CURRENT MISSION: Connect with other good people, Read good books, and See the World in all its diversity and beauty.

ABOUT ME

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” - Mark Twain

After graduating from college in Colorado in 2007, I bought a one-way-ticket to Hawaii. I didn't know a single person there, I didn't have a job, and I didn't have a place to stay. I brought a tent to sleep in, clothes to wear, and my own two feet to get me where I wanted to go. "You have brains in your head, and feet in your shoes. You can go any direction you choose!" I got a job at vegan juice and smoothie bar, worked four days a week, and had the best time of my life. Hawaii has beautiful beaches, and beautiful people. It is everything it's cracked up to be, and more. Much, much more.

In the last ten years, I have lived in 11 different cities in eight different states in five different time zones. I have attended nine different colleges, and had dozens of different jobs.

I thrive on travel. There is no substitute for the insight, knowledge, and perspective gained from meeting a variety of people and experiencing different cultures.

The song that best describes me and my worldview is "I Cannot Settle Down," by Peter Bradley Adams:

"Somewhere in this lonely world
There is a place where I belong.
And I have seen its fields and streams
They have been revealed in my dreams.
But you see I cannot settle down.
There's just too much left unfound.
I keep drifting like a cloud
On the wind, on the wind."

PHILOSOPHY

To those who possess open minds, eager hearts, and a love for adventure: You shan't be disappointed.
To everyone else: You needn't squander my time.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I absolutely loved hosting couch surfers at my apartment in Denver. When I had a full-time job and couldn't travel, hosting couch surfers was great because the travelers came to me! Now, I am just moving into a new home! I plan to make it a Couch Surfing Paradise!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have only hosted fellow couch surfers thus far. When I moved to Hawaii and didn't know a single person there, I met some awesome people in the first 24 hours who had also recently moved there. We decided that we'd be stronger together, so we joined forces. None of us had a couch to offer, but what we did have, we shared. Food, vehicles, newfound information, time, and energy... it was all given and received generously. We helped each other through those first few weeks while getting our own feet on the ground. It was hard work, and great fun. Although that wasn't technically through the CS network, I think it should still qualify.

Interests

This guy, his story, and his worldview are of interest to me: https://vimeo.com/120206922
"I want to choose a mind and a soul that's wide awake."
"I want to be aware of every day that I'm alive." Yes yes yes. A thousand times yes. Jed-- if you're reading this, let's be friends.

• animals
• books
• theater
• vegan
• organic food
• yoga
• walking
• reading
• traveling
• cars
• dumpster diving
• music
• live music
• guitar
• hiking
• camping
• teaching
• sign language
• hitchhiking
• language exchange
• beaches
• learning languages
• intentional communities
• couchsurfing
• communication
• vegan food
• veganism
• asl
• american sign language
• vegan cooking
• teaching english
• vanlife

Music, Movies, and Books

Books: "Into The Wild," non-fiction in general, especially travel writing. "Oh, The Places You'll Go!" Anything by SARK, and everything by Brian Andreas.

Movies: Into the Wild, GMO OMG, Dive!, Tiny- A Story About Living Small, MILK, The US vs. John Lennon, Forks Over Knives, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Office Space, Fat Sick and Nearly Dead, Stranger Than Fiction. I adore documentaries.

Favorite TV Shows: Parks and Recreation, Scrubs, Planet Earth, Switched at Birth (so much American Sign Language in that show!)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

In the summer of 2014, I read a fascinating article about a guy who was walking around the world. Literally walking-- with his feet. His name was (and still is!) Andrew Siess. He had been to lots of far away countries, and had some incredible experiences. In the article, I learned that he had grown up in a town near where I was spending the summer, and I learned that he was returning home for a brief period. After a few online searches and clicks, I found an email address. I wrote to him and said, essentially, "Hey! I think you're really neat. I am currently living near you. Let's meet up and be friends!" He wrote back, and said he would be happy to meet me.

Unfortunately, our schedules didn't line up. A few months later, I left the region, without having met him.

Nearly 12 months later... I returned to the area. On a whim, I again sent him a message. I thought chances were slim that he would even be in the same hemisphere as me. To my delight, he was in the area. He said that he was working two jobs, saving up money to go on another Big Adventure. Because of his busy work schedule, he said it would probably be difficult for us to schedule time together. On a whim, he added that he and some of his friends were going camping the upcoming weekend, June 17th, 2015. He invited me to join them.

I got his message on the 15th. The event began about 48 hours later, in a town I couldn't pronounce and had never even heard of, located 199 miles away. I had never met him, and I had no idea what kind of other people would be there. This is all I knew about the event: there would be a camp fire, there'd be a stream with live fish near by, some people would be playing live music, and there was absolutely no internet or cell service.

Yes. That is my kind of party.

I told Ali, my adventurous cousin- comrade- copilot (and current roommate, and fellow couch-surfer), about this invitation, and it wasn't hard to convince her to join me. We packed a tent, and some food and water, and hit the road. The directions he had emailed to me didn't seem to make any sense to us at first, but we didn't let that stop us.

Using my fingernail as a tool to find the relative distance between landmarks on the map, we found the camp. We were immediately greeted with warm welcomes from total strangers. We went hiking with our new friends and their barefoot-toddler-children. We were serenaded by Andrew's magnificent violin music around the campfire. The lights of the fireflies comforted and soothed us. The weekend was spectacular. With no pre-conceived notions whatsoever, I suppose it would make sense that our expectations were far surpassed.

Times like these restore my faith in humanity.

Here is a recent article written about Andrew. He references Couch Surfing a few times! http://www.startribune.com/world-walker-takes-it-all-in-stride/340960011/

And here is his website. It's rife with fascinating videos and writings about his journey. http://andrewsgreatadventure.com/

Teach, Learn, Share

I would like to learn how to play the guitar, and I would like to improve my Spanish. And I want to practice my dumpster-diving skills! If you can help me with any of these goals, let me know!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can share stories, language teaching and learning skills, hugs, and a helping hand with whatever needs to be done to keep the household up and running.

Countries I’ve Visited

Mexico, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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