After years of dreaming and planning, I am finally making a dream happen of traveling around the world this summer and fall!

From the U.S.A., I am traveling east until I get back home, making it to South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. I am excited to meet new friends everywhere I stop, and hope you'd be up for the same.

I will be keeping a blog on my travels at http://darrincarlson.com/blog/

Hablo español y espero que puedo practicar contigo!

Também, falo português e assim quero conhecer amigos novos!

I live in San Diego, USA, and I am a chemist. I also love trying new types of food, hiking, and surfing. I hope to meet you during my travels!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I will be traveling around the world and want to meet people along the way. Strangers are just friends you haven't met yet! :)

Interests

Food and cooking, surfing, hiking, swimming in the ocean, camping, learning new languages.

• culture
• dining
• cooking
• tv
• traveling
• socializing
• blogging
• hiking
• camping
• surfing
• swimming
• chemistry
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

Too many to mention, but here are a few favorites:

Music: Bjork, Girl Talk, Daft Punk, Sleater Kinney, Ramones, Pixies, Os Mutantes, Atmosphere, Raveonettes, Sigur Rós

Movies: Samsara, Lord of the Rings, Apocalypse Now, Dr. Strangelove, Mulholland Dr, Seven Samurai, Wet Hot American Summer

Books: One Hundred Years of Solitude, The Great Gatsby, Marcus Aurelius' Meditations, Catch-22, The Iliad, A Song of Ice and Fire series

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Taught myself to swim in 10 weeks then swam a mile across San Diego harbor.

Teach, Learn, Share

I love food and friends, and I want to have dinner with all my hosts.

I love cooking and would love the opportunity to make a meal for you and your friends or family, but am willing to learn what you enjoy as well.

I think lifelong connections happen at the dinner table, and would love to provide this experience for you!

What I Can Share with Hosts

First and foremost, cooking and food! (I'll even do the dishes.)

I'm interested in learning how people around the world see things differently (or the same) as me, and can give you an idea of what American culture is like (and it's much different than you see on TV!)

I speak Spanish and Portuguese, and am always trying to pick up the basics of new languages. If you'd like to practice your English, we can do that too!

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States