Hi there. My living situation won't allow me to host at the moment, but if I'm free I might be able to hang out.

I am a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer that served in the Federated States of Micronesia from 2010-2012, where I taught English and did community development projects. From 2013-2015 I continued my ESL career on the mysterious island of Jeju, South Korea, where I discovered couchsurfing and fell in love with the concept, met some fantastic surfers, and got into some exciting adventures. After my stint in Korea, I cycled for nine months through five countries in SE Asia and as of November, 2016, decided to live for awhile in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. I love traveling, love meeting new people from all over the world who are equally passionate about travel and discovery.

PHILOSOPHY

"I'm here now."

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

In my two years living on Jeju, I hosted over 20 surfers from places all over the world. It's so easy to open up to someone through couchsurfing. One of my surfers said it's probably because you're talking in such an intimate and comfortable setting, usually after a nice home cooked meal, and wearing your pajamas. I have met such wonderful and diverse people all linked through this common passion of travel, and through these connections, I have been inspired and struck by wonder and awe at the beauty of our world.

Interests

I'm one of those amateur creative-types. I dabble in poetry, strumming the ukulele, and making photographs. My first true love is the bicycle. Nothing gives me a greater sense of freedom and purpose than absconding on two wheels. I'm a glutton. I eat just about anything and lots of it. I love to cook and I'm pretty decent at it, too.

• poetry
• hiking
• camping
• ukulele
• film photography
• bicycle touring
• analog photography
• cycle touring

Music, Movies, and Books

God, there's too many to list. I have an eclectic taste in music, spanning many different genres. Lately it's been a lot of Japanese city pop, lo-fi hip hop beats, and a Norwegian kid named Boy Pablo. For movies, here are three random films I watched recently and liked: Get Out, Paddington Bear 2, and Black Panther. I don't read as much as I used to, but some of my favorite authors are Haruki Murakami, John Steinbeck, David Foster Wallace, and David Mitchell.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

One? Pfft. Here's three:

For two years I lived on an island in the Pacific that most people have never heard of.

I have lived in 6 different countries on 3 different continents.

I cycled over 10,000 km in the span of nine months through five countries in SE Asia.

Teach, Learn, Share

I love learning about other people, their lives, their culture, and their perspectives. I believe that we all have a lot to gain from sharing our experiences and world views with each other.

I can teach you how to play the uke, how to ride a bike, how to speak some basic words of a language only spoken by less than 100,000 people, and if I have one with me, how to use an analog camera. FILM IS NOT DEAD, IT JUST SMELLS FUNNY.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can whip up some excellent Filipino food or play you a song on my ukulele if I happen to have it on me while I'm traveling.

Countries I’ve Visited

Cambodia, Guam, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Taiwan, Thailand

Countries I’ve Lived In

Japan, Micronesia, Federated States of, Philippines, South Korea, United States, Viet Nam