CURRENT MISSION
To see with openness, to approach with warmth -- and to have the agency and gumption to do so.

PHILOSOPHY
To each his own.
All experience is edifying.

ABOUT ME
I'm an artist, scientist, philosopher, human, citizen of the world. I'm an activist of my own definition. I'm rural-obsessed, and an urban spelunker. I try to see life from different perspectives and logics. I enjoy listening to people's un-sugarcoated life stories. I cherish long dinners. I think a lot about dynamics -- socio-political, cultural and mechanical. I love to learn new skills. And I hope you teach me one!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE
Living in Ecuador was a big ole unofficial couchsurfing experience. But officially speaking? Puerto Rico. Ireland. Nashville, USA. And the list will continue for as long as I'm alive.

HOSTING
I've hosted many wonderful couchsurfers in my hometown of Chicago. I live for being a tourist in my own city, so I'm constantly looking for hole-in-the-wall places, events, art happenings and foods.

Interests

Learning. Reading. Documentaries. Collective cooking. Shared dinners. Making cheese. How to: mechanics/processes. Human anatomy. Community radio. Audio equipment. Walkie talkies. Intimate settings. Dive bars. Being a 'regular' somewhere. Breweries. Frisbee picnics. Camping. Hiking. Rock climbing. Cross-country skiing. Mountain air. Bonfires. Lakes. Biking. Being anchored at sea. Marching bands. Failed cities.

• arts
• writing
• books
• photography
• documentaries
• concerts
• dancing
• cooking
• wine
• cheese
• beer
• running
• drinking
• boating
• reading
• pottery
• woodworking
• music
• country music
• cycling
• hiking
• canoeing
• camping
• surfing
• skiing
• swimming
• anatomy
• philosophy
• lakes
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Books:
ugh, so many... I'll sum this up some day.

Music:
80s synth, klezmer, cello, live orchestra, balkan brass, bulgarian folk, marching bands, opera, chavela vargas...

Films:
documentaries, docu-fictions, hybrid genres

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Ecuador and Peru: Living & teaching & making a documentary. Birthing a parasitic worm.

Ireland: Making goat cheese, making beer, searching for peat farms, riding a tandem bike over ribbon roads, tending to polytunnel crops, swimming with Dusty the wild dolphin, playing badminton and celebrating at the pub, spending creative time with a puppet-maker & his wonderful family

Alaska: Working summers on a salmon tender boat, early morning reading while anchored in quiet bays, hiking in moss covered forests, glacier kayaking, bonfire dinners, and houseboat dreaming.

Puerto Rico: Visiting chicken farms, camping on the beach in rainstorms, beer and empanada hut dinners, road tripping no map.

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach:
Film/photo/radio documentary production. Spanish grammar and vocabulary. Synchronized swimming. Dance.

Learn:
More woodworking techniques. Car / bike mechanics. Arabic language. Sign language. Bread baking. New/old books, ideas, concepts.

What I Can Share with Hosts

My hands at cooking. My open ears. Time: Do you volunteer somewhere? I'd love to join you.

Countries I’ve Visited

Bahamas, Canada, Egypt, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Palestine, Poland, Puerto Rico, Serbia, Spain, Turks and Caicos Islands, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Ecuador, Peru, United States