2-2020 I moved from Lviv, Ukraine 🇺🇦 to Vilnius, Lithuania where I have a great apartment on the southern part of the old city. So far I am really glad I decided to move here as people are easy to talk to.

I am an American originally from Virginia and Nebraska, USA and went to University in South Florida mostly Boca Ration and Miami(I was working in Puerto Rico for a couple of years mostly trading securities and towards the end learning about energy futures). I moved in with my friend who owned a small beachside condo in Tottori, Japan, before that I had an apartment Seoul for 2018 for 6 months. Currently(I was) looking at properties in Medieme Colombia, in the Poblado district(2019). I left Lativa and got an apartment in Lviv(December 2019) I am visiting my friends who I went mountaineering in Africa with.

I went to Laos(2016) for the last year after finishing opening a spring factory in Council Bluffs, Iowa which I am a minority owner. I was sourcing Kratom tea leaves for export to the UK. My first job out of college was in Shanghai, China after working there for a year I met up with my father who was sourcing scrap foam in India.

I am an avid traveler and love mountaineering even if it does not love me. haha

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

In Nicaragua, my friend and I were traveling around on my motorcycle and got stuck in a small town with no gas station and no hotels for a 3-hour ride in any direction. As we were walking around an older family came up and offered us some water and insisted on us spending the night in their home. No, they did not have Couchsurfing.com accounts lol. The town did not even have the internet. Some of my finest memories are from the help of strangers. So many humble people have opened their homes to me. I now live alone so why not, you only live once; More importantly, I believe in Karma.

Interests

I like to travel and meet new people. Learning something new is an easy way to brighten my day. Hobbies might be essential for happiness but not as important to surround yourself by good people. As my grandmother said, "you are your friends".
I enjoy to cook, so if your CouchSurfing and you are willing to take the time to teach me a new dish from your county I will be in your debt.

Sleeping in is a guilty pleasure I relish.

I can not stand people who steal. Especially in North America when so many charities are giving for free.

I am planning a trip to travel to Scandinavia this summer. It is one of the last areas I have traveled to. If you are from there or if you have been there I would love to learn more about it.

• culture
• dancing
• salsa dancing
• cooking
• beer
• bbq
• walking
• raves
• movies
• tv
• traveling
• mountaineering
• surfing
• scuba diving
• rock climbing
• chemistry
• science
• volunteering
• debating

Music, Movies, and Books

I love my Kindle and read at about a book a week. When on vacation it goes up to once every other day. I am a big fan of the local library, reading before the Kindle was not a cheap habit. ;)
Update: Now I travel with my MacBook as even $5 a night hotels in Colombia have great wifi. So I am on my computer a bit more than my kindle however I still love to read and I am always searching for the next great page-turner!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Climbed Kilimanjaro in 7 days. Just because something is amazing does not mean it was fun...

Teach, Learn, Share

I have taught English as a foreign language but mostly for the experience. I am just over 300 hours of clinical psychology masters level lectures. I am especially interested in how genetics influences the mind as my ex-girlfriend taught bioinformatics at the state university before we moved to Laos. I have a decent background in the subject and I have been currently working on learning more chemistry in my free time. Luckily my friend here in Ukraine has a PhD in this field and has been filling in the gaps in my learning as I have just been autodidact learning. One of my business after my bridal shop was called Schneiderite and LLC incorporated in Virginia that sold binary targets(AKA explosives), sadly the company never did very well. It was more of a hobby project compared to Ava Clara Couture Bridal.

I want to make this 100% clear. If you have never left your city, and if you do not even speak another language, that does not matter to me! Just because you have not left your city does not mean you are not a traveler at heart. Do not think "I have not ever left my city, so I don't feel part of this. It is not about having money to go to far off lands. CS has helped me see the places where I have not traveled through the eyes of locals. For new persons, especially people who have never left their city, I will, we will welcome you as friends. It is about meeting more people from the corners of the earth. If you have never left your town then you should join a CS meet up ASAP! I have never met a rude person at a new CS event. Sorry to preach. lol

What I Can Share with Hosts

My love for cooking and a cold beer. I have been cooking since enjoying cooking shows after school starting when my parents got satellite TV when I was in 4th grade. Also if you like to walk around at night but don't like to walk solo, I would be happy to join you. I like going on a late-night walk, you see some of the oddest people out. A great walk after a nice meal is always something I enjoy.

Countries I’ve Visited

Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Fiji, France, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Laos, Latvia, Luxembourg, Mexico, Mozambique, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Somalia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, Turks and Caicos Islands, United Kingdom, Vatican City State, Viet Nam, Virgin Islands, British, Virgin Islands, U.S., Zimbabwe

Countries I’ve Lived In

Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, South Korea, Ukraine, United States