CURRENT MISSION

Be Green. Be Happy. Plant Trees. Learn Permaculture. Don't Get Run Over.

ABOUT ME

American fellow who moved to Daegu, South Korea after college. I worked there for two years, backpacked in Southeast Asia for a few months, had my mind blown at Sadhana Forest, a great eco-community in India, and then went back to Korea for two more years. Decided to return to Sadhana First after that, on a bicycle. Took 2.5 years and 32,000km. I stayed there and helped to run the place for a two years, and now I'm back to my wandering ways. Sometimes with a bicycle, sometimes with a backpack.

PHILOSOPHY

Repay the world for all my good luck.
Be nice.
Take responsibility.
Help.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Between 2010 and 2012, when I finally got a decent-sized apartment all to myself, I hosted somewhere around ten different guests from all different countries, all inspiring in their own ways. Now it's me that's on the road!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Surfed or met up with hosts in the US, Korea, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, India, Nepal, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia...always excellent.

Interests

Languages, linguistics, cooking and eating natural foods, veganism, living fairly, the environment, permaculture, Buddhism, anthropology, non-consumption, bicycling.

• environment
• dining
• cooking
• vegetarian
• vegan
• running
• buddhist
• anthropology
• languages
• food

Music, Movies, and Books

Anything about languages and linguistics, and also about environmentalism. Documentaries. Travel and food. Or movies with nice twists, like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, or Memento, or Oldboy.

My music tastes are mostly stuck in my college days, but that's fine with me. Bright Eyes, mewithoutYou, Thrice, Modest Mouse. Newer indie and folk - anything with thoughtful lyrics - also do it for me. So does political hip-hop. And some random Italian and Korean favorites.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Befriended a young motorcyle-taxi driver named Chan Tha in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Over 3 days of touring Angkor Wat, I talked to him frequently about how he'd rather be back in the village farming with his family than trying to save up money in the city. Then he took me out to his village, 2 hours away. I helped his family and community harvest some rice, took a bath in the river, poked coconuts out of trees, caught some fish, cooked dinner, talked with his mother, and slept on his floor. Also met an old woman in the village who had never even seen a white person, and she marveled at my paleness and how soft my hands were.

Later, in Korea, I was asked to give a TEDx Talk, so I shared the story above with 100 people in the audience and who knows how many online. I wonder if Chan Tha will ever know much those few days changed my life.

Now the talk is here:
tedxtalks.ted.com/video/My-Path-to-Green-Living-Michael

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you Korean, Italian, and bits of Chinese and Spanish and Hindi.

I can cook some "unique" vegetarian food for you. Or eat what you cook. Or enjoy a meal out together.

I can share travel tips and advice about teaching English abroad and about traveling by bicycle in Asia.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Info about cycling in Asia
Info about eco-villages
Presentations at CS groups, bicycle clubs, schools, etc
Language lessons
I'll do the dishes! And help with cleanup and organizing. I love that stuff!

Countries I’ve Visited

Cambodia, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

India, Italy, Nepal, South Korea, United States

• 

•