I just moved to DC to work with the Sunlight Foundation. We’re launching the Digital Democracy Contest in high schools this fall. It’s funded by a MacArthur Young Innovator award which I and my team won. Though I already have a place to live, I’d like to couchsurf around downtown DC.

Couchsurfing.com is more than a (fairly) safe way to sleep for free in almost 1,000,000 homes worldwide. It’s an awesome way to meet interesting people. During the spring of 2009, I vagabonded around the U.S. for two months speaking about technology at universities which hosted our Digital Literacy Contest. My Couchsurfing profile lists some of the 15+ kind people I met along the way.

Why couchsurf in DC when I already pay rent?

There are tons of interesting people in DC I’m sure, and I’ll be all ears. I’d love to interview people informally. I want to absorb diverse experiences from all areas of society, ethnic backgrounds, and ages.

Almost everyone I’ve met couchsurfing is incredibly interesting. Most of them are creative, bright, progressive and march to the beat of their own drumers. Plus, many are juggling interesting projects.

I’ve stayed with graduate students studying everything from physics, moss and sociology to hypertext and supply chains. I’ve stayed with a sales executive in the banking industry and a violin student in music school. There was the guy who had Sunday breakfast for years with one of my undergraduate idols, Douglas Hofstadter, and said, “Oh, Doug? He’s okay… a good self-promoter.” (!)

Sound interesting? I promise I’ll be a good guest! =)