CURRENT MISSION First things first: IMPORTANT NOTE to PROSPECTIVE COUCH SURFERS: If you are traveling with "a friend," your friend must also have a CS profile. This is so I know who I will be hosting in my home. Thank you! (If you are a family unit, or a relationship couple, then only one person needs to have a CS profile.) My mission? To develop meaningful contacts with interesting people, listen to their stories, help them when I can, and develop my sense of compassion. ABOUT ME I teach at the University of Maine and am the single father of two sons from Russia and Ukraine — and they get along! They are both grown, on their own, and fascinating in their own ways. I enjoy peace - the natural state of things - and discussing ideas. I find that Maine is good for the spirit, and I have found abundant physical and emotional space in its sweet, forgiving landscape. I'm also a writer. You can check out my books at: http://www.amazon.com/Robert-Klose/e/B001JS9LRA/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1 PHILOSOPHY Try it, you might like it. And if you don't, you at least get bragging rights to the experience.
Interested in Books & Literature
Fluent in German
Learning Polish
Pioneer Badge
Why I'm on Couchsurfing
The first time I couch-surfed was in Montreal on my way to Cuba. My host was welcoming, accommodating and gracious. A fine introduction to the CouchSurfing experience. Since then I have hosted a decent number of surfers — mostly people arriving to begin studies/research at the nearby University of Maine, or en route to/from Canada or the Maine coast. I have also continued to surf couches myself from time to time and have never had a bad experience.
Music, Movies, and Books
I try to read as wide an array of books as possible: fiction, biography, poetry, historical. As time goes on I am less impressed with movies that are built around special effects. I derive greater enjoyment from films that detail the human experience and have something to say. As for music, I dig a broad spectrum: Beatles, folk, new age jazz, classical (Papa Haydn!), bluegrass, the still-great Eagles, Iron and Wine, Dave Mallett, Richard Stolzman, Kat Edmonson, Jón Jónsson, Milk Carton Kids, the sainted James Taylor…
One Amazing Thing I've Done
When I adopted my first son from Russia, I thought he was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Then I repeated the experience several years later by traveling to Ukraine to adopt my second son.
What I Can Share With Hosts
FOR MY HOSTS I enjoy comparing travel notes and am very interested in hearing stories about places I've never been before. I am always wiling to bake Irish soda bread. FOR MY GUESTS I am an enthusiastic Mainer and enjoy introducing visitors to this unique and beautiful state. A jaunt to Stephen King's house (just down the road) is always in the offing and, time and weather permitting, a trip to the magnificent Maine coast is sometimes a possibility.
My Interests
Books, writing, languages, hiking, canoeing, traveling, swimming, scuba, racketball, fishing, exploring junk stores, playing music in small ensembles (I play clarinet and guitar).
