CURRENT MISSION

Cross-cultural understanding and connections can make the world a more peaceful place.

ABOUT ME

I like being outdoors, meeting new people, enjoying life. When I was working, I spent my free time hiking, climbing, cycling, and spending time with friends eating, drinking, and talking. Now I'm (sort of) on a long bicycle tour that I started in Berlin in July 2011. So far the route has been Germany, Czech, Austria, Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Turkey, Georgia, and back to Turkey. I toured some in Mexico and Israel in there as well. I've ended up spending over two years in Turkey, a lot of that time in Antalya. For most of my career I've done computer programming work for hydrogeologic applications. Spatial programming with Python. Fun!

PHILOSOPHY

Travelling and meeting people from new places is a great way to reduce conflict in the world.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I've been a member of hospitality club since 2005 and was a member of bicycle-specific printed hospitality lists before that.
I have participated as both a host and a guest.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I hosted travellers from the US, Finland, Netherlands, France, Tanzania, Canada, Australia, Italy, South Korea, Spain, and other places that I'm certainly forgetting. I've been welcomed into people's homes in Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Tanzania, Mexico, South Africa, France, Netherlands, Slovakia, Poland, Romania, Albania, Switzerland, Greece, Israel. Wow, aren't people wonderful and trusting?!

Interests

Outdoor activities -- cycling, hiking, climbing, backpacking, skiing.
Reading, meeting new people, cooking and eating.

• cooking
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• hiking
• backpacking
• mountaineering
• skiing
• rock climbing
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

I recently read Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter and am reminded how much I like Vargas Llosa. I'm a fan of US writers John Steinbeck and Mark Twain. Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is on my mind because I'm 42 (when I wrote this!).

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Some amazing places I've visited include the Annapurna Sanctuary, Teotihuacán, Canyonlands NP, the Taj Mahal, Bangkok, Damascus.

Teach, Learn, Share

I have taught wilderness skills, navigation, mountaineering techniques. I like learning languages but don't spend enough time studying.

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Bolivia, Cambodia, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, Germany, Honduras, India, Japan, Kenya, Laos, Malawi, Namibia, Panama, Romania, Serbia, Tanzania, Uganda, Viet Nam, Zambia

Countries I’ve Lived In

Turkey, United States

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