simone, Andrew Bird, Vampire Weekend, Van Morrison, Amália Rodrigues, Mercedes Sosa, Neko Case, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Neil Young, Nick Drake, Sharon Van Etten, Radiohead, The Smiths, Chavela Vargas, Led Zeppelin, Buika, Guy Clark, The Decemberists, The National, Sufjan Stevens, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

The Mirror, Ikiru, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Talk to Her, The Passion of Joan of Arc, His Girl Friday, Touch of Evil, Vertigo, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Pianist, No Country for Old Men, Waltz with Bashir, The Fog of War, Harlan County U.S.A., The Seventh Seal, The Night of the Hunter, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, Manhattan, In the Mood for Love, The Thin Red Line, History of the World: Part I, Kwaidan.

The Iliad, El Aleph, Mody Dick, Odessa Tales, Middlemarch, Pedro Paramo, The Book of Disquiet, Bodas de sangre, Pale Fire, Laços de Família, Los Heraldos Negros, Todos los fuegos el fuego, Wuthering Heights, Locos: A Comedy of Gestures.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I swam between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates at Silfra, Iceland.

Teach, Learn, Share

Meeting people and sharing food are the best ways to travel.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Croatia, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Malaysia, Morocco, Namibia, Romania, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Argentina, China, Czech Republic, Singapore, United States