CURRENT MISSION

To live life to the fullest and enjoy my dream career adventures... and to meet cool people along the journey!! : )

ABOUT ME

A good friend calls me Ian the Itinerant: a person who travels from place to place and alternates between working and wandering... and I think it fits! Like many of us, I have been bit by the travel bug and can't stay in the same place too long/once goals are achieved! ;) I'm 35, grew up most of my childhood in Redondo Beach, CA. Spent my 20’s traveling all around the US, Africa, South America, Europe and the Caribbean, pursuing my zoology career and experiencing new things! Then the last 6 years, 29-35, working and living full time in Australia and New Zealand with wildlife conservation and eco-adventure tourism. 6/7 continents 🤩💥 Antarctica 🇦🇶 2025?!? Now, settled in San Diego, California again. ☀️ 🐳 🦦 🌊 🏝 🦭 👌

My career is a top priority in life and I feel blessed to be able to do what I love for a living, working hands-on with wild animals and promoting conservation efforts through trained animal encounter programs with the public. I've lived in California, Nevada, Oregon, Alaska, Florida, Texas, Arizona, Hawaii, the Peruvian and Bolivian Amazon, the Caribbean- US Virgin Islands and British Virgin Islands; Australia and New Zealand; (notice most are sunny, warm-weathered environments; I'm not a fan of cold weather!).

I'm nomadic by nature and I enjoy anything new, anyone new, and always seeking more. Family is a big part of my life which makes going home that much sweeter. The best present anyone could give me is a good conversation. Traveling is always on my mind... always! I'm looking forward to continuing my travels and work with wildlife rescue/conservation/animal training projects all around the world, but basing in San Diego.

I think I have an inherent ongoing desire for new life experiences. There is too much going on in this world to ever think that you have done it all. Take a chance and live life! : )

PHILOSOPHY

On life, Mark Twain said it best...
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the things you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sail. Explore! Dream! Discover!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have couch surfed all around Hawaii, New England/East coast, Florida, California, Alaska, Wyoming, North Carolina, Kentucky/Cincinnati area, Chicago, New Orleans, and Africa, and I have hosted some great people while living in Las Vegas and Tortola, British Virgin Islands! All of which were incredible experiences ending with awesome new friends and unforgettable memories!!

Interests

My career/hanging out with "my" dolphins/lions/tigers/sea lions/otters/whatever species it is at the time, international traveling, road trips, the outdoors/recreation sports, surfing/the beach/swimming, SCUBA diving, exotic animal and marine mammal training,, 4-wheelin, hiking, camping, snowboarding, marine biology, zoology, psychology, zoos/aquariums, rollercoasters/theme parks, and just hangin with my family and friends.

• animals
• wildlife
• education
• walking
• traveling
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• backpacking
• camping
• surfing
• scuba diving
• sailing
• skydiving
• snowboarding
• sports
• swimming
• biology
• teaching
• psychology
• road trips
• beaches

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

*Can't pick "one"! ; )
1. MY ZOOLOGY/ANIMAL TRAINING CAREER: rescuing otters, raising lion cubs, walking cheetahs, researching endangered Hawaiian birds, training dolphins, performing in shows with tigers & leopards, playing with elephants, rehabilitating howler monkeys, swimming with sea lions & seals, all while spreading the message about wildlife conservation and seeing the public's eyes light up at such close encounters of the wild kind... that is my life's work and passion, and absolutely the most rewarding thing for me!
2. EXPLORING 6 HAWAIIAN ISLANDS FOR 4 MONTHS:
- Skydiving over the North Shore on Oahu 2x!
- Midnight active volcano/lava tube hike on the Big Island
- My 26 mile journey of backpacking, hiking, camping, waterfalls, trails, beaches and isolation at the Na Pali Coast/Kalalau trail (in the middle of a storm!) on the North Shore of Kaua'i island... that was an undescribably amazing and extremely challenging expedition!
3. AFRICAN ADVENTURE/8 COUNTRIES IN 2 MONTHS:
- Getting bluff charged by a bull African elephant in Botswana (and surviving lol)
- Bunjee jumping off Victoria Falls/Zimbabwe
- White water rafting the Class 5 Zambezi River!!
4. LIVING IN THE CARIBBEAN WORKING WITH DOLPHINS:
- Living in a different country for the first time
- Living my dream job in my dream location/paradise!
- Spending everyday for nearly a year in the water working hands-on with 15 amazing dolphins, and sharing their greatness through educational interaction programs with the public!
5. SOUTH AMERICAN EXPEDITION/LIVING IN THE AMAZON FOR 6 MONTHS! :)
- Living deep in the jungles of the Bolivian and Peruvian Amazon conducting conservation education and wildlife rescue projects with numerous species including Amazon river dolphin, Amazonian manatee, giant otter, neotropical otter, puma/mountain lion, ocelot, jaguar, Geoffrey's cat, red howler monkey, night monkey, Brazilian tapir, and several other endangered mammal/bird/reptile species.
- Lead the primate team on howler monkey rehab/release program using behavioral training to condition natural behaviors such as foraging and tree usage for juvenile howlers in a free-release setting.
- MACHU PICCHU can't not get a mention for the amazing, life-changing place that it is! :)

Teach, Learn, Share

I enjoy learning about new cultures, hearing stories about a person's faith/travel/general life experiences.

I can teach people about animal behavior/dolphin training/zoology if they happen to be interested. : )

Countries I’ve Visited

Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Bolivia, Botswana, Canada, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Ireland, Kenya, Malawi, Mexico, Namibia, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, United States, Virgin Islands, British, Virgin Islands, U.S., Zambia, Zimbabwe

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Bolivia, Honduras, New Zealand, Peru, United States, Virgin Islands, British, Virgin Islands, U.S.

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