Cyclist, gardener, polyglot, formerly a journalist but now work as a tailor, hiker, knitter, writer, reader, not Hawaiian but very pro-shaka 🤙

Oh, and I’m gay 🏳️‍🌈 I used to not care whether other surfers knew, but then I stayed with someone who was baffled and didn’t seem to know at all how to act around me once it came out (Psst, the answer is 'normal' 😉)

But if at least one of the items in your wallet is a currently valid library card, then we're going to get along fine.

And whether you stay in my home, or I stay in yours, the best advice I can give is this: if you're invited somewhere and don't know what to bring, get a pineapple. I have never, ever had anyone for any reason - dietary, religious, moral - point to one and say "I can't eat that."*

*update: After 10 years of dispensing this advice, I have discovered that my cousin is allergic to pineapple! But he liked having it as a centerpiece. So I think it still holds up 🤙

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Update: Currently in Osaka, Japan for several months! But the information below is still largely accurate

When I travel as a guest, I love to learn about local culture from an insider who can teach me more about the history and customs of a place. Besides English, 🇫🇷 j'aime bien pratiquer mes autres langues - 🇪🇸 todas las idiomas que sé - 🇩🇪 auch deutch, (egal ob dass meine schlimste sprache ist ;) Maybe you can teach me more about your language?

And when I host, I'm a free hotel :)

That's not sarcasm. I'm serious. Couchsurfing is free. Not just cash free, but it also means you are free from any obligation to entertain me. Nor do I want to be responsible for your entertainment. You don't have to sift thru my profile for the secret word that will get you in the door. I'm just helping you out with a free place to sleep, a shower, and if I have time, a meal. If we get along, great! And if we don't, so what? There are all kinds of people in this world, and CS is a great way for those who might otherwise not be able to afford to travel to see the world up close 🤙

To some couchsurfers, this might seem odd, perhaps even rude! ("Isn't Couchsurfing supposed to be a cultural exchange???") But I will explain: I LOVE learning about other cultures and languages! And staying with someone who can teach you about theirs is the best way to travel! But, I won't insist this of my guests . Maybe you just got off a long flight and need to sleep to recover from jet lag. Maybe you have limited English. Maybe you just need to feel safe 🤙 I try to be accommodating, and ensure that visitors have what they need for a restful stay.

So...

PLEASE DON'T REQUEST TO STAY WITH ME: if you want to spend whole days together exploring. You may be free and enjoying a visit, but I've still got my life and work to get to. If we both have time and our schedules allow, then great! But I do need to prioritize my work. That said, I'm happy to set you up with recommendations 🤙

PLEASE KEEP IT SHORT: just 4-5 sentences. Who you are, how long you're in town, what you need from me. That's it.

TWO NIGHT LIMIT: We're very firm on this since the couch is public space. If during your stay you have an emergency and you need to stay another night (flight cancelled, passport stolen, etcetera) then we're not heartless over here. But neither are we doormats.

PLEASE GIVE AT LEAST 2 DAYS' HEADS UP: I have roommates and want to respect them by giving everyone enough time to consider.

PREFERENCE: given to cyclists, traveling academics, emergencies, and interesting folk just passing thru. If you're just hoping to snap a selfie with the Golden Gate Bridge...well...I am much less excited to host you.

REQUIRED: Nonsmoker - nonnegotiable 🤙

A FAVOR: If you can find an hour or two to help in the garden, it would be much appreciated. This is not a requirement, so no worries if you can't or simply don't want to.

EXTRA CREDIT:

🇫🇷
Si votre langue maternelle est française, et vous avez un livre en français duquel vous n’avez plus besoin, je l’aimerais. Je preféres les romans, mais je suis trés flexible 🙃

🇪🇸
Si tu primer idioma es español y tienes un libro en español y además estas listo a regalar lo a alguien, lo me gustaría mucho. Prefiero las novellas, pero soy muy flexible 🤙

🇩🇪
Wenn Ihre Muttersprache Deutsch ist und Sie ein Deutschebuch haben, das Sie jemandem schenken kann, ich es hatte gerne. Meine Lieblingsbücher sind Romane, aber ich auch viele anderes Types liebe gerne 👌 📚 📖

Interests

writing, reading, photography, walking the sorts of distances most people would take an airplane for, scrabble, Scandinavian synth-pop (Miike Snowe, Tove Lo, Lykke Li, Röyksopp, Trentemøller, Robyn, oh right, and Bjork ;) , rust belt cities, bicycles, Thai life insurance commercials, tea, classical music, napping in public places, California, crafting elaborate scenarios, doing things in places where they were never intended to be done, languages, lately very into contemporary East Asian culture (K-dramas, Japanese novels, Taiwanese Youtubers) so would love to learn more about these

• writing
• photography
• reading
• traveling
• knitting
• classical music
• backpacking
• gay
• bikes
• bicycling
• lgbtq
• public transit

Music, Movies, and Books

Let's keep this simple. I like:- colorful or bold movies where each shot could stand alone as a composition- music where the artist has done something genuinely musical and original- books with pages that I have to physically turn

maybe this will help:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhARR-zmTCE

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Went 8 months without riding in a motor vehicle. Much harder than it sounds!

Teach, Learn, Share

Being gay (or more broadly, queer) informs how I see the world. No culture centers us, and yet we exist within all cultures. I find both those points beautiful. Not being the center, I have to empathize with those who aren't like me. Yet I also have entry to every nation. My people are there whether or not that country's government is of the same opinion.

I think being gay, probably more than anything else, explains my great interest in other cultures, my respect for self-reliance, and my scant patience for nationalists and purists. Of any kind.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I don't want to promise anything that you might not want. So I'll just say that I will respect your hospitality by honoring the rules of your home.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Denmark, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, United States

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