CURRENT MISSION

Explore Northern California (and the rest of the State! + PNW)

ABOUT ME

I'm a goofball. I like to get to know new people and to make them laugh, share stories, and learn new things. I'm very flexible, and I find joy in the little things. I love traveling, and I'm extremely interested in conservation, wildlife, nature... and beer. Before coming to Arcata, I graduated from a Master's program at Tennessee State University in Nashville, studying Hellbender salamanders! They're the third largest amphibians in the world, super cool animals found in mountain streams in the Appalachain region of the US. I have been fortunate enough to be able to follow my passions in life (especially working with wildlife) and this has recently led me to my current position as a full-time wildlife biologist for the US Fish and Wildlife service. I love this new ecosystem, the local culture, and the strong sense of community here in Humboldt. I've made great friends here and am always eager to make new friends too! (He/Him pronouns)

PHILOSOPHY

"If it's not fun, why do it?" - Ben and Jerry's

I'm all for living your life to the fullest NOW, trying new things, going to new places, and taking advantage of opportunities... because you may not get another chance to later. Mark Twain says it all ...

"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." ... This idea has taken me all over the world with a smile on my face.

I firmly believe in treating others the way you would want to be treated and showing respect for the earth and all living creatures. I want to live my life to make a positive impact on others.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I was extremely active in the Austin couchsurfing community while living there... I helped plan the 2017 and 2018 Austin Couch Crashes with a bunch of other awesome local CSers, and it was a huge success! I have hosted and surfed a bunch in the past and loved it. In Nashville I was not able to dedicate as much time to couchsurfing, although I still met some great friends in the community there by helping to organize meetups when I first arrived (way back in 2018). I've always been able to meet great new friends through this community when I've moved to a new city (be it in Panama, Austin, or Nashville) and I'm hopeful I can do the same in Humboldt.

I've found former roommates thanks to the CS community, and I have already met so many cool people all over the world using this site. I love to spread the word about how great Couchsurfing is, and I love making friends with other CSers! I like to travel and use CSing when I travel, as I always have the best times staying with locals and listening to their stories and insights about the place where they live.

I'm also big on couchcrashes (9 and counting!) And I'm starting to host some folks here in Arcata when I can so send me a request if you're coming this way!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I had an AMAZING first couchsurfing experience in Savannah, GA with James Holmes - I was laughing almost the whole time and couldn't have felt more welcome. Read all about it here: http://bradnissen.blogspot.com/2014/04/james-and-giant-couch.html

I have since had many more great experiences meeting really wonderful people through CSing. I can't wait to CS again and meet more awesome people!

Interests

Amphibians and Reptiles, Animals in general, Craft beer, SCUBA diving, surfing, hiking, exploring, mountain biking, rock climbing, skiing, white-water rafting, camping, traveling, laughing.

• animals
• wildlife
• reptiles
• amphibians
• cooking
• beer
• yoga
• traveling
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• hiking
• surfing
• scuba diving
• sailing
• skiing
• rock climbing

Music, Movies, and Books

I love a good book or movie that will make me laugh. Bill Bryson is one of my favorite authors. I grew up without a TV in my house, and I still rarely sit down long enough to watch a movie - but when I do it's a nice treat.

Some of the shows that will always be close to my heart include The Office, Parks and Rec, and of course Trailer Park Boys haha.

I listen to just about anything when it comes to music, I'm always interested in discovering new great artists.

I also really love podcasts! A few of my favorites include: This American Life, RadioLab, 99% Invisible, Invisibilia, Ologies, How I Built This, Throughline, Criminal, Ear Hustle, Embedded, Stuff you should know, Reveal and Revisionist History! Would love to hear what you listen to, my playlist is constantly growing.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I recently hosted a couchsurfer from Germany who works as an arborist. Through a chance meeting with another local arborist here in Arcata, I climbed with both of them 100 ft up to the top of a redwood tree! It was my first time tree-climbing (besides as a kid) and her first time in a redwood. It was an awesome experience I'll never forget.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm doing much more learning these days than teaching, but I would be happy to share my (limited) knowledge of the natural world and outdoor skills, tell some fun travel stories, speak with you in Spanish, give opinions on craft beers and crack a few jokes ! :)

I'd like to learn more about bicycle maintenance, white water kayaking, great crags for rock climbing and hear awesome travel stories.

What I Can Share with Hosts

A home-made meal, local beers, good times, funny stories :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, Cambodia, Canada, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Singapore, Taiwan

Countries I’ve Lived In

Ecuador, Panama, Thailand, United States

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