A young guy figuring things out by thinking a lot and talking with people. I enjoy reading dark and serious books, making people laugh, and experiencing the sublime.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm fulfilling a deep interest in Japan by traveling around the country this summer, and it seems that getting to know Japanese people (and chatting with them in my limited Japanese) will allow me to experience Japan in a way that I wouldn't be able to just by reading books or looking at famous buildings.

Interests

Literature (especially Russian and Japanese)
Literary theory
Art (especially classical, 20th century)
Photography: nature, street, documentary
Philosophy
History (especially classical Greek and Roman, military, intellectual, and 20th century histories)
Sports: running, hiking, swimming, rowing

• arts
• culture
• books
• literature
• photography
• documentaries
• running
• reading
• traveling
• hiking
• sports
• swimming
• rowing
• history

Music, Movies, and Books

Books:
"Sea of Fertility" tetralogy, Yukio Mishima
"Norwegian Wood", Haruki Murakami
"Brothers Karamazov", Fyodor Dostoevsky
"If on a Winter's Night a Traveler", Italo Calvino

Movies:
"Red Desert", Michelangelo Antonioni
"Harakiri", Masaki Kobayashi
"Tokyo Story", Yasujiro Ozu
"Ran", Akira Kurosawa
"Apocalypse Now", Francis Ford Coppola

Music:
In Flames
Lamb of God
きのこ帝国 (Kinoko Teikoku)
Philip Glass

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I climbed up a 2 or 3 story-high wall which was standing alone without a roof, one of the many ruins of the ancient Roman port city of Ostia. It was a nice view.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm always ready to tell or hear about interesting life experiences, and I'll hold any conversation on art, books, philosophy, and the like for as long as you and I can stay awake. If you're interested, I can teach you some Mandarin Chinese or Latin, give a thorough introduction to cameras and photography, and provide some book and other culture recommendations.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Interesting stories, something of a sense of humor, curiosity, and friendship.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, China, Italy, Taiwan

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States