Hi, we're Michael and Paola. Michael: a native Austinite who has lived in Ecuador for many years; and Paola, from Quito, who lived in the USA for several years. Now we are back and forth between Quito and Portland (Oregon), but mostly in Ecuador these days.. We're married for a while now but have known each other since 1999. Michael makes and teaches music, and Paola makes art, is an anthropologist, writer and editor. We have a both farm and and apartment in Ecuador , and own a house in Portland. Since we care for an aging parent, we are not always able to host travelers, but are interested in making new friends and sharing adventures.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Michael travelled extensively for many years, occasionally using CS, and has met some of his best friends thanks to these travels, especially over the course of a 4-year international tour with his world-music musical act, The Just Desserts. Paola has travelled to India, Nepal, Peru, and to almost half of the states (USA). Meeting new international friends is always enlightening. Couchsurfing is one of those niceties of the modern age, making the most of technology in a world that can be less and less connected in other ways; a remarkable way to meet new people and share cultures. We've always hosted friends, friends of friends, and now Couchsurfers.

Interests

Playing, listening, writing, recording, arranging and teaching music of ALL kinds! Hiking, poetry, art, cooking, eating, drinking, learning, farming, gardening, film, politics, talking, books, children, knitting photography, ceramics, painting, drawing, exploring, sharing, learning...swimming, camping, reading, writing, recording, film....

• arts
• writing
• books
• poetry
• photography
• concerts
• cooking
• desserts
• drinking
• gardening
• politics
• reading
• pottery
• knitting
• painting
• drawing
• music
• guitar
• hiking
• camping
• swimming
• anthropology
• cello
• sculpture
• recording

Music, Movies, and Books

Paola: me interesa cualquier arte q me hacer sentir, pensar, o que me inspira hacer mi propio arte. Anthropologa, artista, editora, escritora, abriendo al mundo...
Michael: Toco chelo, guitarra, y canto, y soy productor de muchos generos de musica. He tocado musica de varios continentes, pero cuando canto, solo canto en ingles. Musica rock, jazz, clasica, latina, tradicional, pop, fusion, tango, blues, country, bluegrass...

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Michael: Toured in Ecuador and Colombia doing cultural outreach concerts and workshops funded by the United States State Department, playing bluegrass and country music for local communities and schools. Toured several other countries as an accordion/cello world music duo for a few years. Paola: Documented hundreds of traditional arts/crafts/atrisans/heritage/local memory/medicinal knowledge in Ecuador for Ecuador's national database. Edited an atlas of Ecuadorian archeology. Edit an academic journal of Ecuadorian anthropology. Served migrant populations in New Mexico as a social worker.

Teach, Learn, Share

Music, traditional heritage. Food, ways of life, cultural relativism, farming, building, entrepreneurship, psychology.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Music, art, knitting, stories, fun, conscientious couchsurfing, and good cooking! And always a CD!

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Peru, Spain, United Kingdom, United States, Venezuela

Countries I’ve Lived In

Ecuador, United States, Venezuela

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