Travis Jones

Travis Jones

Current Mission: "To spread the values of communication, cooperation, and friendship to everyone I meet."

Personal Designations

Couch available Vouched for2
Nicaragua
Leon
El Sauce
Lat: 12.88695, Lon: -86.53806
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General Information

Travis Jones has been vouched for
VERIFIED MEMBER Name and Address Locked more info
Couch availableYes
CouchSurf requests replied to100%
member sinceFebruary 16th, 2007
profile views739
age24
genderMale
membernameJONETRAV
occupationPeace Corps Agriculture Volunteer
educationMany years of primary school and secondary school, Undergrad at the University of Michigan
grew up inAnn Arbor, MI, USA
Direct Profile URL

Languages

  • English (United States)Expert
  • SpanishIntermediate

Groups I Belong To

Ann Arbor 418:2425
Why: I live in Ann Arbor
Detroit Couch Crash Planning Group 72:312
Why: I wanna help plan!
Michigan 2083:391
Why: because Michigan is my home!
Peace Corps and International Service Organizations 580:205
Why: PCV Nicaragua, 2009-2011!
Active in 1 more groups.
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Couch Information


     << CouchSurf with Travis Jones!    

Couch picture

Couch Available: Yes
Preferred Gender: Any
Max Surfers Per Night: 2

Shared Sleeping Surface: Depends
Shared Room: Depends

a tijera (scissor-like saco-bed), a hammock, or in my bed, complete with a 2-inch foam mattress and cat (with or without me, depending on your preferences).

I am currently living in the rural campo setting of Los Panales, north of El Sauce, Leon. My house consists of Don Jacinto and Dona Petrona, two of their daughters, who both have between one and three kids, another daughter's four children (who's off working in Managua but comes to visit every once in a while), a few other random kids, and the occasional son who drops by to visit, with or without his own children. Lots of kids, a few teenagers, several young adults, and then the older folks. Never a dull moment at my place!

I share my little casita with two boys, both of the age of 15 and share a room, and I have the other room. I have a full-sized bed, and there is an extra saco-bed (called a tijera, or scissors) that we can pull out for you, or you can sleep in the hammock that I will soon be buying. the hammock will probably be outside, but it's hot and dry enough that mosquitos only come out for the month of October. If there are two of you, you can have my bed and I'll sleep in the hammock or tijera.

Life in the Campo is very laid back and relaxed. the kids spend most of their free time playing trompo (spin-top) or (unfortunately) watching tv. the boys are really into Dragonball Z. the whole family watches the novelas. I don't watch much tv, myself. Reading and listening to music, or going out and playing baseball or soccer is enough for me.

as for transportation, there is only one bus that comes by my house, and it departs from El Sauce daily at 7am and at noon. the bus to Achuapa passes nearby, but it's another 1.5 km or so to my house. But if I know you're coming I can meet you out there with a bicycle, and it's really not too bad a ride. there's also a hotel in El Sauce you can stay at for pretty cheap too, in case you get in and wanna wait till the next day to take the bus.

I'm also down to meet up in El Sauce or Leon if you're not so interested about campo life, and we can do some awesome volcano boarding or hiking or whatever. Good times abound in Nicaragua, and life is cheap! Safe travels, and hope to see you soon!

Oh yeah, forgot to mention, there are also lots of dogs, two cats, a whole heap of chickens and the occasional cow or horse, so if animals aren't your thing, I'd stay away from the campo. We wake up early and go to bed early, too, so if you don't like rising and setting with the sun, again, stay away from the campo. We have a bucket bath and fancy manual pump well for water, complete with clorination. Hasn't given me diharrea yet, so hopefully it won't for you either. Nobody smokes, and nobody really drinks either (except for the drunks), so if you're down for that kinda stuff, meet me in Leon and we can talk.

Friends (48)

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World map
Map of friends
Leslie PattersonLeslie Patterson
26, Female
Brooklyn, New York
United States
Friends since November 2008
"We're kindred spirits of sorts, I'd say "
Friendship Type: Best Friend
Met in person   Traveled10  
Erik JonesErik Jones
21, Male
Grand Rapids, Michigan
United States
Friends since November 1988
"My bro"
Friendship Type: Close Friend
Met in person  
Corin BlustCorin Blust
22, Female
Ann Arbor, Michigan
United States
"we were roommates"
Greg Woods Greg Woods
25, Male
Washington, D. C.
United States
Friends since November 2004
"Through friends from college"
Friendship Type: Good Friend
Met in person  
Pieter HogoboomPieter Hogoboom
25, Male
Telica, Leon
Nicaragua
Friends since May 2009
"Fellow Peace Corps Volunteer"
Friendship Type: Friend
Met in person  
Laura RosbrowLaura Rosbrow
24, Female
San Francisco, California
United States
Friends since September 2006
"We were in the coops together in Ann Arbor"
Friendship Type: Friend
Met in person  
Derek PetersonDerek Peterson
22, Male
Ann Arbor, Michigan
United States
Friends since January 2008
"We work together."
Friendship Type: Acquaintance
Met in person  
Shannon Tubb Shannon Tubb
30, Female
Ann Arbor, Michigan
United States
Friends since September 2005
"I was a staff member at ICC-Ann Arbor while he was a member and president."
Friendship Type: Friend
Met in person  
VITAILLEVITAILLE
22, Female
Ann Arbor, Michigan
United States
Friends since September 2002
"Good ol' high school and indoor soccer"
Friendship Type: Friend
Met in person  
Sammi LonsdaleSammi Lonsdale
19, Female
Livonia, Michigan
United States
Friends since June 2008
"Met on OKC last year"
Friendship Type: Good Friend
Met in person  
38 more friends
     << CouchSurf with Travis Jones!    

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Travis Jones
Me and my kitty, Dulcinea!
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Personal Description

Well, Mr. World Traveler is now an official Volunteer for the United States Peace Corps! I am serving in the Agricultural program in a super-rural area of Nicaragua, teaching kids about vegetable gardens, reforestry techniques, food processing, english and dancing. Also working with a local sesame seed co-op to help improve their organizational structure and utilize their group capital. Hope to soon be working with a women's group in the area to help build ovens out of barrels, bricks and horse crap, maybe even do some commercialization projects! Hell, we might even start a Green Market here in El Sauce, the sky's the limit! Come visit and see all the cool stuff going on in the Campo of Nicaragua!

I love traveling, meeting new people, and helping out with projects (yeah, that sounds strange, but it's true!). I also love taking pictures, making music, chilling out, cooking and doing dishes. I'm a strange guy, maybe, but I'm super-friendly and I love hearing other peoples' perspectives. What do you think?

How I Participate in CS

When not doing official volunter stuff for Peace Corps, I'm all about Surfing, hosting, planning/attending local group events, facilitating surfers in the pursuit of Rocking Out.

World Visitor Map

CouchSurfing Experience

Surfed in Amsterdam, Vienna, Berlin, Bonn Germany, and Ghent Belgium last summer. Over the past couple of months, surfed domestically in Charlotte, Charleston, Savannah, Athens (GA), Terlingua (TX), Santa Fe, Flagstaff, and Prescott (AZ), Tucson and San Diego. Keep it comin!!

Also, despite Ann Arbor's lack of a tourism industry I have hosted one group of four student/travelers from Japan, South Korea, Brazil and South Africa, respectively. All great times, all great people! I am a CS ADDICT!!

Interests

- The Cooperative Movement (check out the ICA or NCBA websites for more info, or just buy me a beer)
- Music of all kinds (listening, learning, creating)
- Macintosh computers
- Movies (netflix is beginning to control my life...)
- Whatever your interests are...

Philosophy

Do what you love, don't take shit, believe in yourself, think outside the box, connect the dots, live every day as if it were your last.

Music, Movies, Books

I love movies, I've seen way too many. I also love music of all types and sorts. If you have movies or artists/songs that you love, I can probably recommend a movie or artist that you haven't heard before and you'll love it!

Types of People I enjoy

Friendly, open, communicative people. People who have interesting stories or live interesting lives. Pretty much anyone that isn't an asshole.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach anyone who's interested how to start a Co-op. Does your community need something that it doesn't have access to or could be provided more affordably? Start a Co-op!

Locations Traveled

TRAVELED: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Ghana, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States
LIVED: Italy

References

 
     Leave a Reference >>    
Donny and Brooke 
From Donny and Brooke
 Peachtree City, United States
 Oct 8
Met in person Friend, Surfed 3 days  
Positive

Our time staying with Travis at his host family's was great! Working with him at a school, eating his "mom"s delicious cooking and playing with the dozens of kids tramping through his yard, we had an excelent time. Thanks again Travis and we look forward to repaying the courtesy someday!

Trina Vila 
From Trina Vila
 Fontana, United States
 Mar 11
Met in person Friend, Surfed 1 days  
Positive

Travis was very friendly and super chill dude. We shared a awesome night of bar hopping,pool games,and ended up on the beach playing ultimate frisbee. He even gave me a super sandy foot rub lol. I would surf with him again in a heartbeat.

Isabel Sorg
From Isabel Sorg
 Tucson, United States
 Mar 10
Met in person CouchSurfing Friend, Hosted 1 days  
Positive

Travis brought his buddy down to tucson for a night and they were the best first couch surfers i could have asked for! i do hope to see ya again, Travis! Bonne Voyage!

Victoria Flynn
From Victoria Flynn
 Charleston, United States
 Mar 6
Met in person CouchSurfing Friend, Hosted 2 days  
Positive

Technically my second couchsurfer :) Travis was cool, and I think his roadtrip is pretty awesome. I felt bad b/c I got busy and left him to himself a bit, but he was a good guest, and I enjoyed hosting him. Of course, welcome back whenever.

Annie Eby
From Annie Eby
 Santa Fe, United States
 Mar 3
Met in person CouchSurfing Friend, Hosted 3 days  
Positive

Was really fun to have Travis. He taught my housemates and I to play euchre, introduced us to some good Texan beer, and made us laugh a lot. Thanks for coming (and for the peanut butter, too).

Kelli OKeefe
From Kelli OKeefe
 Buena Vista, United States
 Mar 2
Met in person Hosted 3 days  
Positive

We had such a good time hosting Travis. He's a great person, and know that he will go very far. Enjoy the rest of your travels, and good luck in the peace corp!!

Heidi Pierce
From Heidi Pierce
 Flagstaff, United States
 Mar 1
Met in person CouchSurfing Friend, Hosted 2 days  
Positive

Travis was an awesome couchsurfer!! He hung out with us for Fat Tuesday and had a blast! I had many intellectual conversations. Had a great time while he was here!! Good luck on the rest of your travels.

Andrew Stowe 
From Andrew Stowe
 North Sandwich, United States
 Feb 23
Met in person Friend, Traveled 2 days 
Positive

Travis is a laid-back, fun guy. We chilled out over beers at the starlight, lit off some fireworks, and rocked out around the bonfire (need more Ramblin Man!) at Cynta's place in Terlingua. Hopefully we can meet up again farther on down the dusty trail.

Cynta de Narvaez 
From Cynta de Narvaez
 Terlingua, United States
 Feb 22
Met in person Good Friend, Hosted 4 days  
Positive

Travis is an absolute sweetheart. A delight of a man and a wonderful addition to our CS February convention.
Travis is always welcome here at my house in Terlingua.

Rachel Ulrich
From Rachel Ulrich
 Ann Arbor, United States
 Feb 21
Met in person  
Positive

I lived with Travis for a year in our co-op. He's great to spend time with and easy/relaxing to talk to.

PICHIPICONAUTA
From PICHIPICONAUTA
 Buenos Aires, Argentina
 Feb 20
Met in person CouchSurfing Friend,  
Positive

Travis is a great person. He is a good photographer, an amaissing geocasher, a wonderful company and a karaoke fanatic.
It was a lot of fun to dicover a little bit of Terlingua with him.

Ron Heilig
From Ron Heilig
 Savannah, United States
 Feb 18
Met in person CouchSurfing Friend, Hosted 2 days  
Positive

Travis is a man with fresh and youthful zeal to make the world a better place. We wish you the best in your travels!

INTREPID_TRAVELER 
From INTREPID_TRAVELER
 Charlotte, United States
 Jan 25
Met in person CouchSurfing Friend, Hosted 1 days  
Positive

Travis is a cool laid back guy. Only staid one night, but would definitly host again.

Cliff Williams 
From Cliff Williams
 Ann Arbor, United States
 Jan 15
Met in person CouchSurfing Friend,  
Positive

After seeing his posts on the group forum, and hearing about him from others, I finally got to meet Travis at his last meetup in Ann Arbor for quite some time. He is a nice fellow and I admire his willingness to join the Peace Corps and take some time off to road-trip around America. Good luck, have a blast and be safe!

Allyson Powell
From Allyson Powell
 Lynchburg, United States
 Jan 15
Met in person CouchSurfing Friend,  
Positive

Travis is very personable. He made me feel very welcome when I didn't know anyone and I really enjoyed my time spent with him.

Theresa&Christian 
From Theresa&Christian
 Muenster, Germany
 Jan 15
Met in person CouchSurfing Friend,  
Positive

I met Travis at several gatherings of the local Ann Arbor CS group. He hosted an awesome barbecue meet-up at his place and since then we've met at several occasions. He's an interesting, always friendly guy and has some exciting life plans right now. If you can meet him during his road trip, don't miss out on that! Good luck, Travis!

Raul Moz 
From Raul Moz
 Dowagiac, United States
 Oct 29, 2008
Met in person CouchSurfing Friend, Surfed 1 days  
Positive

I stayed one night at travis's home with more three friends. He and his mother are great people. His house is very beatiful and confortable, but they were the best part, always happy and friendly, they made me feel like at home. I am very glad for have known people like them. They are more than invited to stay in my house in brazil, whenever there is an opportunity. I know that Brasilia is not so interesting for turism, but I could help to find a place in some city kkk.

Franziska Boernicke
From Franziska Boernicke
 Hamburg, Germany
 Feb 13, 2008
Met in person Acquaintance,  
Positive

I would say he's one of the few people, that can really make the world a better place one day! Philosopher, Traveler, Organizer... Allround-Talent.

David Lamb 
From David Lamb
 Ann Arbor, United States
 Jan 25, 2008
Met in person Friend,  
Positive

I sat with Travis on the ICC board of directors. All my experiences with Travis have been great. He's honest and straight forward, up for good conversation and very interested in starting cooperative things everywhere. Overall, great guy.

Greg Woods 
From Greg Woods
 Washington, United States
 Jan 23, 2008
Met in person Good Friend,  
Positive

Travis is a good friend. He is always there to offer help and to have a good time.

James Perry
From James Perry
 Ann Arbor, United States
 Dec 30, 2007
Met in person Close Friend,  
Positive

We went to high school together, and then later I witnessed Travis' rise to power as head of the Michigan ICC.

Travis is just a really cool guy - friendly, laid back, and quite witty. You won't regret surfing with him.

Nick Whocares?
From Nick Whocares?
 Los Angeles, United States
 Aug 18, 2007
Met in person  
Positive

I traveled on two separate week-long spring breaks with Travis and he's very friendly and helpful. He's always up for fun times and knows how to laugh like me!

Laura Rosbrow
From Laura Rosbrow
 San Francisco, United States
 Jun 17, 2007
Met in person Friend,  
Positive

Travis is a very responsible, fun, all-around good guy!

Frank Martin-Buck 
From Frank Martin-Buck
 Ann Arbor, United States
 Jun 10, 2007
Met in person Friend,  
Positive

I've known Travis since elementary school and I have to say that he is a really fun and outgoing person. He's always fun to be around. By the way, I'm both impressed and jealous that he's in Nicaragua for two years for the Peace Corp.

BRAM AND NELE 
From BRAM AND NELE
 Dendermonde, Belgium
 May 25, 2007
Met in person CouchSurfing Friend, Hosted 1 days  
Positive

Travis is a nice guy who only stayed one night at our place. We went for a drink and he even introduced us to a new bar in Ghent. Thanks for the hint Travis!

Alix Reynolds 
From Alix Reynolds
 Ann Arbor, United States
 May 24, 2007
Met in person Friend,  
Positive

Travis is a great person to spend time with! He's very friendly and funny and has good things to say. I'm so glad you came to Bonn! :P

Tom Asten 
From Tom Asten
 Bonn, Germany
 May 24, 2007
Met in person CouchSurfing Friend, Hosted 3 days  
Positive

He stayed in my appartment two nights together with his brother Eric. He is a open minded person with good humor and interested in football.

Anil Sachdev 
From Anil Sachdev
 Prague, Czech Republic
 May 20, 2007
Met in person CouchSurfing Friend,  
Positive

Got a strange feeling I've met this guy before, i joke. Travis is tres cool, he partied hard on a boat with me and some friends for my 21st birthday. I'd love to leave you a well detailed reference now Travis but i'm afraid I really don't remember much. All the best

Keith Killen
From Keith Killen
 Vancouver, Canada
 May 20, 2007
Met in person CouchSurfing Friend, Traveled 2 days 
Positive

Met him on a boat cruise in Czech....and by coincidence wound up surfing in the same place in Berlin.

Caspar Bauermann 
From Caspar Bauermann
 Berlin, Germany
 May 19, 2007
Met in person CouchSurfing Friend, Hosted 2 days  
Positive

Travis is a cool guy who stayed here 2 nights in May 07. Together with Keith&Megan we hang around quite alot, ate at an italian restaurant, played a (american) boardgame twice and went to a club. I would definatly host him again. See you!

Sigi Feldbacher
From Sigi Feldbacher
 Vienna, Austria
 May 15, 2007
Met in person CouchSurfing Friend, Hosted 3 days  
Positive

he is the most uncomplicating and helpful person! helped me to carry things around, went with me through vienna to buy soil for my flowers, and spent a nice evening with my flatmate and me drinking beer. he even would have cooked us some typical american food, if we had let him, but...
nice, open, enjoied to spend time with him!!

Martin Gevonden 
From Martin Gevonden
 Amsterdam, Netherlands
 May 7, 2007
Met in person CouchSurfing Friend, Hosted 2 days  
Positive

It was great fun hosting Travis! He was part of a little couchsurfing commune in my livingroom. He can passionately tell about co-ops over a beer. Does not shun to go dancing either, dazzling the local ladies with his moves ;)

FLYINGCARPETS 
From FLYINGCARPETS
 London, United Kingdom
 May 6, 2007
Met in person CouchSurfing Friend, Surfed 3 days Traveled 3 days 
Positive

I enjoyed his company, he was a very friendly, happy person to couchsurf with at Martin's house. I also enjoyed talking to him and he had interesting things to tell. He also cleaned everything that he had used and cooked lunch for the house.

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