Maxwell

Travel information

I am currently

Description

Hi!

My name is Max, and I'm excited to explore the world with a love of learning, sharing, and connecting with people. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, I want to continue to give, learn, and grow through seeing as much of the world as I can. This November, I'm traveling with my partner to Italy to learn more about culture, food, ecology, and natural history before meeting my family in Florence, where my brother is studying abroad.

Through my education, work, and personal exploration, I have 6 years of experience in ecology, land management, botany, and sustainable food systems. I currently work as an ecological restoration technician on a variety of land management projects. My days are filled with planing native species, invasive species management, irrigation, and landscaping maintenance. Other jobs have included trail building and basic carpentry. I also have organic gardening experience, and I'm excited to continue learning about how we can feed people responsibly and compassionately! I've spent a lot of time doing physical work in rugged and remote conditions, and appreciate a good day's work.

I love all things natural history related, from plants, birds, and bugs to thinking about entire ecosystems! The beautiful construction of the natural world is a source of unending joy and inspiration in my life, and spills into everything I enjoy doing: botanizing, birding, hiking, surfing, biking, and gardening.

When I'm not outside, I enjoy reading, writing, cooking, card games, and anything that involves music. Playing, listening, discussing, learning theory — I have been playing guitar since I was young and love to connect and communicate through the language of music. I would love to learn new instruments, new styles, and new ways of thinking about music from all over the world in my travels!

I hope to share and learn about languages, food, and culture from our diverse human community. I'm always open to new experiences, and excited about the growth that comes with them. I hope I can bring my flexibility and openness to new adventures that align with my values of ecological respect and compassion for both the planet and one another.

Interests

Mountain

DIY & crafts

Plant care

Books

Music

Cooking & food

Gardening

Writing

Self development

Culture

Sustainability

Outdoor activities

Water sports

Yoga / Wellness

Team sports

Nature

Hiking

Cycling

Dancing

Camping

Beach

Adventure sports

Languages

Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Intermediate

More details about my language interests
I'm interested in learning new languages, trying to speak them, and finding ways to connect and communicate with each other! I am a native English speaker, can hold basic conversations in Spanish, and am a new beginner to Italian. I'm excited to continue learning and speaking!

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Skills and knowledge I'd like to share or learn

I'm interested in:  

Art Projects

Animal Care

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Some knowledge of:  

Languages

DIY and building projects

Life at a Farmstay

Creating/ Cooking family meals

General Maintenance

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Able to teach about:  

Gardening

Eco Projects

More details about your skills

I graduated from University of California, Santa Cruz in 2023 with a bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies. Since graduating, I've been working in ecology, land stewardship, botany, and vegetation management. As an ecological restoration technician, I have experience planting native species, managing invasive species, implementing and maintaining irrigation, protecting sensitive species and habitats, and contributing to open space maintenance.

My university coursework also included an Agroecology concentration, including work on the campus farm and an internship in the organic garden. Work consisted of weeding, fertilizing, mulching, composting, greenhouse seedling propagation and transplanting, cover cropping, and path maintenance.

Other skills I've gained over the years include trail building, basic carpentry , and general maintenance such as fence building and municipal landscaping. I have experience using hand tools, power tools, driving 4x4 vehicles, and I love to work outside and move my body while working on projects!

Age

24

Some more information

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  Smoker

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  Driver's licence

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  Allergies

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  Special dietary requirements