CURRENT MISSION

Figuring our what I want to be when I grow up

ABOUT ME

I'm an observer, I'm very curious. I like to learn about most anything, especially people and what they're up to and makes them tick. I'm a little shy, perhaps a little too cautious, but I'm aware of this and try and get myself out of my comfort zone often.

I notice that when I travel, these aspects of me get ramped up... I notice things even more, probably because I'm out of my routine... I tend to find myself thinking about my big picture, the world's big pictures, interconnection, consciousness, etc.

I think in the end, this is why I like to travel, even on a road trip, more than such worthy goals as "seeing the Himalayas". It seems like the latter is a trick to get us to the former, and I'm all for it.

PHILOSOPHY

Life is what happens when you're making other plans. So I try not to force it... see where it goes, what comes up, and to be open to it.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I tend to connect to culture, people, and places through food. It's what I know best, and it's so easy to connect, make friends, learn, share, and even be a little risky with food.

But I also just like to walk around, watch people doing their thing in their own places, participate when I am invited and welcome, or just pass through quietly and inconspicuously when I am not. Of course, one always hopes to be invited, but it's not always that simple or easy.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

None! Just a few friends who have had good experiences. I can afford to stay in hotels, I would just prefer to make friends, learn about places from a local's opinionated perspective rather than from Lonely Planet or TripAdvisor (not that there's anything wrong with those, they just can only get you so far).

Most of my best travel stories start with "so I accidentally met this guy/gal/family/driver/farmer/cop/etc and asked them about where I should go to eat/see music/watch the sunset" ... but I have to-date left these things to chance and my nerve at approaching strangers in strange lands.

Seems like Couch Surfing is a great short-cut!

Interests

Food! (Slow Food!) Cooking! Buddhism. Fringe Science. Farmers' Markets. Biking, walking, photography (enthusiastic amateur). Computers/Internet (I program websites in free-software for a living, mostly).

• arts
• culture
• photography
• dining
• cooking
• cocktails
• farmers' market
• walking
• technology
• traveling
• music
• cycling
• surfing
• buddhist
• science
• software

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I rode the worlds most crowded train in Bombay, specifically because I love trains, and I wanted to ride that one before I died. It was a little bit scary, and a lot bit fun. 14 people per square meter, they say. How, I don't understand.

Teach, Learn, Share

I am a good amateur cook. I am handy with tools. I can teach computers, especially web tech. I am decent behind a camera. I can fix things and build things. I know cocktail and making thereof pretty well.

I want to learn more about cooking, more about construction skills. More about photography and art-making (I used to be an artist before I was a web nerd).

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Estonia, Finland, India, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands

Countries I’ve Lived In

Italy, United States