CURRENT MISSION

Do what I can in this short time

ABOUT ME

I was born in Melbourne, Australia, and I had my first travelling experiences when I was 15 when I went on a student exchange to Japan for one year and lived with a Japanese host family, and went to a Japanese school. The family let me travel around the country on my own, and I discovered the freedom of it all. I travelled back to Japan when I graduated high school, and worked there for six months, then travelled Europe and lived in Europe for six months. After graduating university, I lived in Japan for several years, working a job that allowed me to travel, but that didn´t drive my passion. So I climbed down that tree, and started climbing the film production tree, and enrolled for more university(!) in Sydney, where I met my future wife. I then moved all my stuff from Tokyo to Shanghai (where she lived) and we set up a video production company (www.yubi-digital.com) together. She really complements my personality, encouraging me to take the plunge whenever I am uncertain how to take the next step. So, we went through a lot together, got married, had a beautiful daughter, bought an apartment in Shanghai, and generally enjoy life together (and separately).

Apart from my history, I am a very open and reliable person, willing to take risks when necessary, and always happy to discover more in life, rather than settle in the space that I know everything. I think I know some secrets about making things happen in my life, and creating, but I also don´t think I have everything worked out. I´m always looking for new possibilities, as so many times in life I´ve seen the curtains pulled back and discovered an entirely new facet.

PHILOSOPHY

I believe the world has a lot of amazing jewels within every culture, and I want to use my life to create understanding between cultures. Me understanding more about other cultures, and other people understand more about my culture.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

We have hosted several couchsurfers in Shanghai, taken them about.. given some local knowledge that you only get by living here.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I like the way CS creates access to so many new possiblities. One guy we hosted in Shanghai took us to a CS event at a local bar, and the first person I met turned out to be looking for a video production company in Shanghai, which is our business. I just love how meeting other open and generous people leads to new possibilities both personal and professional (for me it is all the same).

Interests

Scuba diving, skiing, skydiving, swimming, nature, hiking, philosophising, dancing, singing, languages, history, current affairs, anything that I enjoy I guess. Don´t necessarily rule anything out.

• culture
• singing
• dancing
• education
• yoga
• traveling
• hiking
• scuba diving
• skydiving
• skiing
• rock climbing
• swimming
• business
• teaching
• history
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

Too many questions here.. I feel like I´m on a job interview or a date..

Infinite Jest.. Crime and Punishment.. too many books
Films? Barry Lyndon, Peter Greenaway.. too many films

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

A Tibetan sky funeral.

When I was 19 and travelling in Tibet, we stayed in a monastery on a mountain. In the morning, before dawn, we climbed to the top of the mountain to catch the sun rise. We accidentally stumbled on a sky funeral. The priests cut up the deceased body on a stone circle, then suddenly about 50 vultures, flew in, landing in the circle and eating the flesh. It was beautiful, and certainly a way I would like to be recycled into the chain of life.

Teach, Learn, Share

The best knowledge I found was not from University, but elsewhere (although uni has its pros too).

Yoga. Ecstasy. Landmark Education. Have been most eye opening for me.

The biggest lesson I´ve learnt in life is to be responsible for your life, for how it is, and how it isn´t and how you can create it to be. Be responsible for the bad things that happen to you as much as the good things.

I´d like to learn more about creation in life. I feel I can create to a certain level, but I want to create more.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Brazil, China, Gambia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mali, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Qatar, San Marino, Senegal, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, China, France, Japan

•