Hey there! Thanks for visiting my profile. My interests include gardening, bikes, blogging, making YouTube videos, cooking, yoga, reducing consumption, reading, politics, Buddhism, a generally clean lifestyle, meeting people from around the world, new ideas, being out of my comfort zone, and exploration of the human condition! I hope to learn/do something new every day. We live in a beautiful world, and I wake up every day happy to be alive. So I'm sure we'll get along!

From October 2018 to June 2021, I worked as an English teacher in Peru, then in Vietnam. I returned to the U.S. in summer of '21 and made my first big train trip. I then made a significant life change in deciding to go back to university to finish my Bachelor's degree. I will graduate next spring and then see where life takes me - I'm interested in working in Africa.

Check out my blog about Vietnam https://www.myvietblog.com/
YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2u3M3KbF1UBgp4bQhVxXRQ

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

The best way to travel is to experience each new destination through a local lens. Eat, sleep, drink, see, and do as those who live there do! Big attractions are great, but I love the hidden and quirky gems just as much (thank you, Atlas Obscura)

I've worked with people from all around the world, and as I met more and more, a steady global network of friends has started to form. I'd like to continue this trend, and pay back the kindness I've received during my travels in turn!

Interests

Too many to count! Variety is indeed the spice of life. If you're not learning something new, you're not living. I want to spend my life in new places, learning, doing, and seeing new things. I hope to make a difference along the way :)

• documentaries
• cooking
• wine
• yoga
• meditation
• gardening
• chess
• reading
• blogging
• guitar
• world music
• camping
• anthropology
• geography
• history
• languages
• buddhism
• vegetarianism
• biking
• mindfulness
• sushi
• vinyl
• polyglot
• train travel
• vintage stuff
• taking pictures
• scooters
• progressive politics
• effective altruism
• public transportation
• overland travel
• atlas obscura
• coffee and tea
• aerial photography
• ikigai
• long walks/hiking

Music, Movies, and Books

Music - whatever suits my mood at the moment! I love listening to music from around the world, something to break up American hegemony in media. Check out the YouTube channel - My Analog Journal! My all time favorite. Afrobeat, Fela Kuti, bossa nova/samba, Thievery Corporation, reggae, lo-fi, dub, Nujabes, on and on..

Movies - anything and everything - foreign, classic, obscure, timeless, epics

Books - Buddhist studies, African literature, Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life,

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Trekked to Machu Picchu with a friend on the Salkantay trail. It took us 4 days and was absolutely exhilarating.

Traveled by scooter from the north to the south of Vietnam. I was on the road for over 45 days and traveled more than 1,300 miles in total

Taught English for free to kids in the Vietnamese countryside - Nghe An province

Circumnavigated the U.S. on a train over the span of a month!

Teach, Learn, Share

Why worry? You can be pretty happy if you put your mind to it ;P

"Let this radicalize you, rather than lead you to despair." - state of the U.S., circa summer 2022
Whatever happened to "live and let live"?

I'm learning guitar, skills are still quite basic, and if you're musically inclined would be pleased to learn and share with you.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Knowledge of some foreign languages

Anecdotes and good times :)

Adventures and general shenanigans

Would be happy to help around the house and cook something

Basic bike repair and maintenance

Hope you can help me make a short video/blog about your city/town/locale :)

I'm respectful, open-minded, compassionate, and a friend to everyone I meet.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, El Salvador, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Myanmar, Netherlands, Peru, Romania, Slovakia, Thailand, United Kingdom, Viet Nam, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

Peru, United States, Viet Nam