I'm a photojournalist and writer on a journey around the world.
I've spent the last 10 months volunteering with linguists who are documenting communites with changing and disappearing languages in Kenya and Australia, living with farmers in Nicaragua and learning a lot about this world and the remarkable people in it.
I keep a blog about my journeys (www.wanderingkris.com)
I'm up for anything, especially if it's something i haven't done before.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I prefer to get to know a place and the people in it for real, and not on some tour or from a hotel. I should have done this a long time ago. I keep thinking about it. Here I am.

Interests

Photojournalism
Finding people who are making a difference in the world
Meeting new people
Asking questions
Listening
News of the weird
Writing
Kayaking
Nature and hiking in it and looking at it and learning about it
Biking
tribal languages
dropping myself into completely different cultures
Figuring out how to finally cook
Languages
old-school punk music and industrial
dancing

• writing
• photography
• dancing
• cooking
• coffee
• news
• traveling
• blogging
• music
• punk music
• cycling
• hiking
• kayaking
• languages
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

Books: I pretty much stick to real-life. Truth is always stranger than fiction . Everyone has a story.

"Four Corners," Kira Salak
"Galapagos," Kurt Vonnegut
"Travels With Charley," John Steinbeck
"Take Me With You," Brad Newsham (a true inspiration!)

Movies:
If it's good, makes me cry without being cheesy or makes me laugh, I'm good — from "In Bruges" to "Salt of the Earth" documentary about Sebastiao Salgado or "What We Do In the Shadows."

Music:
I like all types, except US country really.
A few times a year I DJ an old-school punk night when I'm at home in Rochester, NY.
I like industrial, was brainwashed into Latin hip hop when it was blasted 24-7 on the streets of Nicaragua, and am into African hip hop and dancehall stuff, mostly stuff I heard in Kenya, Zambia, while I was traveling.
I also will wander into a church if I hear music playing and will have a good listen.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Lived with Nicaraguan coffee farmers in a remote mountain community and built a school with them in the 100-degree heat.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm really interested in meeting local people and learning about everyday life in the places I visit. Sounds too basic, but i'm pretty much interested in learning about everything.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Gratitude and being a compatriot in curiosity about this world.
Travel stories, good company and possibly some tips on writing, blogging or photography if someone's interested, or knowledge about the places I've lived in and visited.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Latvia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, United States Minor Outlying Islands, Zambia

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Brazil, Germany, Ireland, United States, United States Minor Outlying Islands