CURRENT MISSION

To learn and grow, spread beauty and wonder.

ABOUT ME

My dream atmosphere is a dimly lit room or outside terrasse, a guitar, some comfortable chairs, and good eats. Some tea, coffee, wine or beer, interesting people sitting 'round, sharing stories, and talking the night away.

I'm simply a student that wants to travel before university, discover and learn. I've always got different ideas tossing around in my head, and find it useful to develop them with others. I find I am a relaxed person that adapts well to most environments, so I need very little. I want to test my will-power and motivation to teach myself math, literature and random skills while I travel.

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Random facts:

- I'm not a fan of dairy products! I'll eat yogourt, ice cream, and of course put cream in my coffee, but I don't like plain cheese, butter (not even on sandwiches/toast), or milk. I'll eat melted cheese (garlic butter, pizza, Parmesan on spaghetti), but not much else.

- I never get bored. Doesn't exist.

- I solve Rubik's Cubes (though slowly).

PHILOSOPHY

Have you ever had someone tell you: “You think too much” ? The most recent person to have told me this said I rely too much on thought in my every day life; instead, I should do what I feel like at the moment, and simply go with it.

Perhaps such a state of being is a peaceful solution to living: it is sure to grant you at least some happiness, and sure to make you grow and learn from your mistakes in diverse ways. Consider school, though. Suppose you weren’t forced (in one way or another) to go to school as a child, and instead gave into easy childhood pleasures. While you would have a wealth of experience others didn’t have, you would be greatly stunted in the ability to learn. Learning seems to me to be a fundamental requirement for life and accomplishing whatever it is you want to do. Going to school may not be fun now, but if it serves your overall direction, it will provide a greater and more encompassing sense of satisfaction. Most of us are not angry with our parents for forcing us to go to school, because knowledge serves our overall purpose. In truth, subordinating immediate gratification for a greater value is ultimately fulfilling and liberating. Those who rely on acting impulsively often don’t know what they want or don’t know how to get there: they have never learned the value of commitment and dedicated work, or don’t know what they value.

This sense of direction is determined by our childhood experiences. In no way do I suggest that parents should force their children to immediately subordinate pleasure for work and accomplishment. On the contrary, they should encourage free choice among their children, but also allow them to accept the consequences. Such a process allows the children to understand cause and effect in the real world: by directly experiencing the consequences of their actions, they learn to weigh their options and think critically. In doing so, rather than being taught to work toward a greater goal, they learn it themselves and grow to appreciate it. People who experienced inconsistent parenting in childhood and had disrupted lives often do not feel delaying pleasure is worthwhile, because an opportunity can so easily be lost. Rather, they scrounge to satisfy themselves in various ways, such as with money or romantic and sexual relationships.

Most of us have learned to delay pleasure for one purpose or another. However, in order for us to properly weigh the consequences of our actions, we must know exactly what we value. We can only weigh these consequences relative to some scale, and this scale is dictated by our goals, dreams and hopes, which are under direct influence of our values. If, for instance, we desire a happy and peaceful life, money or “societal success” cannot be one of our values. Money is only temporarily and easily satisfying: we always want more, and it can easily be lost or lose value. Furthermore, acquiring large sums of money often requires moral flexibility, and a history of lies and deceit will prevent us from feeling at peace with ourselves. We cannot actually acquire or determine happiness or peace by outside means: no one can “complete” us, give us something or achieve something for us that will make us happy – no one can make you happy. The responsibility is exclusively ours. What will allow one person peace will not necessarily work for another; these feelings are subject to our own values. Thus, the first thing we must do is determine what we value and how we define success for ourselves.

And that leads us back to thinking – knowing what we value is knowing ourselves, and self-knowledge requires the immense effort, courage and self-discipline to think about and analyze our self. If we care for ourselves, we will have the discipline to make time for taking care of ourselves and growing. The sense of being a valuable person – one worth caring for – is once again acquired during childhood, and it is a direct result of parental love and time dedicated by parents.

I think this is a fair representation of how I think, which would best allow you perceive how I live my life and my personal philosophy. I think most things are worth thinking about. Most people are closed to thinking and admitting wrongness; they take challenge to their lifestyles defensively. Why? Admitting total wrongness and clueless about life frees you to learn. Life is suffering, but once we admit that it ultimately leads us to growth, how can it be suffering?

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I hope to stay and be a fantastic house guest. I would love to cook and clean for my hosts to repay their hospitality. I want to teach and learn as much as I can.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

None, yet!

Interests

Cycling, literature, math, physics, traveling, music (I play guitar and cello and like classic rock).

• literature
• acting
• beauty
• cooking
• wine
• cheese
• beer
• coffee
• working out
• news
• traveling
• poker
• music
• guitar
• cycling
• swimming
• teaching
• history
• mathematics
• physics
• science

Music, Movies, and Books

The Little Prince (St-Exupery)
Dracula (Stoker)
Catcher in the Rye (Salinger)
Godel, Escher, Bach (Hofstadter)
Gandhi : The Story of My Experiments With Truth (Gandhi)
Einstein, The Life and Times (Clark)
The Count of Monte Cristo (Dumas)
The Pleasure of Finding Things Out (Feynman)
The Gambler (Dostoevsky)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I don't think you can qualify a single moment as amazing, since the process that lead you to this moment is equally valuable. If you work out an amazing mathematical proof, is the amazing moment the point where you nearly abandon hope; when you glimpse the answer; when you work the answer out; when you announce the news to your colleagues; when you accept an award?

I played poker for a few years and learned much from it. I never invested in it, and quit a mediocre player that had developed a lot in all aspects of mind. Poker allowed me a very fast, short-lived lifestyle that may interest some.

I've come close to death a couple of times: in my youth, swimming in the ocean; on my bike, to dumb drivers.

I excel at academics.

The most amazing thing is breathing.

Teach, Learn, Share

I tutored English formally for a year and a half at my college; I tutor mathematics (basic integral and differential calculus and linear algebra); I have a basic knowledge of physics.
I like to cook (though I am by no means trained), play guitar, cycle, play Starcraft or poker.
I did theatre for ten years, enjoy and seek wisdom in literature, and I can explain basic literary techniques and analysis.

I am currently learning nunchucku and cooking.

I would love to share any of this with anyone. In fact, I am traveling because I want to exchange knowledge with others and develop new abilities. If you are interested in science but have had a limited exposure to it, I would greatly enjoy teaching you. If you like English literature but don't at all understand it, we could discuss it at length. Mutual benefit.

Countries I’ve Visited

France, Netherlands, Poland

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada

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