I'm a lover of adventure, and a nurturer by nature. Patience, kindness, and compassion.

I used to travel to Cuba frequently for work, but now I'm happily growing roots and community in Portland, Oregon.

I love this poem:

To laugh is to risk appearing a fool,
To weep is to risk being called sentimental,
To reach out to another is to risk involvement,
To expose feelings is to risk showing your true self,
To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk being called naive,
To love is to risk not being loved in return,
To hope is to risk despair,
To try is to risk to failure.
But risks must be taken because the greatest risk in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing is nothing.
He may avoid suffering and sorrow,
But he cannot learn, feel, change, grow or live.
Chained by his certitude, he is a slave who has forfeited his freedom.
Only a person who risks is truly free.

- Janet Rand -

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To meet interesting people, share experiences, and foster a network of interesting friends spanning the globe.

I've hosted for travelers, and I've participated in CS community events. Meeting new people and exchanging ideas is rewarding and enriching.

I've hosted guests for years, often through connections that I had previously made in my travels, but also through this site. Having recently moved in with my partner, I haven't sold her on the idea of hosting yet, but I'm working on it.

Interests

Gardening with my partner, riding bikes, walking and talking, urban exploration. I love the Yucatan Peninsula. I formerly led legally sanctioned group trips to Cuba from the US most of the year.

• chickens
• walking
• gardening
• urban exploration
• edm
• fermenting
• graduated from burning man
• making hot sauce

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I shushed a drunk Cuban commandante at a New Year's Eve party because he kept talking over me. It made him laugh so hard that an American civilian would be so bold, and we hugged over it.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'd love to take you to a yoga class, or join you where you live and enjoy practicing yoga.

There are some great restaurants and parks in Portland that I would love to share with you.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Stories, great conversation, a meal, a hand around the house or garden.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States