Hi, everyone! I’m Nick.

I write this on the eve of my graduation ceremony as I’m planning a trip to Norway in early June. Today, I’ll be receiving my BA in Environmental Biology with a concentration in Music!

My identity really centers a lot around being a clarinet and piano player. I’ve dedicated so much of my life to creating community in the music groups (orchestras, wind bands) I care for so deeply. Performing/listening to music is a labor of love and it’s truly the way I connect with others <3. I’m a music educator, conductor, and composer/arranger and am taking a gap year deepen my skills to apply to graduate school.

I also studied Italian, Computer Science, and wrote my thesis on the Puerto Rican migratory experience post-Hurricane María. A lot of the work I want to look into for the future is in the sociology of music organizations, bilingual music education , and Puerto Rican cultural studies.

I would probably describe myself as mildly chaotic and extroverted, hence why I love a drawn-out intimate pregame and a night of techno trance at the club. I’m a tiny trinket hoarder and terrible at cooking, but learning slowly. My favorite art movement right now is graffiti/street art because of the value it adds to a city and how by listening to the walls as an outsider, you can understand what people in the city are attuned to.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Though I have very little experience with Couchsurfing, the platform strikes me because I love to interact with others far beyond a surface level, especially in contexts like traveling. I feel like I’ve been trying to grapple with what an *ethical* tourist is lately (whatever that means). I think it definitely partly involves critically engaging with the surrounding community and seeing it through new eyes that are free from bias and judgment. That’s all to say, I hope the experiences I have on this platform are infused with cultural detail and are stimulating & exciting for both me and the host equally.

Music, Movies, and Books

Ratatouille, anything Studio Ghibli, whatever Michel Foucault wrote, The Godfather (ok for the music), Cinema Paradiso, BAD BUNNY, Karol G, y Rosalía, Annalisa, Toni Morrison

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Got to perform at Carnegie Hall (twice)

Countries I’ve Visited

England, France, Italy, Puerto Rico

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States