ABOUT ME

I am the head of a family of three, me and my two kids, currently 21 and 18. I consider myself to be adventurous and willing to try just about anything. My children may or may not be above average. We are all vaccinated for COVID and expect our guests to be as well.

PHILOSOPHY

My personal goal in life is to collect experiences, not stuff.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

As a family, we've hosted SO MANY people, first in St. Louis, MO and then in North Carolina. See the glowing references! Because of being a family, we are often chosen by travelers looking to relax and who want to explore the area, rather than being here to party, party, party. I only accept folks who want to stay for at least a couple nights and will dine with me at least once. You must be willing to take time for some real conversation and to share your stories!

We've surfed ourselves a number of times over the years, and every time it has been a wonderful experience. We talk up couchsurfing to everyone we can and might even have converted a few to join us!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Very positive. Have met some interesting people and have enjoyed hearing about their lives and travel experiences. We really love sharing travel stories and meeting folks with experiences we can only dream about. Some of our guests have inspired us to try new things or places, and we like that we have a bigger picture of the world through our couchsurfers.

Interests

I really love to dance, especially partner dances like salsa, swing, zydeco/cajan, and contra. Lately I've been learning Carolina shag. I've enjoyed my own Lonely Planet style backpack travel and have lived abroad for a significant amount of time in China (before kids) and in Kenya (with kids). I really like to watch movies and read mysteries and non-fiction. I am also somewhat addicted to my computer. My son, Kai (23), has a passion for all things science. Ella (20) enjoys acting and most people in general. We all relish hiking and most other outdoor activities, as well as road trips and learning new things.

• design
• graphic design
• dancing
• dining
• meditation
• movies
• tv
• traveling
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• teaching
• science
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

So many movies, books, and music. . .and so little time to get to them all. I'm a bit of a Bollywood fan, and well, just about everything cinematic really. I have most recently enjoyed the non-fiction book "Premonition" by Michael Lewis. When it comes to music, the Sonos shuffles through lots of world beat (especially Latin and African), folk, bluegrass, and even a little classical. I'm a sucker for strong women vocalists of any era or genre.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

When we all lived in Kenya, I worked for the U.S. Ambassador and ran his small grants program. That meant I got to travel the country extensively, giving away money to Kenyan self-help groups working to improve their communities. It was an amazing experience and allowed me to see the country in a way few expats are able to.

Teach, Learn, Share

My careers have included graphic designer, fundraiser, grant writer, and diplomat. Currently I'm an ESL instructor at a local community college. If there is a dance I'm going to; you are more than welcome to tag along. I'll even give you a lesson! I occasionally host house concerts which you welcome to attend. Kai will involve you in a discussion about some sort of scientific innovation, and Ella may play a tune for you on the piano. We encourage our guests to share their talents with us as well.

What I Can Share with Hosts

A meal, a story or two, a bike ride, a walk around our lake. Mainly conversation about your life and travels.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, China, Egypt, Italy, Madagascar, Mexico, Netherlands, Rwanda, South Africa, Thailand, Uganda

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, Kenya, United States