I am a product development consultant from Chicago. I keep active with soccer, occasional rowing, running, and lifting. I read, take photos, play board games, and design furniture when I have the time.

I grew up outside Chicago in a semi-rural area. My family had horses, ducks, and chickens but all of my friends lived in standard subdivided suburban homes. I studied engineering and the Illinois Institute of Technology and later completed my MBA at the University of California, Berkeley. I spent 5 years living in California (San Luis Obispo and San Francisco) before living Rotterdam for 4 months in 2017 as part of my MBA. I moved back to Chicago afterwards.

I am visiting the Netherlands in March and April to clear my head before starting a new job.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Trying to find locals in the Netherlands to hang out and explore. I have some friends in family in the Netherlands (my father moved from the Netherlands when he was a teenager) but I want to meet some new people, make some new friends, do new things, and learn more of the Dutch language and culture.

Interests

I like to stay active and would rather walk and talk than sit and drink (though I won't say no to a classy pub). I prefer to play sports over watching them . Touristy areas are not my favorite but sometimes you just have to visit the Eiffel Tower or go up the Empire State Building to see what all the fuss is about.

• cats
• dogs
• photography
• cooking
• running
• walking
• board games
• piano
• hiking
• languages
• science
• beaches
• museums
• cello
• beer and wine

Music, Movies, and Books

Zoë Keating, Olafur Arnalds, Nils Frahm, Moby, Massive Attack, Carly Comando, Dustin O'Halloran, Max Richter, Philip Glass

Flowers for Algernon, The Call of the Wild, Island of the Blue Dolphins, The Help, The Martian, Artemis, Game of Thrones, Sherlock Holmes

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I fell in love once. It destroyed me but I'd do it again.

Teach, Learn, Share

Looking to learn more Dutch. Not many folks are in need of learning English but I am always game to have a conversation that helps someone practice.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Cooking, a round of drinks, entrance fees to museums,

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Costa Rica, France, Iceland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Taiwan

Countries I’ve Lived In

Netherlands, United States