CURRENT MISSION

Backpack across Europe

ABOUT ME

My husband Phillip in the photo with me (JO) are known by family and friend as kind, caring, funny and ready to ask "what are we going to do next". We are both retired and have a 15 year old cat named mama kitty. This is the last animal we have left from our sons and the other children that have passed through our home over the years. We have two sons and lots of other children that we love. We have only one grandson but a few extra that have adopted us or we them.
I am a retired social worker, over the years having worked in the areas dealing with adolescents, seniors, community development and lastly as a administrator in a social work association. My husband worked in sales for a number of years having been laid off two or three times. As he states, the best job was his last, he finished his career working at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. He always loved art in all its form and enjoyed meeting and helping people. So these last 6 years as a security guard working in a wonderful museum was the best job he ever had.
Now that we are retired we so enjoy being together and doing all the things when working we did not have time to do. Our first trip will be to Niagara Falls both Canadian and American side. We are planning to do an extended trip throughout Europe in the small towns and get to know people and learn about them in the near future. Couch surfing seems the best way as we will have to travel and be frugal if we want to visit all the countries.
I am of Italian descent and wish to see the towns in southern Italy where my father and Grandmother on my mother’s side were born. My husband is a true American as he can trace his family back to Wild West in the US with some Germen, English, Irish, Scotch and Native American Indian.
My youngest son has just completed his master’s degree in Informatics with the focus being on usability and human centered design. He is now off looking for a new job to enhance and challenge his skills. He has been busy and worked hard at both a job and school these last 4 years. My older son is a high school biology teacher and has always wanted to teach since he was 2 years old. They are both off living there lives so know it is time for us to travel a bit.

PHILOSOPHY

To explore and learn about history and other cultures.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

We are fairly new to CS, but we plan on hosting and surfing.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Being new to the community we have only hoisted a few and stayed in a few in the US. We hope to coach surf soon across Europe.

Interests

JO- for me walking, gardening, cooking, flowers, sewing, the zoo, museums, plays and classical music, opera, ballet. No musical talent but love it all

Phillip loves museums, getting his hands into any kind of project that has to do with the arts.
he loves the internet, walking, flowers and gardening. He is talented and can fix just about anything but a car and computers.

• animals
• cats
• arts
• design
• ballet dancing
• cooking
• coach
• walking
• flying
• gardening
• flowers
• traveling
• music
• classical music
• opera
• backpacking
• canoeing
• surfing
• biology
• teaching
• history
• social work

Music, Movies, and Books

We enjoy the history, what's new, art, and about any kind of music but hard rock and some rap.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Jo-
Firewalling in Jamaica
Canoeing in the Canadian boundary waters and seeing the northern lights.
In the 70s the first time I saw the Mona Lisa and touched it.
Phillip,
In the 70s the first time I saw and had the chance to touch the Mona Lisa and the Statue of David
Frist time flying in the back of an air force cargo plane
Marrying my wife 40 years ago.

Countries I’ve Visited

France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States