CURRENT MISSION

Learning as much as I can in Pittsburgh. Enjoying what the US has to offer.

ABOUT ME

I am human. The more time I spend as one the more I realise this fact. My life is generally comprised of music, reading, spending time with my wife and friends, and my work. My work involves a lot of coffee and time spent on my computer. I also play computer games and drink too much.

I have strong world views and always enjoy listening to opposing views, especially educated ones. I pride myself on my scepticism, however I try to not let this philosophical standpoint affect my personal life too much ("try" being the important word in this sentence). Recently finished my PhD in chemical engineering at the University of Cape Town and now doing a postdoc in Pittsburgh at Carnegie Mellon University. I sing and play guitar in a progressive rock/metal band in Cape Town called Zero Stroke. I suppose I should reference you to the band page: www.facebook.com/zerostroke

Por qué estoy en Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I host and I travel... I don't know what else I would be doing to participate :p

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have surfed a few couches and hosted many surfers and never once have I had a bad experience with any of them. The types of people that open their homes and are willing to stay with people who they do not know immediately identifies those people as open-minded, adventurous and good-hearted.

Intereses

I love knowledge, the transfer of it and the power it gives to those that take the time to enjoy it. I love surrounding myself with nature and experiencing new things. Hiking, snorkeling and camping are some of my favourite ways to relax. I really hold the relationships in my life dear to my heart and love meeting new people. And above all of these things I love music more than anything.

• writing
• singing
• festivals
• coffee
• drinking
• reading
• traveling
• music
• guitar
• hiking
• camping
• snorkeling
• teaching
• engineering
• mathematics
• science
• mountains

Música, películas y libros

Movies - I don't really watch movies often. I enjoy documentaries and movies that are by most people's standards "weird"

Music - Music rules my life. I always listen to music at home or in transit.Without a doubt my favourite band is Dream Theater, a progressive metal band with incredible emotion and musicality built into their music. I am also a big fan of incredible guitarists like Guthrie Govan, Al Di Meola and Mattias Eklundh. I can listen to any style of music with good musicianship, but prefer to, in general, listen to jazz, progressive metal and fusion.

Books - I read mostly non-fiction. My favourite authors include Bill Bryson, Lyall Watson, Chomsky, Zizek. I read a lot of biographies and science and history books. I have started, recently, to enjoy fiction more, starting with a variety of classic novels and science fiction. Arthur C. Clarke, Murakami, Cormac McCarthy, Nabokov, Philip K. Dick are all great :)

Algo increíble que he hecho

Playing with my band at our first festival appearance. Staring with awe at the mighty Victoria Falls. Hiking in the Cederberg mountains and in the Drakensberg are also moments I will never forget. Road tripping through Namibia with 2 of my best friends.

Enseña, aprende, comparte

I teach chemical engineering subjectsand also teach high school mathematics and science to learners that are looking to improve their marks. I play guitar and sing in a band so I can help with song-writing in a variety of genres as well as with technique and practicing. I play an extended range guitar (8-string), so I am also able to teach bass to a lesser degree

Países que he visitado

Argentina, Botswana, Brazil, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Lesotho, Namibia, Slovenia, Swaziland, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Zambia

Países en los que he vivido

South Africa, United States