CURRENT MISSION

One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.

ABOUT ME

I'm an American guy getting a master's degree in violin performance at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague.
It's great getting to continue exploring my passion for music while being able to connect with people internationally.
I'm a good-natured, open-minded, and compassionate guy. I always try to bring balance to my life - times to laugh, to get serious, to work and play hard, and smile.

PHILOSOPHY

I've never developed an official personal philosophy, but I think that there are a few principles that make the world a bit better.
-COMPASSION: Duh. Let's imagine what it would be like to stand in someone else's shoes and treat them how we'd want to be treated.
-AUTHENTICITY: Be exactly who you are. Those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind. When we hide parts of who we are, we tell ourselves we're not worthy of love and respect.
-"PAY IT FORWARD:" For those of us who are lucky enough to come from privilege, I don't think it's enough in life to drink beer and play video games. We gotta be doing something to help people with less than us, globally or at home.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I got to meet some crazy and wonderful people during summer 2010 while I lived and hosted in Salzburg and surfed in a handful of other German and Austrian cities.
Now, my door is wide open in beautiful Prague.

Interests

Music, health/wellness, nature, photography, and politics /policy (not the angry part - just asking how we can come together to make things better)

• arts
• performing arts
• photography
• beer
• drinking
• politics
• video games
• music
• violin

Music, Movies, and Books

Ultimately, waaaay too many to list here.
I can enjoy pretty much anything, if it accomplishes its goal (to be funny, tragig, warm, thought-provoking, whatever).
Books: Darkroom of Damocles, Harry Potter, Importance of Being Earnest, Portrait of Dorian Grey, Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, anything by Roald Dahl.
Movies: Caddyshack, Fight Club, Good Will Hunting, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Lord of the Rings, Love Actually, Milk, Superbad, Trainspotting, Waking Ned Devine, Zoolander.
Music: mostly classical (Beethoven, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Mozart, R-Strauss, Tchaikovsky) but open to anything - Love latin jazz and folk, old-time singers (Sinatra, Fitzgerald, Armstrong, Holliday), and I've got a weak spot for Queen and Whitney Houston.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

-Climbed up to Victoria Glacier near Banff (Alberta) and caught a shower in the glacial runoff.
-Got a ride in a Ferrari going full tilt down the Austrian highway outside of Salzburg.
-Heard the Berlin Philharmonic - 90 of the best musicians in the world playing with total precision and emotion. Electrifying.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Czech Republic, United States