CURRENT MISSION

To have a friend in every country the world over

ABOUT ME

Mostly, I just strive to live by an "I'll try anything once" attitude. As my Dad says, "Grab life by the balls and squeeze a little." Add to that my Grampa's advice of "Everything in moderation - including moderation," and that about sums up how I like to approach life.

The Pacific Northwest of the USA will always be my home, but my chronic case of itchy feet means I'll always be eager for the next adventure. Few things bring me as much pleasure as globetrotting. Seeing new places, meeting new people, and enjoying new experiences - I live for that.

I love the outdoors and all associated activities, and prefer to spend most of my time there. That said, I don't mind delving into city life every once and a while, either (but not for too long!).

I'm not a partier, but I know how to party. There's nothing I don't eat (or won't try, for that matter!), but I generally eat quite healthy (sometimes my sweet-tooth gets the better of me, though). I love being lazy, but lead a pretty active lifestyle. Basically, I'm a little bit of everything, and do my best to maintain open eyes, open mind, and open heart.

PHILOSOPHY

"Dunia duara" - a Swahili proverb literally translated to "the world is round," but meaning that wherever you go and whatever happens, what is inherently you never changes.

Everything in moderation, including moderation.

Grab life by the balls and squeeze a little.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Done some surfing, and some reciprocal hosting.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Just a couple great surfing experiences in Melbourne so far!

Interests

Cultural/natural history, any and all outdoor activities, birding, sports, wine, microbrews, music, mountains, beaches, and everything in between

• animals
• birds
• dancing
• wine
• partying
• traveling
• music
• guitar
• outdoor activities
• kayaking
• mountaineering
• surfing
• skiing
• sports
• rock climbing
• rowing
• history
• languages
• beaches
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: I'm the type of guy that loves movies, but quickly forgets them. Favorites include: The Boondock Saints, Liar Liar, Amelie, Gladiator, Avatar, Super Troopers, Jurassic Park, Jaws, The 40-year-old Virgin, and any documentary narrated by David Attenborough

Music: my taste is quite eclectic, and you're likely to find a little bit of everything on my iPod except for heavy/death metal. What I'm listening to depends on my mood. That said, I'm pretty much always in the mood to listen to Dave Matthews Band.

Books: I read a lot of travel, natural history, and African literature. Notable favorites: Travels with Charley, A Primate's Memoir, Lord of the Flies, Dark Star Safari, The Power of One. Currently reading: Monkeyluv (for the second time) and Gulliver's Travels.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Impossible to pick just one, but I will always find it amazing that my parents had the guts to take me out of school for 7th grade and spend the year traveling around the world. Granted, it cursed me with chronically itchy feet and lifelong wanderlust, but there are far worse things to which I could be addicted!

Teach, Learn, Share

Natural history is my forte (it's my job, after all), so I can teach you quite a bit about plants and animals (particularly birds). Rock-climbing, skiing, sea-kayaking, and snow-shoeing are among the outdoor activities I'm proficient at. I could teach you a useful knot or two from being a Mountaineer. I can play the didjeridoo somewhat decently. Oh - and if you happen to have a rowing shell lying around, I could teach you how to row really efficiently.

Top five things to learn before I die: guitar, proficiency in at least two other languages (including Spanish since I'm no longer conversational), how to be a master chef, dance without making a complete fool out of myself, and how to fix an engine. Among about a dozen other things.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Botswana, Canada, Costa Rica, Fiji, France, Greece, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Namibia, New Zealand, Palau, Seychelles, South Africa, Spain, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, United Kingdom, Zimbabwe

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Botswana, Kenya, United States

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