Chazz

About me

I am a student at the University of Illinois that had the great fortune of studying abroad in Wellington, New Zealand in the fall of 2009. During that time, I traveled throughout New Zealand, often on weekend trips, and also on a week-long trip to Samoa (a few weeks after the devastating tsunami it turned out). After my semester, I traveled through Australia, Thailand, and a bit more of New Zealand, much to my delight. A non-stop explorer for half a year, I also went to Costa Rica during winter break [would have been summer in NZ:(] with my mom and brother, which was once again a splendid time. The past half-year of my life was unforgettable, but I now have to return to a more sedentary life.

Apart from travel, I am a philosophy student looking to get my degree, burying my head in books.

Why I travel

Adventure, people, intellectual and spiritual challenge, liberating sense of mobility, insatiable desire for the new and the unseen

Travel style

Itinerary-less but with general aims. Both traveling with a few good friends or alone. Adventure plus slow-going cultural immersion/observation. Budget.

Ideal place to watch the sunset

in a fale in Samoa

Ideal place to watch the sunrise

on a wooden porch on a cold Midwest morning

Before I die I'd like to

have extensive knowledge, have seen as much of the world as possible, and had great friends

I felt the most immersed in a foreign culture when

I get lost in rural Thailand while trying to make my way to the Tiger Temple near Kanchanaburi

Let's collaborate

I would like to share my experiences through writing and improve my writing by reading and sorting through other people's styles

Favorite artist(s)

err the usual poster suspects like Dali, Picasso, Escher

Sports I do

Soccer

I want to make a difference by

hmm

Tunes I rock out to

electronica, hip-hop especially of older variety, walls of sound/noise a la my bloody valentine or a la electronica like flying lotus, Bob dylan, some classic rock

Favorite books

Catch-22. Doors of Perception. Actually like academic material, class readings.

My links

http://www.zefrank.com/byokal/kal2.html