CURRENT MISSION

Now that we are retired, my wife and I plan to travel a lot, visit those grandkids, and be sources of comfort and goodwill to others.

ABOUT ME

After I left Pleasantville, New Jersey (USA) at the age of 18, I finished a BA degree in history at a college in Wisconsin. From there I went to Ethiopia, where I spent two years as a US Peace Corps Volunteer teacher. Then I went to graduate school at a university in Iowa, earning both an M.A. degree and a Ph.D. degree in art history. I also spent 3½ uninterrupted years in Taiwan (that’s why I speak Mandarin Chinese). I am now retired from a college in South Dakota, where I taught for 32 years. Most recently, I've become a cruise ship enrichment lecturer.

PHILOSOPHY

It is all too obvious to everyone that there is far too much conflict and suffering in the world. I would like to do my little part to turn the conflict to concord and the suffering to satisfaction.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I am new to CS, so I am not really sure how I can participate or how I can help to build the community. However, I am open to ideas.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I am experienced to the extent that I have made use of CS to find some wonderful contacts for 2010-2012 trips to Italy, Greece, and Turkey. It's marvelous that with CS one can befriend a person virtually anywhere in the world.

Interests

Reading, research, writing, photography, the visual arts, ancient cultures, world religions, archaeology, travel, languages (primarily Mandarin Chinese and Modern Greek), exercise, kayaking, recreational scuba diving, etc.

• arts
• culture
• humanities
• writing
• architecture
• photography
• exercise
• reading
• traveling
• kayaking
• scuba diving
• art history
• teaching
• history
• languages
• religion
• visual arts
• volunteering
• parks

Music, Movies, and Books

When it comes to music, movies, or books, I am very much an eclectic. However, I would say that in area of music I most enjoy classical, jazz, and new age … in the area of the movies, adventure and science fiction … and in the area of books, historical and biographical novels. An easy to middle level crossword puzzle is fun, too.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

On the day I am filling out this questionnaire (02-11-10), I guess I would have to say there are four things: (1) the land and people of Ethiopia, (2) the game parks of East Africa, (3) the Pre-Hellenic, Hellenic, and Classical art and architecture of Greece, and (4) the quiet, colorful world only a scuba diver can enjoy.

Teach, Learn, Share

Well, I am a teacher, so I should be able to contribute something positive in this area. I think I can do a pretty good job of helping people in the areas of art, art history, the humanities, and the great religions of the world. As a learner, I would like to link up with someone or a community that is interested in the Greek culture and the modern Greek language. More particularly, I have a very special interest in the island of Crete and the Minoan culture.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Cayman Islands, China, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Monaco, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, Yemen

Countries I’ve Lived In

Ethiopia, Taiwan, United States

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