CURRENT MISSION

To learn all as much as possible about my family history and the history of Finland in general.

ABOUT ME

I'm a high school teacher, American Football coach, father of two daughters, and I'm married to my beautiful wife of 26 years. I love cultures, languages, history, reading and writing. I think I need the midnight sun to get everything done in a day.

PHILOSOPHY

It's cliche, but I'll say it anyway--Life's a journey and if you don't put yourself out there you won't experience it. I'm a bit of an "Alexander Supertramp" (Into The Wild reference) when it comes to wanting to get away from the norm and experience new things. I think we often put ourselves in a box and forget the rest of the world is out their waiting for us.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I'm really hoping to have a great experience couchsurfing, meeting new friends, exchanging stories and experiences, and learning all I can about Finland.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Officially, I've slept on a few couches in my day and I'm sure I will master even this style and form of travel. After my initial experiences couch-surfing, I couldn't be happier with the experience as both hosts were excellent conversationalists and clearly enjoyed meeting new people from around the world.

Interests

My first love is traveling and meeting people. As an educator, I've taken students all over the world. I've experienced people from all walks of life and continue to seek adventures. My hope is to learn more about my heritage, the history, and my family--ultimately I would like to write about early Finns in America.

• culture
• writing
• coach
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• boxing
• american football
• soccer
• teaching
• history
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

I love fiction, poetry, memoirs, various music and books--a little bit of everything.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

My father currently works with the Chernobyl group in the Ukraine and I've had the opportunity to go inside the reactor control room. That was a pretty significant moment and seeing the devistation that took place throughout the region.

Teach, Learn, Share

I could certainly share my culture, language, and lifestyle we have in the states. I could share American Football and other sporting interests. I'm certainly interested in learning from others as well.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Sweden