I am a TEFL teacher and freelance illustrator who has done artwork for bands such as Counting Coins and Bud Sugar, magazines such as Viva Vaping and Delta Quadrant, and events such as the Hull Heard Solidarity gigs. I also help to organise music events, such as an annual one-day music festival I started in memory of a friend who passed away.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To help me to travel cheaply, meet new people, have new experiences, and to help others do the same.

Interests

• animals
• writing
• partying
• politics
• board games
• traveling
• juggling
• poker
• music
• hiking
• people
• illustration

Music, Movies, and Books

MUSIC: All sorts, including Asian Dub Foundation, King Prawn, Capdown, Rage Against the Machine, Senser, System of a Down, Inner Terrestrials, Gogol Bordello, Levellers, New Model Army, Dead Kennedies, Gentle Mystics, 65 Days of Static, Matisyahu, Alkaline Trio, Dresden Dolls, Emilie Autumn, Akala, Damian Marley, Incubus, Nirvana, Bush, Ed Cox

MOVIES: All sorts, including Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Little Shop of Horrors, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Alien, Waking Life, The Nines, Thirteenth Floor, Mr. Nobody, Ink, Labyrinth, Dark Crystal, This is England, American History X, Full Metal Jacket, Amelie, Pan's Labyrinth, Life of Brian, Donnie Brasco, Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas, Team America: World Police, Brazil, Borat, Bad Grandpa, documentaries (particularly like John Pilger documentaries)

BOOKS: Mainly non-fiction, such as Noam Chomsky's books, Robert Anton Wilson's books, Flat Earth News, Killing Hope, Prime Chaos, Anne Frank's diary and biographies such as those of Stanley "Tookie" Williams and Che Guevara.
Don't read fiction often but some that I've liked include The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, the Discworld series, American Gods, The Dice Man, Vurt, Interview with a Vampire, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, Trainspotting, 1984

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

In the summer of 2011, I spent 12 weeks hiking the length of mainland Britain, from John O'Groats to Land's End, wild camping along the way, to raise money for the charity Water Aid.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, France, Germany, Iraq, Ireland, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Spain, United States, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

England, Iraq, Scotland