CURRENT MISSION

I´m trying to see as much of Europe as possible, meet as many people, try as many things. I would *love* a tour-guide for any city...or just someone to get a beer or coffee with.

ABOUT ME

I love meeting people, reading, learning new things, music (listening, playing, and going to shows), hiking, seeing cool or pretty buildings, going new places, trying new foods. And when I'm on the road, I'm up for damned near anything.

PHILOSOPHY

I want to be the most real, most genuine person I can be.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Right now I'm not in a position to host (I live in a shared house), so I'm just trying to be a good guest---be respectful, nice, help out around the house, be open for anything my host has in mind.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've only successfully surfed a few times, but I love it. Exploring new places is better with a friend (even just a friend for the day). I've lived in Portland for 29 years, and it's not just a city---it's MY city. If someone came here, I'd show them what makes it great. And what better person to stay with than someone who feels the same way about their home?

Interests

Learning, people, books, music, hiking, traveling, art, discussions, etc.

• arts
• books
• beer
• coffee
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• hiking
• tourism
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Beatles, elliott smith, Low, Radiohead, Built to Spill, Death Cab for Cutie, and a bunch of Portland bands that no one´s ever heard of.
Movies: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, etc.
Books: Where to start? Harry Potter, Woolf, Yeats (poems and plays), William Maxwell, Faulkner, Calvino, Duras, Proust, the Odyssey, the Book of Embraces (Galeano), Love in the Time of Cholera, Nobel Prize winners, lots of poetry, Lord of the Rings, etc.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

In 2008, I traveled in Europe for three months (18 countries), then West Africa for three more (6 countries). I learned a lot of lessons that I'd never expected.

I climbed (er, hiked) two mountains in 2009 (Mount St Helens and South Sister), which I never figured I'd do.

I keep a meticulous list of all the books I've read since I was eighteen. It's twenty typed pages and counting. (This isn't actually amazing, but it's something I love.)

Shit, that's three things. Oh well.

Teach, Learn, Share

I have tons of quirky knowledge that's rarely useful, hard to categorize, but often really fun. I read a LOT and I know a lot about books, but I have my moments with Simpsons and Lord of the Rings and indie bands and other dorky things. I´ve been told by a number of people that they learn something new every time they hang out with me.

Countries I’ve Visited

Benin, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Togo, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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