CURRENT MISSION

Living in the moment

ABOUT ME

I'm a shorter guy who enjoys talking, listening, and learning above all else. I am really passionate about helping people to understand that their perspective is only one of many on Earth, while coming to to terms with this difficult fact myself. Currently I am a PhD Student in German Studies at Cornell University, and it is a great environment for me personally and academically (though there is a lot of overlap between those two aspects of my life). As an undergraduate at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, I studied French and German literature, art, intellectual thought, and music. Of course, learning the languages has been key to this endeavor!

PHILOSOPHY

Utter subjectivity in all aspects of life, particularly in perceptions of the world around us... I want to live for the right now with an eye toward the future.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Due to my living situation, I cannot host people during the semester, but if you're coming through Ithaca and are really in a pickle, you should shoot me a message, regardless. Maybe another CS friend in Ithaca will be able to help. I think that hearing the stories of other people will help me to be a better and more empathetic person. I also hope to share my story with other people as I travel in continental Europe and elsewhere in the world.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I couchsurfed a bit in Paris in 2011, where two great hosts gave me two different perspectives on Paris. In Ithaca, I am a sporadic attendee of the weekly CS meetup at Chapter House. I think my interest in CS comes from participating in a few European exchange programs, where I loved every second of staying with host families while playing in a youth band. I really hope to learn a lot and have great conversations with the folks I meet.

Interests

18th-20th century continental European philosophy, music, pop culture, playing the French horn/piano/carillon, learning new languages, trying new foods, learning to love and trust, OuLiPo

• arts
• culture
• literature
• environment
• traveling
• music
• piano
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

Movie: Code inconnu; Music: Beethoven Symphony No. 9 (I know it SEEMS cliche, but I have actual reasons for this!); Book: Das Kapital, Marx (still getting through volume 1, but it's amazing)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I spent 10 months teaching English in Hannover, Germany. It was an amazing experience where I had the opportunity to meet German immigrants, people whose families had been in Germany for generations, and everyone in between.

Teach, Learn, Share

Music theory, 20th century aesthetics, French literature, 20th century critical theory

Countries I’ve Visited

France, Germany

Countries I’ve Lived In

Germany, United States

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