I used to work in consulting and diplomacy but am now a master’s student studying political science. I was born in London and grew up in California, and I went to New York for undergrad where I studied music theory and mathematics. I like to travel, meet new people, and talk about history, politics, culture, transportation, and more.

In my free time, I enjoy watching films, reading, writing, riding trains, and other rather sedentary activities, though I occasionally also enjoy more active things, like biking and hiking.

You can find most of my academic work on my website: vishnubachani.com

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To learn about other people and the world. Couchsurfing is a unique way to meet people you probably wouldn’t otherwise, and the gift economy aspect of it is also very appealing.

Interests

• history
• trains
• charcuterie
• music theory
• marxism
• wagner

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Wagner, Bruckner, Mahler, Radiohead, Meshuggah, Gerry Mulligan, John Kirby, Massive Attack

Movies: The Ninth Configuration, My Dinner with Andre, Threads, Queimada, État de siège, Koyaanisqatsi

Books: Marshall Tuttle, Andre Vltchek, Michael Parenti, Torkil Lauesen

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I've traveled to every single station on the London Underground, Mexico City Metro, and others, and I have fun facts about many metros and metro stations around the world.

Teach, Learn, Share

I’m always happy to learn about other languages and share bits of my own: my undergraduate thesis was about (musical) grammar, so languages are quite interesting to me. If you know what a proparoxytone is, then we have similar levels of linguistic nerdiness.

Apart from that I can teach music theory, (Western music) history, and the history of communism.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Public transportation trivia, all your musicological questions answered, Marxist perspectives on current events and international politics.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, England, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Italy, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Mauritania, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Scotland, Senegal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State, Venezuela

Countries I’ve Lived In

England, India, Mexico, United States