I'm a vagabond. I backpack and hitchhike across the United States. I sleep wherever I can (usually outside) and meet whoever the universe puts in my path. I don't believe in fate, destiny or cosmic intervention, but I live for little moments of serendipity: A confluence of luck, location and timing that produces something unique. Maybe it's a conversation or the smell of jasmine blooming or a country drive or maybe a perfectly cooked dish right when you're feeling tense and bereft. In a former life, I was a software engineer. I enjoyed solving problems and studying systems. It paid well, but I could never shake the feeling that I was missing all the important stuff life has to offer. So, I blew it all up: My life in Los Angeles with the nice loft in the historic building downtown and all the expensive takeout I could stuff in my greedy little face. In the intervening years I performed increasingly risky feats of long-term travel, some of which resulted in spectacular disaster. In May 2026, I bought a 50-year old external frame backpack, named her "Astrid", and loaded her up with clothes, food and camping gear. Hit the road headed west from New England. One month into the journey, I find that life is sweeter than I ever could have imagined. I have met the kindest and most generous people. Sometimes I work on farms and homesteads; sometimes I crash with folks and drink their beer (in moderation). I journal and write about my travels. As I continue across America, I would love to meet you, too. Maybe we can share a meal or get coffee, and you can tell me your stories. As a guest, I'm clean, quiet and respectful of my host's home and schedule. I actually really love to clean and organize, so if you want some help with a project around the house, sign me up. I drink, socially, and never to get drunk; those days were short-lived and long behind me. I have no substance dependencies. I try to eat healthy. I don't smoke. New to Couchsurfing, so in lieu of references I added screenshots of my Airbnb and WWOOF reviews.

Gal raised on the East Coast. I'm passionate about all things outdoors - from gardening, foraging, and farming to swimming, cycling, and hiking

I grew up in the southern United States. I moved up to Ann Arbor, Michigan for undergrad where I double majored in biology and environmental studies. I worked at the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum for six years out of undergrad, then went to wander around Latin America (hitchhiking) and Europe (bicycle). I currently teach middle school near Boston. I am a vegetarian, but if traveling out of the US, I find it's easier to have no restrictions. This is mostly to experience local culture and to be able to say "yes" if somebody has offered me food. I don't drink much but will join you for a great craft beer. I do enjoy local beverages. I don't smoke or do any other types of drugs. OLD/LEGACY PROFILE: https://www.couchsurfing.com/users/516723/profile/legacy OCCASIONAL TRAVEL BLOG: http://lamb-on-the-lam.tumblr.com/ CURRENT MISSION: Corrupting America's youth with science A brief story (and a somewhat brief rant): While in Guatemala City, I met with a group of friends who rented a car for the week. While walking to the vehicle, we saw two guys breaking into it. They quickly pulled out a gun. Ultimately, they 1) never shot anyone and 2) didn't steal the car or any stuff. That's not the point of my story. There are two narratives you could tell about this experience. 1) So, I almost got shot in Guatemala City...therefore, Guatemala is dangerous...therefore, Central America is dangerous...therefore, Latin America is dangerous...therefore travel is dangerous...so stay at home. People are evil. 2) I spent a month traveling by myself through Belize, Mexico, and Guatemala. Two days before meeting my friends, I arrived in Guatemala City and stayed in the "dangerous" district. I walked around the city on my own. That morning, I packed up my backpack and camera and walked for about 3 hours through the city. En route, people offered me directions, water, food and ideas for seeing their city/country. I met up with some friends for an amazing adventure. Oh...and two guys were jerks. We tend to tell the first story because the bad experiences stick out in our minds. We remember the time we got robbed on the subway, but not the hundreds of people who smiled at us, held the door or, you know, didn't rob us. We have such a hard time trusting each other that we sometimes forget that people, at the core, mostly don't want to cause you harm. I think the majority of people don't really care about whether you are there or not. They don't wish you harm nor do they go out of their way to help. Of the remainder, I believe the VAST majority want your life to improve because it makes them feel better. Untrustworthy and dangerous people do certainly exist and you should be aware of them, but they are the exception to this thing called "humanity", not the rule. I like people and would much rather trust them and be wrong occasionally than live in constant fear and never allow anybody to hurt me. Some quotes (Why say something when it's already been said better by somebody else?): "Well, I've wrestled with reality for thirty-five years, Doctor, and I'm happy to state I finally won out over it." "Oh, every day is a beautiful day." "I always have a wonderful time, wherever I am, whoever I'm with." Elwood P. Dowd "Oooh, but they're not. Look. See, some are smaller, some are fatter, some grow to the left, some to the right, some even have lost some petals. All kinds of observable differences. You see, Harold, I feel that much of the world's sorrow comes from people who are this, yet allow themselves be treated as that." Maude "Is there anybody here who thinks that following the orders takes away the blame?" Phil Ochs "What if you give a point of view to something that can't have one?" Clifford Chase "Wake me up if you see me falling gently into the night. Shine up my shoes 'cos I can't get used to the dying of the light. Some set their hearts on a rocking chair, the better to sleep out the days. But I'm looking for a reason to kick and scream, I don't want to fade away." Chumbawamba "If you would like to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the Universe" "Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there--on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam." Carl Sagan "If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, a hoper, a prayer, a magic-bean-buyer. If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire, for we have some flax-golden tales to spin." Shel Silverstein

Im originally from Los Angeles, California and now settled at the other side living in Massachusetts! Nature and sustainability is my bestfriend. I must also mention I am fully Deaf; born deaf. That still doesn't stop me from doing anything I can do, and I assure you I am easygoing and easy to communicate with. I do alot of handyman work and currently working on getting my journeyman's plumbing license. Oh, I can't really stay at one place too long unless I'm either outside, pensive, or doing something so I stay having fun.