“We try not to have a dull moment. I tend to go 100% in all of life’s pursuits.”
Nick has accomplished a lot during his short 25 years on Earth. He and his wife Lauren not only work full time, but also go to school full time. They are both avid runners, competing in marathons and triathlons: at the moment, Nick is training for the Boulder Ironman and notes that they always have a big race on the horizon. And that is just the beginning! On top of all this, Nick and Lauren have filled what little time they has left with hosting Couchsurfers and a handful of hobbies that he is very passionate about.
Nick and Lauren married when they were 20 and 19 respectively. According to Nick, he didn’t feel like he had his life together until he met her. “She is my savior and my guide, I was not like this 3 years ago.” Lauren, unlike her husband, enjoys her hobbies ‘just for the fun of it’ and helps and encourages Nick to tackle his projects wholeheartedly.
Hosting through Couchsurfing is something they have enjoyed discovering and experiencing as a couple. Nick and Lauren’s shared passion for running and training is not only something that they enjoy doing together, but something they enjoy sharing with their surfers. Nick jokes that if you say in your Couch Request you’d like to run with them, there’s 100% chance they’ll accept!
Many of their hobbies relate to traveling in one way or another. Nick and Lauren are currently planning a major trip around the world, while Nick also enjoys collecting coins from around the world and educating others about dual citizenship.
A few years back, Nick and Lauren visited 25 countries over the course of 5 months, using Couchsurfing whenever it was available and possible.
“Couchsurfing has opened up our explorative goggles as far as what we are capable of doing.”
Inspired by their own experience as well as the adventures of traveler Graham Hughes (the first person to travel to every country without flying), they are currently planning an impressive 100-country trip. Although they will be taking some flights, the pair plans to visit every country in Africa by bus only. They have already planned out most of this route, and estimate the trip will be approximately 2 years and cost about $20,000. They hope to embark upon their epic journey in the next 5-7 years.
Couchsurfing will of course play a large role throughout their around-the-world trip, staying with a few of their former guests as well as finding hosts that they haven’t yet met. Nick firmly believes that people should Couchsurf no matter what their travel budget looks like, to meet new people and broaden their horizons.
This is a balance I want to maintain in my life. People tend to only use it if they are broke, which is a shame. It shouldn’t just be used by people who are broke, it should be used by people who want to engage with other people.
Nick began collecting coins during their 25-country trip a few years back. It started as an easy and economical way to bring something home from every country he visits. Upon arriving home from the big trip, Nick began organizing his collection scrupulously, taking 7 months to develop a system that was logical and efficient. He continues to add to this collection when visiting new countries, and also receives many gifts from friends, surfers and others who have heard about his hobby.
One of my favorites is probably this German bill from the Weimar. Every coin has a story with it, I even have some that are in museums. It wouldn’t be possible without Couchsurfers.
Nick’s final hobby is one that affects him personally. His mother was born in Hungary, making Nick eligible for Hungarian citizenship. He says that he had always assumed that it would be a complicated process, but once he applied he was pleasantly surprised to discover how easy it was. Since then he has been inspired to share this information with others, encouraging young people to not only travel, but to explore dual citizenship options for those who may not even realize that they are eligible.
“It’s a very unique topic that I tend to only talk to about with random people in bars.” He hopes to one day move from talking in bars to speaking to audiences of college students. In the meantime, check out Nicks’s website to learn more about this very interesting passion project.
From traveling around to world to racing on foot, Nick and Lauren have accomplished a lot during their lives already, and have even more to look forward to. Nick’s dedication to everything that he does is nothing short of inspiring, making him one to watch in the future.