CURRENT MISSION

Travel every country in the world to experience the cultures and values of other people

ABOUT ME

I was originally born in Karachi, came to the US 20 years ago and haven't been back. I really should go back one of these days, maybe when things settle down. Went to school in Los Angeles, went to UCLA, got my bachelor's degree, worked for a few companies, before finally settling in what I have now. I like being outdoors, the weather is great in LA for that but unfortunately, it's difficult to get around here if you don't have a car.

PHILOSOPHY

People should really just be themselves without trying too hard to impress others. If they don't accept you for who you are, then they aren't worth making friends.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Well I just joined. Hopefully I can be proactive in helping others. I see there are a lot of members and a lot of the time new members kinda need direction on how to get things started.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've stayed with couple of families in Japan, which was an awesome experience. I've crashed at a place in Houston, TX. Other than that most of the places I stayed at were hostels.

Interests

I'm just going to list out things I like:
-Movies (esp. foreign, Kurosawa always on top of my list)
-Music (anything but heavy metal)
-Books (esp. classic literature)
-Sports (basketball, Football (American and the real one), watching Tennis)
-Technology (I like the latest gadgets)
-Computers (I work with them, has to be here else they'll get mad)
-Video Games (Mostly consoles not PC)
-Traveling (but of course)
Meeting people from different cultures.

• books
• literature
• technology
• movies
• video games
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• outdoor activities
• sports
• basketball
• rock climbing
• soccer
• tennis
• software

Music, Movies, and Books

Anything by Kurosawa, like other foreign films by Fellini, Truffaut, and Bergman.
So many movies, anything SciFi, comedies (not all), some dramas.
I don't listen to music that often but mostly when I'm driving or at the gym. Recently i've been getting interested in non-fiction which I rarely used to read. But among my favorite authors: Kafka, Camus, Dostoevsky, Steinbeck, Dickens, H.G.Wells, Joyce. Many people might hate me for saying this but I really enjoyed "The Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad, it's probably one of the most challenging books I've ever read.
I also like reading the Financial Times.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I walked 10 km on the Great Wall of China in the winter time. It was ridiculously cold but as we kept climbing you started to shed your layers. It was a great experience.

Teach, Learn, Share

I would love to learn Japanese but it might be difficult unless I live in Japan. I've tried Rosetta Stone software, I wasn't very impressed. If it is has worked for someone let me know!!!

Teach - I have quite a bit computer knowledge so I can help out if needed.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Slovakia, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Pakistan, United States