CURRENT MISSION

To travel in a big loop through Canada and the United States, to explore the beauty both countries have to offer, meet interesting people and have the experience of being on my own and living as a vagabond for a while.

ABOUT ME

I used to be a software developer until I decided I couldn't do it anymore and quit to pursue more soul-fulfilling work. I recently completed 3 years of study at Wilderness Awareness School in Duvall WA, attending Anake Outdoor School and 2 years of apprenticeship. I taught 3 summers of day camps during that time, and now that I have no obligations I'm going on an extended road trip, returning to Seattle late January or February.

PHILOSOPHY

Life is all about enjoying the time you have and learning as much as possible. I believe in following one's own path, not trying to do what you're "supposed" to do. There are too many people who are unhappy because they live life the way others want them to. I want to travel the world and have no intention of settling down.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

When I lived in NYC, I was involved socially in New York City Couchsurfing, and helped show visitors around when the opportunity came along. In Seattle I was less active, and never in a living situation in which I could host. I believe that it should always be an experience that enriches both guest and host, and want more than simply crashing somewhere for free. I want to camp while the weather permits, and can generally afford a night at a hostel 1x or 2x a week.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Stayed with a few hosts during my cross country road trip. I look forward to using CS again on my long road trip.

Most of my CS experience has been activities in the cities I've been living in, in NYC and in Seattle.

Interests

Recently got into the primitive skills world, and exercising my creative side. Life drawing is also a recent new addition. I love getting outdoors when I can, especially in winter. I love snow and all activities it allows, like skiing and snowshoeing. I'm hoping that if I get back in time I can take backcountry classes for skiing. I may try to learn guitar again if I get my finger dexterity back - consequence of inadequate gloves when winter camping.

I trained in karate for 2 solid years and then a year of occasional training off and on, then discovered it just wasn't for me. But parts of it like Kata still inspire me.

I constantly reinvent myself so I haven't found something that I have done consistently enough to master. I thrive on change.

• beauty
• cooking
• fitness
• exercise
• traveling
• drawing
• survival
• guitar
• outdoor activities
• camping
• skiing
• snowshoeing
• software
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

I like most music, and I try not to limit myself. Right now I've been paying more attention to classical - Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, Verdi, the usual bunch. I like a lot of 70s and 80s rock, and some modern stuff. My classic rock education started with Pink Floyd and progressed from there. Also into bluegrass/traditional American.

For books, Science fiction is one of my favorites. I used to like Orson Scott Card until he went all right-wingut insane. The old classics like Charles Dickens are always good - in the middle of "The Idiot" by Dostoyevsky. Russian literature can be depressing but deep. For lighter reading, I love Carl Hiaasen books.

For movies, don't get me started here :)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Honestly, I can't really share my best stories since they have to do with the Wilderness School and wouldn't want to spoil any experiences for people who might do it in the future. Let's just say that the last 3 years of my life have been full of powerful rich experiences and anyone of any age and reasonable fitness who enjoys being outside or wants to learn to be should come here, even for a weekend class.

Driving from Denver to Moab, going from high alpine to plains to desert, and arriving in Utah during a dust storm. Seeing the rock features appear from inside the clouds of dust is one of the most beautiful and otherworldly things I've seen.

Winter camping, and waking up to the beauty and quiet of winter in the mountains.

Teach, Learn, Share

Some primitive skills like firemaking, wilderness survival and routines of connecting to nature in a deeper way.

What I Can Share with Hosts

First off, more than happy to buy a meal or cook one :)

If you live near a piece of nature, even a small one I can help with naturalist studies or teach core routines of nature connection.

If I'm allowed to keep my materials when crossing the border I can show you pine needle baskets.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

Italy, United States

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