CURRENT MISSION

Make meaningful contribution to world around and enjoy!

ABOUT ME
Although the profile is registered in my name, our entire family shares the joy of CS hosting. It is a "family thing" with Gowri (my wife), Kamala (my daughter) and my elderly parents fully involved.

We host beyond Couchsurfers. We plan our weekends and travel much in advance. So it is highly preferred to touch base early and plan your arrival at our home well in advance (months?). Last minute requests are likely to be politely turned down. You may try:)

I taught full time in Moorhead State University, MN, USA for 2 academic years before returning to India and turning to be an entrepreneur and a farmer. Gowri was a librarian before joining my business. Kamala is a university student.
I used to be in active public life, slowed down a bit now. Have loads of insights to share from that experience.
Am involved in volunteering works. Currently in a project motivating and guiding rural teenagers.

PHILOSOPHY
Life is an opportunity. Live it up bringing smiles in as many faces

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING
As I had moved out to my village in 2012, I stayed away from CS due to poor internet connectivity. Now we are back in suburb of Chennai and started hosting again.

Pre CS days, we had hosted many. We host many non CSers too. When she was a 14-year old, Kamala shared her room for a full academic year with an American teenager. We told her, it was her initiation to Couchsurfing:-)

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE
Met CSers for the first time in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia over lunch and dinner. Had my first sushi at a restaurant owned by a CSer.

We enjoyed every CS and non-CS interaction with travellers.
Ice cream time, long walks, bus & car rides w/ Hayley in Devonport, Tasmania was so new to Kamala and she was savouring it for long!
Our first surfing experience at Wendy's place in Sydney; realised later we did not spend sufficient time with our lovely host - learnt from that experience.
Tuyet and David Brown - our CS hosts in Hanoi taught me to use chopsticks reasonably well. David says I will be an expert the day I hold 3 peanuts using chopsticks!
Our stay with Mailys in Belgium! We got introduced at a Tokyo museum three years ago. CS connected us!

Interests

Enjoy interacting with and learning from people of all ages.
Reading and travelling

• culture
• dining
• walking
• reading
• traveling
• entrepreneurship
• history
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

Gowri and Kamala enjoy many things artistic (which i struggle to understand:-)) Kamala is a indian classical dancer with reasonable accomplishments. She can share a lot on this.
My favorite musician is Yanni. Also listen to old Tamil film songs.
All three of us read a lot and just about anything.
We watch TV very selectively.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Trekking Mt.Kinabalu
The mobike scene in Vietnam cities
Walking in Frank Joseph Glacier and Tranzscenic train journeys in New Zealand.
Treating the crystal clear ocean as a swimming pool(!) in Boracay island, Philippines.
Trying to sleep thro' a cold night under tent in Yellow stone national park.
3N stay with a Sherpa family up in the mountains of Nepal, just a week before earthquake and landslide...

Teach, Learn, Share

Wish to learn anything new on culture and its impact on history and sometimes vice versa. Willing to share views on our culture.
Gowri is a spiritual person and can talk to you about Hindu traditions. She is a certified yoga teacher too.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can tell you about Indian sociopolitical system - how it works/does not work, from my ground level experience.
travel and CS stories; life in US Universities.
Home made Indian snacks that i carry in travel

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Canada, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Poland, Scotland, Singapore, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United States, Vatican City State, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

India, United States

• 

•