CURRENT MISSION

I am "Walking To My Friends" I am walking across America and depending on the goodness and kindness of others to help me on my journey. I am making a documentary of my walk "Walking To My Friends" The Path to World Peace One New Friend At A Time"

ABOUT ME

Hello, My name is Dave McRae and I am on an EPIC ADVENTURE, "Walking To My Friends: The Path To World Peace One New Friend At A Time." I am walking across America for 2 years while filming a documentary of the new friendships I make along the way. Why, you ask? Great question. It is my belief that World Peace can be a reality and the way is to make friends with those that we do not understand yet. I will have to overcome great fear as I walk alone dependent on the goodness and kindness of those that I meet. I hope those people will be able to overcome their fears and lack of trust of me and that as we become comfortable with each other as we bond in friendship.

I believe that when people see the finished documentary "Walking To My Friends: The Path To World Peace One New Friend At A Time" they will be inspired to walk across their own neighborhood streets and through their communities and towns and meet ALL of their "new Friends" who are right there waiting to discover that their similarities far out weigh their differences. It is my fondest hopes that groups of friendships will be formed by inviting people of different political, spiritual, socioeconomic, and lifestyles to join in family celebrations, neighborhood picnics, Bar-B-Ques and church meetings. When we open ourselves to other people's life experiences and world views we can't help but become friends. By spreading friendship around the world we can achieve World Peace.
I started at the Newport Beach Pier in California near where I grew up and I will end my walk at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Along the way I will meet new friends and visit old ones. I will also be conducting what I call, "Direct Charity". Since I am going to depend on the goodness of my new and old friends and doing odd jobs along the way like sweeping floors, washing windows and digging ditches for my basic needs, I have chosen to live on only $30.00 per day. That will give me $10 to $15 to eat and pay for one or two nights a week in budget motels where I can shower, charge the electronic devices being used to document "Walking To My Friends" and stay in contact with family, friends, and Backers of "Walking To My Friends". I will "redistribute" all the excess over $30.00 per day to the folks I meet along the way who are in more need than myself. People will help me or I will sleep under the stars and eat less.

I will be making a documentary of my journey.

I want to interview people who help me and are actively helping others as well as those that I have the opportunity to help as I travel. I would like to be invited into people's homes and celebrations and to photograph newborn infants being held by their parents and surrounded by their family. I want the family to be COMPLETELY dressed in "their" family best regalia, whether its a multi-generational "Ivy League" family, Native American family, East LA "Gang" family, Orthodox Jewish family or a proud Military family. My premise is that we are all born naked and shaped into the adults we become by our family.

This epic journey will take at least two years. I hope that you not only reach into your pockets but also follow me at www.walkingtomyfriends.org and if I am in your neck of the woods, perhaps you can let me use a few square feet of your yard or living room floor to sleep one night. Thanks for reading this and for backing my EPIC ADVENTURE and my documentary.

PHILOSOPHY

I am pacifist, and I believe that World peace is possible as we increase the number of friends we make with others that we don't see eye to eye with politically, spiritually, social-economically or live the same lifestyles. Each time I make a new friend and learn that all the similarities we share are far more important than the differences.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I love being a gracious guest in your home. I do dishes, dig ditches, and clean and organize rooms and or garages. If you have some handyman work that needs done let me know I will do my best to fix most small repairs around your home. I also tell funny stories and have fun with whatever you like to entertain yourself with.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

None yet but, I hope to have MANY good ones.

Interests

I love talking and listening to stories and learning what your world views are and what your life expereinces have been. I am a "spiritual anthropologist" which means I love learning what you believe, why you believe it and how you practice it. I am not a missionary for my personal beliefs because they change every time I hear another person tell me what and why they believe works for them.

• documentaries
• coffee
• walking
• clothing
• reading
• traveling
• anthropology
• beaches

Music, Movies, and Books

I love ALL movies but, especially uplifting and joyous ones or at least movies that have happy endings. If a movie ends sad, I usually have a few suggestions for a rewrite.

Music, Duh... The Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan! And of course all the great jam bands, zydeco, folk, and old-time country and bluegrass. But, I also LOVE classical music. Pachelbel, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Copland, Beethoven, and Wagner are among my favorites.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

One thing that I will never forget and had a huge influence in my life was the sense of community in the parking lot at any "Grateful Dead" show. One instance of pure love and giving is one I will carry with me forever. I was hanging out with a beautiful soul named Adelle and every morning she made a big pot of coffee which she gave it away to all who walked by. Next to the coffee pot was an empty basket and a sign that said, "What ever you put in this basket is what we will all eat for dinner." The basket magically overflowed on to the table and that night a huge meal was made available for all who were hungry. I never saw anyone go unfed or hungry. I love when a community takes care of all the members of the "impromptu family" created for the day or weekend.

Teach, Learn, Share

There is NO one that I am not looking forward to meeting and learning about. I actually have a photo project that I would love to do as I walk across the country. I want to take a family portrait of a brand new baby's large extended family with the baby sitting on the lap of the parents with the ENTIRE family dressed to the "T's" in their best clothes that represent their family pride. Whether its cultural, ethnic, political, or just their best "Sunday Go To Church Best". I want to share in your family traditions and celebrations.