**Walking across the country in support of at-risk youth in Chicago**

I'm a writer and competitive eater with success in teaching my father how to use the internet. I love music, ethnic foods, exotic culture, books, Pablo Escobar documentaries, and cheesecake.

Through high school and college I saved all of the money I earned as a salesman to complete my journalism degree in Sydney Australia. That year I wrote my first book, learned to use a camera, and how to climb mountains in the Himalayas.

After college I traveled solo all over Europe, the Middle East, and South America mountaineering. I Also had the opportunity to herd sheep in Austria for 8 months.

Currently I branded a campaign called 7 Million Strides to help some of the kids affected by the ongoing and oft publicized gang violence in my hometown Chicago. On my website www.sevenmillionstrides.com, you can find more info about myself and campaign.

As a host If you offer a meal that is amazing I’ll eat anything you make. Spicy, not spicy. Vegan or McDonald’s. Doesn’t matter.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Risk the unusual or settle for the ordinary

Interests

• literature
• mountaineering
• sports

Music, Movies, and Books

Sublime, Incubus, Radiohead, Ben Harper, Tom Petty, Band of Horses, Andrea Bocelli, Pink Floyd, Ryan Adams, slightly Stupid, Greg Isakov

Casino, My Cousin Vinny, Rounders, Hoffa, Chinatown, City by the Sea, Money Talks, Cast Away, Flight, Training Day, The Bodyguard, Stepbrothers, Old School

Logs from the Sea of Cortez, Alchemist, Choke, Into Thin Air , Walden Pond

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Staying alive this long

Teach, Learn, Share

Language, Remote backpacking and adventure, mountaineering, literature, sales, fishing knots, corporate business, non profit management, nutrition, bad jokes

What I Can Share with Hosts

Stories, advice, friendship, socializing, manual labor, a meal, bad jokes

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Fiji, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Peru, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United States