CURRENT MISSION

Continue to explore Europe and other parts of the world, meeting strangers and making friends along the way

ABOUT ME

I was born and raised in Maine, USA but I've been able to get around and see a bit of Europe, South America, Oceania, Asia, and Africa. That, of course, gave me a huge travel bug that I truly hope will never go away! I love experiencing new places of the world and forming friendships with people in all corners of the globe.

PHILOSOPHY

I live my life, as I imagine most people do, in pursuit of happiness and peace of mind. I try to do things that I enjoy and that I can look back on with great memories.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I'm hoping to meet as many amazing locals as possible during my travels by surfing instead of just booking hostels. I have not hosted yet, but I plan to do so when my situation allows for it. For now my home life is just a bit too busy to be a proper host.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Only done it a few times, but each time has been a truly enriching experience. The connections and memories that you make with people stay with you for a lifetime, even if you don't stay in contact. It's also nice to have a friendly local host who can fill you in on all of the local secrets that you would never discover as a regular traveler.

Interests

I don't get to do it enough but I really like woodworking when I get the chance. My father is a boat building instructor in Maine so sometime I get to sneak in and use his shop to start a small project.

Also, cooking. I love trying to whip up new things in the kitchen, even if I have no clue what I'm doing. I had a tradition with my sister where we would get together for the holidays and plan huge holiday feasts then spend two days cooking for our 3-person family meals. I also organize a Cooking Club for international students in Leiden.

We have intense winters in Maine so from that I have developed a love for snowboarding. My travels have prevented me from doing it for a few years. I miss it so much.

I have a passion for nature and sunsets so any time I am adventuring through a foreign country or exploring distant lands I completely fall in love with the place if it hosts beautiful, natural scenery.

• folklore
• cooking
• instructor
• clubbing
• boating
• shopping
• traveling
• woodworking
• surfing
• snowboarding
• astronomy
• physics

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Good Will Hunting, About Time, anything by Hayao Miyazaki, the list goes on and on

Books: Tolkien in general, Alice in Wonderland, Tao of Physics, Infinite Jest, Ender series

Music: Recently I have been getting into island music. I listen to a lot of bands from New Zealand: Fat Freddy's Drop, The Black Seeds, Sola Rosa, etc

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

The first thing that pops into my head is the sunset and the night sky. Sure sure, everyone can see those, but the most amazing sights I've seen is the sunset and the stars from the top of Cerro Tololo, a mountain in Chile that hosts an astronomy observatories. The sky is absolutely crystal clear from up there.

Also: New Zealand. ALL of it.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach a bit about physics and astronomy, my subjects of study. If you like to cook, I might be able to teach you something around the kitchen.

I can always learn more about cooking, woodworking, farming, exploring, city life, country life, people, cultures, and world views.

I am always willing share a great experience with anyone who has a passion for adventure.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Morocco, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Spain, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Chile, France, Netherlands, New Zealand, United States