CURRENT MISSION

Figuring out what open-mindedness, pluralism, and pragmatism can really be like and how useful they might be for living richer, more conscious, more empowered lives

ABOUT ME

I spent seventeen years in school, and by the end I loved it and it was something I knew how to do well.
For this reason, I'm taking a break before applying to graduate school because I want to find out what other possibilities life has to offer.
I spent almost a year in Southeast Asia and India, teaching English and exploring Buddhism and the radically different perspective on life over there. The last year I spent as a research assistant in a science education lab, with a handful of other projects (learning Ancient Greek, reading philosophy, &c.)
I don't have much patience with small talk and I try to be blunt, but I believe kindness is very important.
I want to learn everything I can about how the world works but especially how people work.

PHILOSOPHY

I'm obsessed with living well to the point of a neurosis, but it is worth it, because I am enjoying my life tremendously and I am enjoying the world even more.
I believe it's possible to live well regardless of circumstances, but in some situations it is much easier to do so. Living well is not coextensive with living happily, but happiness contributes considerably to wellness. I would like to do something to press the world towards a shape where it is easier for more people to live well.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

When I lived in Chiang Mai in 2009-2010, I was part of the local couchsurfing community there. I'd like to host people when my housemates are away and won't be bothered, and I'd like to meet people when I travel.

Interests

interesting character studies, grokking, human motivation, books, words, compassion, philosophy, social psychology, positive psychology, undead languages, metaphorical demons, keeping a wary eye on my definitions, building castles in the air and wooden ladders to reach them, admiring other people's castles-in-the-air, rambles, new ideas that shine, perfectly horrid weather, friendly monsters, eudaimonia, huge maps, shoulds, woulds, travel, purpose, ballooning spiders

• books
• singing
• education
• politics
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• buddhist
• swimming
• cartography
• teaching
• history
• languages
• psychology
• religion
• science

Music, Movies, and Books

Irish music, Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Beatles

William James, Virginia Woolf, Plato, W. H. Auden, William Saroyan, Oscar Wilde, Shakespeare, Leo Tolstoy, Jonathan Safran Foer, , Elizabeth Bishop, Conrad Aiken.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Once, swimming off the coast of Mexico, I put my head under the water and heard the grey whales singing.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach people about philosophy, psychology, or problem-solving strategies, or help them improve their English if it's not their native language.

I'd love to learn new languages, learn about religions, local flora and fauna, or history, or politics, or best of all any new way of looking at the world. I'd really love a chance to practice my German.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Slovenia, United Kingdom, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Thailand