CURRENT MISSION

To start my own record label

ABOUT ME

I'm a graduate student of Journalism, Swahili and African Studies at UC Berkeley.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I am relatively new to the CS project but I believe in the spirit of traveling: being hosted and helping others by hosting.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have limited experience, but even a journey of 10,000 miles must start with a single footstep!

Interests

Travel, Music, Global Politics, Political Music, History, Film Noir, Photography, Technology, Football (Arsenal), Baseball (Giants),

• photography
• politics
• technology
• traveling
• music
• baseball
• soccer
• history
• journalism

Music, Movies, and Books

From my last.fm profile:

I'm into african, hip-hop, jazz, world and indie, including:
Tommy Guerrero, Baaba Maal & Mansour Seck, Panda Bear, The Roots, Souad Massi, Ali Farka Touré, Animal Collective, Souls of Mischief, Franco, Mulatu Astatke, Bonobo, Miles Davis, Elliott Smith, Dub Colossus, Beach Fossils, Bob Dylan, Kanye West, A Tribe Called Quest, Fela Kuti, Tangle Eye, Gil Scott-Heron, Alpha Blondy, The Velvet Underground, Gauntlet Hair, Bill Evans, Mulatu Astatqé, Ry Cooder and Ali Farka Touré, Mahmoud Ahmed, Aster Aweke, Oh No, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Paul Simon, Fairuz, Recorded Live by Alan Lomax, Orchestra Baobab, People Under the Stairs, Digable Planets, Calle 13, Tame Impala, Steve Earle, Hype Williams, Hugh Masekela, Dorothy Ashby, Nas, Mobb Deep, Ayub Ogada, G. Love & Special Sauce, Beirut, Choc Quib Town, Khaira Arby.

Check out my music taste: http://www.last.fm/user/maaaark

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I can definitely see how someone might be nervous about welcoming a stranger into their home, but there are many cultures around the world where this is common practice. I once stayed with a wonderful Vietnamese family who were some of the warmest and most hospitable people I have ever met. I will always remember that they allowed me into their home without any reservations.

Couchsurfing is a great way to bring some of the best experiences you encounter whilst on the road to your home when you are unable to travel yourself.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Qatar, Russian Federation, Singapore, Somalia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States