Nomadic Ambassador Adam Schofield, aka DJ AJAM has been CouchSurfing the world since 2007! Roy Abraham recently contacted him for an update on his travels.
Q: Hi Adam, so it's been about a year since our first interview. How's your mission to CouchSurf the World going?
Aside from a six month set back, recovering from two knee surgeries in Ecuador, I’d say everything is going according to plan. That is, I don’t really plan anything these days. I tend to just go with the flow at a slightly slower pace. I’m not as adventurous and daring as I was when I first began this trip and I’m still working on rebuilding my leg muscles and maintaining some level of fitness. I’ve spent most of the last few months indoors, except the occasional tour here and there that doesn’t demand much hiking or climbing, but this has led me to spend more time really getting to know my hosts. I can’t complain, it’s been a wonderful experience so far and I’m thankful to have the chance to continue.
Q: So what's it like to be travelling for this long? Do you feel like you're on holiday or has the novelty worn out? And what do you do with your free time?
I must admit it’s physically and mentally draining constantly adjusting to change. The one advantage is I don’t have to wake up early for work, so if I’m too tired I can always have a cat nap here and there. The thrill of moving from one place to the next keeps me on my toes, it’s become a lifestyle for me now and my greatest concern is the thought that someday it may come to an end. If I needed to choose between this and the chance to go back home, then hopefully I’ll be answering your questions again this time next year. Travelling is so addictive. My free time depends on my living arrangements. If I have a decent internet connection I’ll work on updating my site, writing poetry, mixing new Cds, photo uploads and short articles in my new dynamic blog. Also its time consuming but essential to spend as much time keeping in contact with previous hosts and of course family and friends back home via Skype or MSN. I also enjoy learning Spanish online, there’s a great site called www.livemocha.com and its free, check it out. If I don’t have internet (which has its benefits sometimes because it does suck your soul dry) I’ll watch movies relax or read a book or learn to cook a new dish. I have to try and maintain some kind of normality on this trip.
Q: And how have your Couchsurfing experiences been thus far?
Truly delightful! In-fact some have been so good that at times I feel a little spoilt with simple luxuries I miss from back home. Nice kitchen, hot showers, fresh towels, home cooked food, fresh coffee, good locations, maids, a double bed with soft duvets and even the occasional swimming pool. I get so comfortable in an environment that I never want to leave, yet I always know in the back of my mind I have to keep focused on the task ahead. I’m accustomed now to adapting to different ways of life and I appreciate the uniqueness and diversity of each experience. Regardless of how comfortable the experience is, I seek only three basic necessities, a roof over my head at night, a safe place to leave my belongings and a trustworthy host, the rest is a bonus.
Q: Can you think of any specific Couchsurfing experiences where the hospitality has gone over and above what you expected?
Absolutely, I lived with a wonderful family in Ecuador for more than six months who offered to help me get back on my feet. They paid for all my food, lent me a mobile phone for the entire duration of my stay, found me a reliable doctor both times to perform the surgeries, lent me the house phone on several occasions to phone my insurance company in the USA and arranged for all my papers to be sent back to England, gave me my own room with cable TV, helped me move around when I couldn’t walk, took me to all my medical appointments, waited in the hospital during my surgery and stayed by my bedside the whole time, let me share Christmas with the family and even bought me gifts, allowed me to feel so much a part of their family that they now refer to me as their son. The list is endless. The most beautiful part of my experience with them however is I felt like I’d found my parents again through the love they gave me, a feeling I never imagined would be possible again this lifetime.
Q: How about negative Couchsurfing experiences? Have you experienced any?
Almost every experience is negative in my opinion because at some point I have to say goodbye. I try to read peoples profiles before I send a request and always look for things we may have in common. Nowadays however I usually follow other surfers recommendations with who to stay with, the network of serious surfers is actually much smaller than you think. It’s unfair to use the term ‘Negative CS experiences’ because I believe most problems arise from a clash of personalities not necessarily the use of the site. I’ve been using cs now for almost three years and I’d say that 99.5% of my experiences have been awesome. The 0.5% probably doesn’t even use cs anymore.
Q: Have there been any times where you just could not find a couch to sleep on? What did you do?
Unfortunately yes. The first time was actually in Nasca, Peru. I arrived with another surfer and tried calling the number of my host but he never answered. We had no choice but to pay for a hostel. This also happened during my first night in Arequipa, Peru, we arrived late and the host was already sleeping. On both occasions however I asked the Couchsurfer I was travelling with to pay for the room and I would cover the food, that way I remain somewhat faithful to surfing the world without paying for accommodation. There have been other times such as my trip to the Galapagos, which ironically was my first non-CS experience which led to me breaking my crucial ligament, I paid for an all inclusive cruise and the accommodation was free. If there are absolutely no surfers in the area (such as the jungle) then I simply don’t go, that’s one of the disadvantages of this project but that’s not to say I’ll never return someday.
Q: Now, can you think of any challenging situations where you were tempted to just give up on this dream? Have you regretted even starting this journey?
I’ve never regretted a single moment of my decision, if anything I should have done it sooner. I’ve learnt to live for and embrace every moment as if it was my last. Holding on to the past or contemplating the future only leads to fear. The only thing we can do is control the moment which helps keep any doubts at bay. My biggest challenge mentally has been the distance between my niece and sister back home but they are very proud of me and always keep in touch. By far the hardest endurance was recovering from the second knee surgery, just when I had finished the rehabilitation of my broken ligament and was set to head for Peru, I suffered a second freaky fall fracturing the Patella in the same knee forcing me repeat the entire experience again with twice as much pain. I truly believed my project was over, luckily the cost of flying me back home was more expensive than paying for the surgery in Ecuador so my insurance covered the costs and with the help and support of the wonderful cs group in Guayaquil I’m back on my feet more determined than ever.
Q: What do you think has been your biggest mistake (if any) this trip?
The time I spend in each place is way too long which ultimately affects my money situation. I have to eat! However it’s necessary most of the time to take the most from the experience. Trying to plan parties, cs meetings and media interviews often demands a few days wait for a reply and normally leads me to stay at least a week or two to be fully effective. I’m still working as a DJ though so money I earn from any paid gigs helps me balance the budget.
Q: So what have you been most proud of so far this trip? E.g. have you been involved in any local community projects?
I was told before my arrival to Guayaquil in Ecuador that it was a dangerous city to visit and at the time there was only thirty members listed. During my long stay I continued to organize meetings even though some where more successful than others. After a very popular magazine article about CS, suddenly hundreds of new members began to join. The same group I helped to build in return helped motivate me back on my feet after the surgery. Now, Guayaquil has become a place for surfers to stay for a few days instead of passing through over night and together they have proved that it’s a safe and fun place to visit. It’s now the third biggest group in South America and they are maintaining an excellent balance of creative activities such as visiting sick children at hospitals and even recently throwing a surprise British Party for myself to celebrate our times together. That brought a tear to my eye. Photos are available in my blog at www.couchsurfingtheworld.com/blog. It proves that what we give to this world will surely come back round again.
Q: How do you find people's responses when you say you are Couchsurfing the World?
If they are couchsurfers then it’s easy to explain, however I have to tell the same story over and over for people I meet in the street. At first it doesn’t really sink in, until they take a look at my site and realize I’m totally committed to my dream. Most people love the idea and instantly create a profile. It still surprises me when I meet non couchsurfers in this world. Of course, some people just aren’t so open minded and think I’m crazy, but I’ve accepted that you need to be a little nuts to pursue such a project. The best reaction however is that most people tell me they will buy the book. That’s very motivating for me.
Q: Have you had much success with promoting Couchsurfing?
Huge success, when I arrive to a new place the first call of action is to work with the local members at seeking out respectable media sources to promote the communities. I’ve been featured in many newspapers, magazines, TV shows with other surfers and even spun live mixes on the radio dropping a cheeky shout out. There’s always a rise in new members who are keen to get involved. I always persuade the media to focus on explaining the safety features of CS; this has proven to attract more people. I’m doing a live TV interview this week which was organized as a 30th birthday surprise by the local surfers in Paraguay. I’ll post the link on my blog as soon as I have a copy.
Q: So how is the CS Parties/Djing going?
I made two huge parties in Bogota and Quito, since then it’s been hard to organize because of time. Most bars and clubs have Djs booked in advance so depends if it’s feasible for me to wait around and until there’s a free spot for me to play. Before I arrived to La Paz in Bolivia, the city ambassador had already got me two gigs lined up which is the perfect arrangement. Aside from Djing though I’ve pretty much been involved in the biggest CS meetings so far in each place, and I’ve got plenty of invites to play in countries all over the world. I’m still downloading music and keeping up to date with my career and I’m excited to be heading to cities filled with surfers such as Buenos Aires, San Paulo and Rio in Brazil where I think my parties will continue to grow.
Q: Tell us Adam, how do you do it? Don't you get tired of moving around so much and not having a place where you can just crash and do nothing for a few days?
Well, you have to balance everything out. I do still enjoy a few days relaxing going to the cinema, spending time with families and even babysitting the children or maybe dinner in a local restaurant. I’ve been lucky so far that most of the time I feel at home with my hosts. People generally seem to like having me around, I’m a very positive person and like to listen and help where I can. It’s natural for me to be involved with domestic duties having lived alone for two years in England and I love having dinner ready for people when they come home from a busy day at work.
Q: You've pretty much spent the last year in South America, right? How do you currently get around from country to country? And do you have any tips for visitors to South America? Did you have to learn Spanish to get around?
I’ve taken the bus all the way from Mexico. The only time I took a plane was from Bogota to Quito because I had only one day left on my visa. It’s safe, comfortable, fun and affordable to travel by bus through Latin and South America, my only advice is don’t go to sleep leaving your smaller bags under the seats or above your head, strap them to your body somehow and it’s HIGHLY advisable to pay a little extra for a respectable bus company (ask the local surfers for info). The stories I hear about robberies are always the same, cheap companies who stop and pick up strangers in the street or falling asleep leaving your bag unattended. Common sense will save you from experiencing such problems. My Spanish has improved but I’m still very shy to use it most of the time because I can’t speak it fluently and being the writer, joker I am that often makes me revert back to speaking English. It’s got me this far however so I must be doing something right? After being In SA for so long now however I understand many more words and communication is getting easier and my confidence is growing day by day. Most couchsurfers speak fluent English due to the availability of western movies so I’m never short on conversation.
Q: So how much longer do you think you'll be there for?
I’m planning to hit Brazil in time for the Carnival, and then head along the coast further north. I should be leaving South America to begin my Caribbean Island Tour sometime around May 2009. It would be dangerous for me to travel that part of the world right now so I guess fate has its way of keeping an eye out for me. Everything happens for a reason.
Q: Your original plan was to Couch Surf the world in 5 years. Do you think you can cover the rest in 4 more years?
I’ll see this out no matter what, due to the set back with my knee I’m behind on schedule but as long as I have my health and money in the bank, I’ll continue for as long as it takes. Maybe I’ll stop and work in some places in the future to maintain my funds but most importantly is that I continue to enjoy the experience, everything else will fall into place.
Q: So what are your plans for the next few months?
I’ve been hanging around in Paraguay for the last month hitting the gym to rebuild my leg muscles. Also, I’m patiently waiting for the winter to pass in the South. Next week, I’m finally heading to the north of Argentina, then I’ll work further South to the Patagonia via Chile. I’m planning to be in Buenos Aires for Christmas and New Year, then Uruguay, then an excited three months of summer travelling the coastline of Brazil including the Carnival which should get me acclimatized for the white sands of the Caribbean islands. After that, I hope to be in Canada before the summer ends and then to Alaska which will complete this side of the world. I’ll then find a way to cross to Japan and begin my Asia Adventures. So exciting!
Q: Last question. So do you think this past year has changed you at all?
Absolutely, I’ve redefined my spirituality and only really concern myself with the importance of living a true and honest life. I have learnt to be more patient and accept and appreciate the beauty of diversity in this world rather than be judgemental or make assumptions before opening the book and at least reading the first chapter. I have found friendships with people I would have most probably walked by in the street. I wake up each day with a focus and a reality that every step I take leads me closer to my dreams which helps me generate a warm, clear and concise positive energy to share with others. I also take a minute to take a deep breath and look around nowadays rather than let the world race by at its ridiculous man made pace. I understand more the importance of family and friends, regardless of your differences. Who am I without you? Love and be loved.
Q: OK thanks for your time Adam. Best of luck for the rest of your trip and happy belated birthday for September 1st!
Cheers, hope to surf all your couches soon!
Learn more about Adam (and when he might be in your neighborhood) by checking out his profile. Read DJ AJAM's first interview here.
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