PHILOSOPHY "Without going outside, you may know the whole world. Without looking through the window, you may see the ways of heaven. The farther you go, the less you know. Thus the sage knows without traveling; He sees without looking; He works without doing." Laotse, Tao Te King 47

Hello! I am a Californian artist and illustrator ((my heritage is Swedish and German, hence the crazy looking name)) and I am currently based in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. I am a passionate traveler and obsessive draw-er, and try to travel and explore the world, both physical and meta physical, as much as possible! CURRENT MISSION To learn and meet cool people and capture the wonderful things I learn and see in my drawings. I am a full-time illustrator and am currently on my way to an art residency in Chile where I will begin a children's book based on the region. ABOUT ME I am an adventurer. I like to meet people and go places. I also like to chill out, especially with a cold beer and draw unexpecting wrinkley old men with pipes. I'm also obsessed with architecture and old crumbling buildings and history (although I'm terribly bad at it) and love hearing stories and seeing monuments! I've been to 60 countries as of December 2025! PHILOSOPHY dgaf

Mexicano que trabaja en la Secretaria de Educación Pública; área de Educación Especial e indígena. Y cómo medio tiempo soy Sous Chef en un restaurante en USA…. En mis días libres a recorrer lo mas que pueda del mundo, me gusta caminar mucho, andar en bicicleta (ojo en lugares planos), soy muy buen cocinero, Originario del Norte del País, sabes que mi especialidad esta basada en carnes y salsas, tortillas de harina, pero sobre todo me gusta compartirlo con las personas que conozco. Quiero vivir mi vida con integridad y hacer cosas que repercuten positivamente en la cualidad de las vidas de otros y en el medio ambiente. Mi descripción: "viajes Imprescindibles" Solo voy caminando... Viajar es cultura.

I am a retired real estate broker and now a Catholic missionary. I love to travel and meet people and make new friends wherever I go. I have loved San Miguel de Allende ever since I first visited there in 2010 and finally bought a casita in Centro in 2025. It is just two blocks from the mercado and less than 10 minutes from the Parroquia. It is simple, but well appointed. My favorite part is the view from the terrace, especially at night with an amazing unencumbered view of the Parroquia and other churches lit up in Centro.

FOCO Estudio | Proyecto “Apertura Nómada” He recibido a más de 50 viajeros desde 2018. No tuve la oportunidad de conocer a todos, porque mis tiempos y actividades a veces no me lo permitían. Aun así, desde el inicio, mi intención fue clara: darles un espacio real para descansar, sin la obligación constante de convivir o de estar “socializando” con el anfitrión. Entendí que muchos viajeros, sobre todo quienes cruzan México por Couchsurfing, están siempre moviéndose, conociendo personas, contando historias. Pero pocas veces tienen tiempo para detenerse, descansar y observar. Eso era lo que quería ofrecer: una pausa real, con el nivel de privacidad y comodidad de un Airbnb o un hotel, pero dentro del intercambio de confianza que hace distinta a esta comunidad. ⸻ Nueva etapa Ahora quiero cambiar el enfoque por completo. Voy a recibir únicamente viajeros con experiencia internacional, personas que hayan conocido distintos países, ciudades y culturas, y que además hablen español. Mi objetivo no es ofrecer hospedaje gratuito ni experiencias turísticas; mi interés es construir una mirada internacional y realista sobre San Miguel de Allende. Trabajo en hospitalidad, comunicación y análisis de territorio. Con los años, he visto cómo la imagen de San Miguel se distorsiona entre lo que se vende y lo que realmente se vive aquí. Por eso quiero invitar a viajeros que puedan ayudarme a comparar esta ciudad con otros lugares del mundo, desde su experiencia personal. Quiero entender: • Cómo conocieron San Miguel de Allende. • Por qué decidieron venir. • Qué les llamó la atención del lugar y qué les decepcionó. • Qué pensaron sobre la seguridad antes de llegar. • Cómo perciben la ciudad después de caminarla y convivir con su gente. Toda esa información formará parte de Apertura Nómada, un proyecto que estoy desarrollando dentro de FOCO Estudio, donde conduzco el podcast Sin Tablas. Apertura Nómada no será un espacio de entrevistas, sino una serie de conversaciones con viajeros reales que ayuden a construir una perspectiva internacional de San Miguel de Allende. ⸻ Qué ofrezco • Alojamiento cómodo y funcional, pensado para descansar. • Privacidad y respeto del espacio, sin obligación de socializar. • Ambiente tranquilo, ideal para viajeros que valoran el orden y la calma. • Conversación estructurada, enfocada en el análisis de la ciudad, así como lo que te motivo a viajar • Grabación de una charla (60 minutos) como parte del proyecto Apertura Nómada, con tu consentimiento previo y posibilidad de anonimato. ⸻ Qué busco • Viajeros con experiencia internacional real y criterio propio. • Personas que hablen español, para poder profundizar en las conversaciones. • Interés por compartir una opinión sincera sobre cómo ven San Miguel de Allende. • Respeto, puntualidad y sentido común. • Gente que viaje por curiosidad intelectual y cultural, no por fotos ni por alojamiento gratuito. ⸻ Qué puedes esperar de mí • Seriedad, respeto y claridad desde el inicio. • Un espacio limpio, cómodo y bien cuidado. • Conversación con propósito, cuando haya tiempo y sentido. • Escucha real y curiosidad genuina por lo que observas. • Trato directo, sin poses, sin promesas falsas. ⸻ En resumen No soy guía turístico ni busco llenar itinerarios. Ofrezco un lugar real donde descansar y reflexionar. Busco viajeros que hayan conocido el mundo y que quieran ayudarme a entender San Miguel de Allende desde una visión más amplia y comparativa. Cada viajero aporta una pieza al mapa. Con esas piezas, quiero construir algo más completo, más honesto y más útil que un simple alojamiento. — Isaí Rodríguez

Currently in San Miguel de Allende, MX . Just started hosting on Couchsurfing again so my response rate went down from 100 percent to this as was no reason to pay money if I could not host so I could not respond. Now I am a maybe. Most of the reviews are about hosting in Colombia - Please read all below so you know what you/I prefer. I spent 30 years working for an elected official in Los Angeles. I traveled a lot then , and now I recently retired, at least for a while. We will see how that goes. I started traveling full time in November 2016 visiting Spain, France, Portugal, and Italy , then Vietnam , Cambodia, Thailand , and Bali. I lived in Colombia for 3 years . Thailand for 2, Japan for one, and now in MX. I have a 3br home in SMA,. a 15 minute walk to centro. I live alone, I really have enjoy hosting surfers, most have been interesting, kind, smart, fun and energetic. None have been a problem . I hope that continues. I think you will see from my reviews that I am not offering a couch here , but a private room and bath . I like to offer something special, a welcoming home with some meals, and hospitality especially because most surfers have traveled in some uncomfortable accommodations. I think my reviews illustrate this, and I am proud of that. It is a nice warm atmosphere, good conversation, laughter, talking, listening, eating...very enjoyable and relaxing I hope...(nobody has complained so far..jeje) I am only accepting visitors if your profile says a bit about you and you include information about any traveling partners including links to their CS or Facebook profiles if the have them. I had a 100% response rate ( until covid and being off CS) - I do not want to leave people wondering. Similarly if I contact you first, please respond whether you want to stay of not so that i can offer someone else if you are not interested. NOTICE: If my dates are blacked out, please respect that and don't circumvent the process by sending me a seperate message outside the normal request process, or by requesting available dates as a ruse just to request the blacked-out dates.. I like to have a 100% response rate, so please do not force me to write just to restate that the dates are unavailable. It amazes me that this still happens all the time. Gracias. Caveats: ( I feel bad mentioning these - I never thought I would have to write theses things, and hate to seem like some nut, but these comments have become necessary. Please acknowledge you are ok with these desires. 1.) I don't like to do one night stays - that makes me feel like a hostel - not a home. I usually do stays of 3 to 5 days, I also don’t have more than 2 people in a group, 2. Please let me know the time you will arrive, and arrive close to that time so that I do not interrupt my plans. Some surfers come two hours late, some four hours or seven or twenty hours. I wait, and might not hear anything from them at all. If you need that kind of flexibility, I understand, just I am not the place for you. 3..) I have had angel guests that contributed to cleaning - helping clean more than they should. Others surfers have left without cleaning anything even their own space as if there were a housekeeping service like a hotel. I do not expect Surfers to be house cleaners, just clean your own space at a minimum - wash the sheets, towels ,sweep your private bedroom and bath. Leave it like you would want it when you arrive. 4.) With most surfers we have a few meals in the house together, maybe with some other guests. I like that. I don't like an arrangement where people only buy their own food, and everything is separate . I like this to operate like a home, not a hostel. . No one has to cook - of course you can some. I usually make some meals for guests, sometimes guests prepare some meals. 5.) It is awkward and embarrassing to mention this, but unfortunately it has become necessary. I understand the rigors of travel, but once you get here with your private bathroom, there is no excuse for poor personal hygiene. Please be a clean person. Please write the words “ purple rain” in your message so I know you agree with all this, Gracias! Bienvenidos! See you soon!

Hi there! I'm Mateo, a 28-year-old adventurer from beautiful San Miguel de Allende in Mexico. I'm an athlete with a passion for ultra marathons, extreme sports and i trained proffesional tennis when i was younger as well. My love for pushing the limits has taken me to incredible places and had incredible experiences around the world. I hold a bachelor's degree and am fluent in both English and Spanish, and I'm also learning Scottish Gaelic and Norwegian. Traveling is a huge part of my life. I love meeting new people and immersing myself in different cultures, which is why Couchsurfing is fantastic. It allows me to connect with locals and experience countries in a unique way. Plus, it sometimes helps with the high cost of hotels, allowing me to extend my travels. Animals hold a special place in my heart. Elephants, whales, and wolves are my favorite, and I have a very cute Basset Hound. I also adore horses. I'm an avid reader, especially of fantasy, fiction, and detective novels, and I enjoy folklore music and music festivals. Music is a big part of my life, and I play the guitar as well. I'm an outdoor enthusiast who loves hiking, camping, and living close to nature. Meditation is part of my routine, and I prefer spending my time in nature rather than partying. I also have a bit of an anxious side, which is why adrenaline-filled activities like skydiving, paragliding, and skywalking (my favorite!) are so close to me. Environmental protection is a cause close to my heart. I believe in the importance of preserving our natural world. I enjoy listening to The Red Hot Chili Peppers, and my favorite movie is "The Lord of the Rings." Among the many books I've read, the "Game of Thrones" is my favorite. Looking forward to meeting you and sharing stories and experiences! Best, Mateo

ABOUT ME After a year of traveling around 23 countries, living on a 12-kilo backpack (that I named "the green sock") and being hosted on CS quite frequently, I learned that in every place I visited, there was people willing to meet or host travelers just for the pleasure of experiencing cultural exchange. Despite all odds, this still happens on this social network world. Having that said, if I request to stay at your place, these are the highlights: I am a mexican millennial (whatever that means), proud of my culture and heritage while very curious about other cultures and languages. I lived in the US for 4 years during my university studies but I am currently doing market research for a living in San Miguel de Allende. I grew up among musical instruments (my parents even had a band when they were dating) so I play the guitar and ukulele. I might bring the latter with me when I travel but apologize in advance if my repertoire is limited. I enjoy going to live shows, concerts, film festivals and art exhibits, so count me in if you're planning on attending one. I am a photography enthusiast, so I bring my camera everywhere I go, specially if it is a new place. PHILOSOPHY "There is no such thing as a mistake. There are things you do, and things you don't do." - Paul Martell "Your life is your life. Know it while you have it." - Charles Bukowski