CURRENT MISSION

Trying to Discover Europe over the next couple weeks before must fly back to U.S.

ABOUT ME

I'm currently finishing up a study abroad program based at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Upon my completion I plan on coach-surfing Europe wherever I may afford to do so before I must return to the United States on the 29th of July... Until then I'm just trying to meet new people, discover new places, and soak in the European culture.

I'm a very polite, open-minded and easy going guy who is all about having new experiences and interacting with people from cultures, countries and backgrounds different than my own.

PHILOSOPHY

Try to maximize the amount of joy in the world while minimizing the amount of pain or suffering. Listen to any idea with a completely open mind, immerse yourself in any culture as if it were your own; and generally try to grow into as good and great a person as you may.

Life is a garden that must be cultivated to the best of our abilities- not left to go to the weeds or to be sold.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

While I have only recently learned about this project as a result of searching for affordable housing while abroad, I fully intend to offer my home to other couch-surfers upon my return to the U.S.; and in an effort to establish a good name for couchsurfers I fully intend to honor the courtesy of whomever may take me in by participating in whatever activities my guest would ask of me and making sure to pitch in and contribute as much as I can in order to be a good guest. Beyond being a good guest and offering my homes to others, I hope to be able to spread the name of couch surfers by being a good ambassador to the project throughout my travels abroad.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have couchsurfed with families in both Costa Rica and Panama after graduating early from high school to travel Latin America, and I'm still very close with both host families. I have also couch surfed throughout the Rocky Mountains during my backpacking adventures and while on a winter break in Hawaii a year ago. I also plan on couch surfing with a friend I'm acquired in Geneva, Switzerland for a week before he must depart for his own foreign travels.
The couch surfing that I've enjoyed the most are the events that I've experience where I've been traveling with a person or a group as part of a boat or bus ride, only to become good enough friends by the end of the trip that I've been invited to stay with them. One such instance in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica resulted in me staying in beach-side condo for two weeks even after the owners had returned to their home cities as we made such a connection while traveling that I became a de-facto member or their family.

Interests

I love outdoor sports and any activity that takes place outside. I'm also really into history so I'm all about museums and historical locations, stories, etc... I'm also very interested in politics and international affairs (kind of a love/hate relationship) so I really enjoy discussing current events and international politics with those from different cultures and countries than the U.S.

Overall, I'm very interested in discovering different cultures and sharing ideas with those from different backgrounds. I'm very open-minded and friendly and I just like to have a good time and broaden my horizons and experiences in general.

• culture
• coach
• flying
• gardening
• boating
• politics
• traveling
• outdoor activities
• backpacking
• surfing
• sports
• history
• study abroad
• beaches
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Books: Voltaire, Eric Schlosser, George Orwell, Ishmael, Candide, Into the Wild, Be Here Now, Siddhartha, Brave New World, Vonnegut, Cormac McCarthy, Steinbeck, Thoreau, Mumia Abu-Jamal, Dan Brown

Music: Anything that brings good vibes, has good instrumentals or nice beats. Life uplifting songs rather than violent or angry ones.

Movies: I like a lot of documentaries to bring truth to you or make you think. Same with fictional movies, whether they be satirical, comedic, or very serious. La Haine, City of God, Death to Smoochy, all come to mind...

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

There's no one thing: Life is too diverse and special... Just having been blessed with meeting and knowing great people whom I love and make any experience worth living.

Teach, Learn, Share

If you go about things honestly and with good intentions, life usually seems to reward you- typically when you least expect it.

Be easy.

Those who accomplish great things do not gripe over what they would need to accomplish such feats; they think of how they may accomplish such feats with the means that they have.

Countries I’ve Visited

Mexico, Panama, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

Costa Rica, United States

•