I majored in English Education in college and got certified to teach literature to high school-aged kids. I've taught students in Japan and the Americas. I enjoy human-powered travel. I cycled from New Jersey to Argentina, I spent five months hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in the U.S., and my wife and I spent three months bicycling in southern India.

We live and work in Astoria, Oregon. I'm a high school English teacher; she runs a letterpress printing business called Taiga Press.

This proverb resonates with me and sums up one of the key reasons I love to travel: "I cried about having no shoes, until I met a man with no feet."

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

We love meeting fellow travelers! We both have used Couchsurfing a lot in different countries around the world, and we're excited to be able to pay back some of the hospitality that's been extended to us in the past.

Interests

snowboarding, traveling, seeing live music in tiny places, longboarding, writing, cooking yummy food, camping, meeting new people, teaching, hiking, reading good books in the afternoon

• writing
• books
• literature
• education
• dining
• cooking
• drinking
• gardening
• boating
• reading
• traveling
• music
• live music
• cycling
• hiking
• backpacking
• camping
• sailing
• snowboarding
• astronomy
• business
• teaching
• budget travel

Music, Movies, and Books

I love reading stuff by Haruki Murakami and Tom Robbins. Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond changed the way I viewed the world. Just finished The Places In Between and loved it. On the bike trip, I got into audiobooks a bunch. Advice: don't listen to a recording of In Cold Blood each night in your tent if you're camped out in strange places.

I like lots of different types of music, but I really enjoy bluegrass and anything by Emily Haines.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Helped sail a boat up Australia's eastern coast through rough weather without prior sailing experience. Experienced a steep learning curve on that trip :)

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach/share about: budget travel, bicycle touring, long distance/lightweight backpacking, info on the United States and other places I've lived and traveled, and ideas related to English education

I want to learn: tons more! I would love to learn more about: travel writing, the publishing industry, emerging technologies, different thought systems, places I've never visited, sailing, how to teach unmotivated students, building your own house, and astronomy. Everything!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Info. about the North Coast of Oregon, hiking tips for local trails, and conversation over food/drinks.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, United Kingdom, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Japan, Uganda, United States

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