CURRENT MISSION

To leisurely travel, connecting with local people, enjoying local foods and customs

ABOUT ME

Respectful, easy going, friendly, no expectations but open to many possibilities. I'm usually quiet in groups, but love soulful one-on-one conversations. But, yes, I do have a fun and wild side... especially when traveling. Love to eat well, drink well, dance a little, and swim naked.

I'm a grounded and rooted individual who also enjoys loosening the ties to explore the world. I've lived in Oregon for over 28 years, but also lived in Chiang Mai, Thailand for a while teaching English at Chian Mai University (CMU). Returned to Portland for a new legal career and finally got to a point where I can begin to travel again.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Relatively little experience.

Interests

- NPR (National Public Radio) and PBS (locally, I listen to OPB)
- hiking
- Hot springs and Hot Tubs/Spas
- beaches
- coffee shops and conversations
- foods (Asian, Lebanese, Latin, you name it)
- learning to cook some of those foods I love to eat
- swimming in rivers and lakes
- snorkeling
- art (ceramic, minimalist design, architecture, etc)
- Theater
- Japanese interior design aesthetic and Japanese gardens
- Movies (All kinds)
- flying kites
- road trips
- surfing the Net
- Massages
- open to many other experiences... I have a curious mind and open to new experiences, desiring genuine interactions, learning about other cultures, cooking foods, and ways of being.

• arts
• writing
• singing
• theater
• architecture
• design
• interior design
• spas
• dancing
• cooking
• coffee
• drinking
• flying
• movies
• traveling
• hiking
• surfing
• snorkeling
• swimming
• calligraphy
• journalism
• road trips
• beaches
• lakes
• rivers

Music, Movies, and Books

MUSIC:
- Folk (Celtic, Andean/Peruvian pipe, Japanese Taiko drumming, African...)
- World beat
- Techno/Trance
- Folk Rock
- 80's New Wave
- mild Hip-Hop
- Classical
- New Age
- so much more

MOVIE: Dead Poet's Society; Castaway; The Bucket List; Iris;

BOOK: Johnathan Livingston Seagull; Tipping Point; any book on the art of Andy Goldsworthy;

Just to start...

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

- Climbed El Yunque in Puerto Rico as a kid
- Had a monkey leap on top of me in Bali
- Hiked above 14,000 feet while in Colorado
- Got to meet and sing with Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul, and Mary) in Portland a few times
- Sunrise at Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia
- Hang-gliding in Tennessee

OH... I was supposed to list only ONE thing?

Teach, Learn, Share

MY SKILLS:
- I can be somewhat of a handyman. I know my limits and will stop before breaking something, though!
- Can fix a leaky faucet (with the right tools)
- Have property management experience
- Enjoy tinkering with computers (again, I know my limits)
- Understand Web technologies
- Can make a "one match" fire in a fireplace
- Have some massage training and can offer massages
- A great driver with several safety tips that many people don't know about

THINGS I'D LIKE TO KNOW:
- Speak Spanish and Chinese
- Learn to cook more interesting dishes
- How to be a successful writer (travel journalist)
- How to do Chinese calligraphy
- When working with clay on the wheel, how to throw matching sets of anything (rather than just make one-of-a-kind items)

What I Can Share with Hosts

A calm and quiet personality, good listener, and open to treating you to dinner and/or drinks to discuss what you love best in your hometown and what I should see!

Countries I’ve Visited

Cambodia, China, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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