I'm a biologist and gardener. I love flowers, trees, mushrooms, animals, and mountainous wild places - but also feel at home in cities of all sizes.

I read books and grow native plants, aromatic herbs, and fragrant flowers. I draw, paint, play various musical instruments, and write as well. I love to cook, especially for dinner parties and picnics.

For five years I worked for a nursery specializing in rare and unusual fruit and nut trees. Previously I’ve worked as a boat deckhand, bartender, carpenter, backcountry naturalist, and tree planter, among other jobs.

My partner Lauren (https://www.couchsurfing.com/people/laurenolean) and I spent the year 2025 traveling around the world, and are currently staying in Bellingham temporarily. We may be able to host travelers under the right circumstances.

https://www.inaturalist.org/people/yossarianc

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

When we trust others instead of fearing the unknown we open ourselves to incredible kindness and wonderful surprises. Time isn’t money, it’s infinitely more valuable. Let’s spend some time together.

Interests

Planting seeds, thinking, listening, sitting quietly, found objects, celebration

• cats
• books
• poetry
• photography
• cooking
• wine
• beer
• meditation
• reading
• painting
• music
• hiking
• ecology
• philosophy
• mountains
• mythology
• tea
• alchemy
• mysticism
• trains
• boats
• trees
• fruit
• fruits
• vegetables
• foraging
• mycology
• mushroom hunting
• discordianism
• anticonsumerism

Music, Movies, and Books

Books: Gary Snyder, Han Shan, Italo Calvino, Anna Kavan, Mary Gaitskill, Haruki Murakami, Kenji Miyazawa, Karla Suárez, Pedro Lemebel, James Baldwin, Ugetsu Monogatari, Principia Discordia, Codex Seraphinanus, Voynich Manuscript, Cornel West, bell hooks, David Graeber, Noam Chomsky, Caliban and the Witch, William S Burroughs

Music: Fraser and DeBolt, Love, Neil Young, Acid Mothers Temple, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Kuku Sebsebe, Sun Ra, Susan Cadogan, Stan Hubbs, Sosena Gebre Eyesus, Lloyd Price, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Hot Rush, Jonathan Richman, Michael Hurley, Irma Thomas, Wendy Rene, Nina Simone, Incredible String Band, Holy Modal Rounders

Movies: Aki Kaurismäki, Akira Kurosawa, Federico Fellini, David Lynch, Jim Jarmusch, Adam Curtis, Chunking Express, The Taste of Tea, Tampopo, The Saragossa Manuscript, Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle, John Waters, Alejandro Jodorowsky

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Grown trees from seed that will outlive me by centuries

Teach, Learn, Share

Cooking, gardening, carpentry, music, philosophy, botany, mountain adventures, pots of tea, picnics, stargazing, chasing butterflies…

What I Can Share with Hosts

Travel stories, home cooked meal, help around the house, garden, farm, community projects. Conversation over a cup of tea, coffee, beer or wine. Adventures near or far.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Laos, Mexico, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States