Name: Austin Staunch
Role: EMT, Driver, CDL holder
Age: 35
Hometown: The lovely coast of NC; SF resident
Who are you and what do you do?
I am constantly changing what I do. My resume is entertaining. I’ve been everything from a wing walker, to an English teacher abroad, to being a member of a professional mountain rescue team. I’ve worked in offices 9-5 and guided rafts down rivers. I am addicted to novelty and work to live rather than live to work, but I really enjoy working nonetheless. I am always searching to do things that allow me to pursue my passions. I adore the outdoors, sport, adventure, disaster relief, humanitarian projects, building/dismantling Burning Man, and the unknown. I do not want to know where I’ll be in 10 years. I enjoy how life reveals itself and there should always be room for serendipity.
What is important to you in this world?
Adaptability, radical self-reliance, accountability, justice, fairness, awareness, love, inclusion, change, people, laughter, water, good times. A properly executed joke that makes a drink shoot out of a nose.
Your childhood dream;
I wanted to be an FBI agent. I almost fulfilled that dream but discovered other dreams.
Your adult dream?
Secretly until now: To host an offbeat show about travel or whacky events around the world on the Travel Channel. And to find a way to make a living at changing the world.
What inspires you about TEMA and why are you contributing?
I absolutely am happiest in service to others. I‘m mainly here to do the community projects. But I’m a good writer and see an opportunity to do that as well. I work best in a team setting. I really just like the idea of going for it and letting things take shape organically. I love Latin America and while I have traveled/lived there extensively, these are new countries for me.
What are you passionate about?
People, human rights, self-discovery, talking about important things rather than shoes and handbags, rocking the boat when necessary, smoothing the waters when necessary.
What is your favorite food?
Anything out of the ocean, eastern NC barbeque, cheese
Have you ever left the country?
Yep. Germany, France, Belgium as a child, stayed with a family in Holland. Went to language school in Costa Rica, lived in Brazil and Peru. Traveled to Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Northern Chile and Argentina. This will be my 4th time in Latin America. Oh, and one spring break in Nassau, Bahamas.
What is your educational background?
BA Criminal Justice
Tell an extremely memorable moment.
How to choose? The one that I remember the most often was difficult. I was on scene for the accident of 4 of my friends/co-workers. 3 of them died. While that is a harsh memory, it is likely responsible for much of my world view. It forced me to keep things in perspective in dark times. And it was an honor to be there to attempt their rescue. The two times in which it is the highest honor to be present for someone is their birth and their death. Both are traumatic and deserve smooth passage. I will continue to lose people close to me throughout my life and I cannot live in fear of death. I often do, but I am constantly coming to terms with it.
