CURRENT MISSION

To travel cross-country by motorcycle from Philadelphia, Pa, to San Diego, Ca while simultaneously sharing and involving others in my journey.

ABOUT ME

Where to start? I'm an American citizen born of two foreign parents. My mother is English and moved to the country in her early 20s. My father is Turkish and moved to the country with his parents and siblings when he was a late teenager. I was born in the greater Philadelphia region of Pennsylvania.

It could be my parents' alien origin that's roused my interest in travel and culture, and thus, the world as a whole. It could be my intellectual side yearning to witness, first hand, what is out there. In any case, my desire to travel is very much prevalent due to my desire to experience the world, its cultures, and its many peoples.

My mother is an entrepreneur, who runs her own daycare facility out of what was also my home growing up. I've been around and involved with the upbringing of children my entire life. I have one younger sibling of my own (I s'pose now's the time to mention I also have four older siblings).

My father has worked in software as a teacher and developer, he has also worked, professionally, as a musician. I am not the musician I wish I was, but I do have some years experience playing drums and bass guitar. Sometime in my life I hope to really focus on musical exploration.

My family of siblings is large, and our ages span a wide range. Through multiple marriages there are six of us. Two groups of my siblings have two other siblings whom I'm not related to by blood. So there is a grand total of 10 siblings. The next oldest sibling of mine, who lived in the same house as me growing up, is eight years older than I am. Then the next oldest is 13 years older than I am; the oldest is 15 years older than I am. I think growing up with siblings this much older than I has hastened my maturity. I wanted to fit in with the older crowd then (my siblings and their friends), and continue to do so now. Many of my friends are 5-15 years older than myself. I often catch myself referring to people my own age as "kids." I'm 21. It's just a maturity thing really. Age isn't determinant of much.

Currently I'm 21 years old, living in West Chester, Pa. Bartending. Aspiring to bartend around the country. Taking influences from each region and ultimately opening my own bar. Cocktails are my focus, but I have a soft-spot for quality craft brewing.

This, of course, is not everything about me, but it should give anyone reading an idea of my background, character, and focus. If, however, the above is not enough, please contact me. I am happy to continue typing for anyone who's interested.

PHILOSOPHY

The perfect time to follow through with your best ideas is now. I've spent a lot of my life coming up with ideas and saying "that WOULD be cool," but never following through. I'm changing that motif now: this IS cool.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I have yet to surf or host via the online community. My profile, as well as myself, are still in the infantile stages of couchsurfing readiness; however, I intend to dive head-first into the community once everything is prepped. I would love to meet local hosts and surfers to hear their stories and share my hopes. When I arrive in California, and get myself set up, I plan to host in order to provide the opportunity for surfers to visit the area.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Thus far I am an absolute newbie to couchsurfing. Or perhaps that's not fair to say. I have traveled quite a bit in Europe. In the summer of 2012 I spent 6 weeks throughout England, Italy, and Spain (mainland and islands). During this time I stayed in 8 different locations. Several of which were homes of family and friends. What fascinates me and has greatly inspired my involvement with the Couchsurfing community is the vulnerability, intimacy, and pure willingness to share with one another.

Interests

Vintage cocktails. Travel. Bartending. Homebrewing. Cooking. Motorcycles. Rock climbing. Shared experience. The outdoors. Time travel and extraterrestrials. Conversation. Psychology and sociology.

• culture
• architecture
• cooking
• cocktails
• motorcycles
• gardening
• reading
• traveling
• billiards
• homebrewing
• music
• guitar
• drums
• outdoor activities
• rock climbing
• teaching
• entrepreneurship
• psychology
• sociology
• software

Music, Movies, and Books

Music - Victor Wooten, Allen Stone, Casey Abrams, The Black Keys, Gary Clark Jr., Led Zeppelin, Audioslave.

Movies - Usual Suspects, 12 Monkeys, American Psycho, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Rock 'n' Rolla, Snatch, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Primarily pyschological thrillers, but I like crime, dystopic and horror films as well.

Books - The Complete Joy of Homebrewing. Jasper FForde. George Orwell.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

One sight that really stands out to me was during my time in Barcelona, Spain in June of 2012.
Construction of "La Sagrada Famila," a basilica designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, began in 1882. It is massive, currently, and unbelievably intricate. Despite it being in construction for over 130 years already, it's estimated completion date is not until 2026 (100 years after Gaudi's death).
During certain hours of the day the basilica is open to the public. Certain areas are closed off for construction, but that leaves nothing less than absurdity to explore. I wandered around for hours trying to soak everything in before having to move on with my day. Later the next day I was enjoying a walk through Antoni Gaudi's "Park Guell," a massive, hilltop garden complex overlooking the city of Barcelona. From here, La Sagrada Familia can be seen from a much different perspective than on the street. So I climbed up into a tree, and perched myself there for awhile looking out to the city and it's structures.
My experience in Barcelona was undoubtedly the most impactful in my travels thus far. I loved it.

Teach, Learn, Share

I am an intermediate homebrewer, I am resourceful, I have plumbing and pool-care knowledge. I have more ties and experience with Europe than most. The list of things to share is endless from any individual, but that's a start!
I love to cook. I don't often. But I appreciate anything homegrown and self-made. So I would enjoy learning cooking knowledge and technique from others. Travel and culture consume many of my thoughts. I would like to hear of others' experiences with the places they have been.

Countries I’ve Visited

Bahamas, Canada, France, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Spain, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States