I am an American living in the US who values travel and international exchange. My husband and I have been an international host family for 25 years in our US home but are new to Couchsurfing. We own a home in the Cleveland area and currently host a German exchange student. We also live part-time in Washington DC (due to my husband's work) and share a house there with a Mexican family. We enjoy cultural exchange.

We live in the Cleveland suburb of Avon, about 20 miles west of Cleveland city center. There is no public transportation in our area but there is Uber. We do not provide transportation. Our home is best if you have a car or are willing to use Uber to get into the city.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Our family values and enjoys international exchange. We are a long-term host family near Cleveland. For decades, we have hosted adult professionals and students living temporarily in the US. We have hosted individuals long-term from Germany, France, Latvia, Bosnia, Ukraine, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan and South Africa. We currently have a German young adult student living with us in the US. We also live part-time in DC.

Interests

Chris - Fiber arts, birding, volunteering, reading, travel, cinema, conversation.

Dennis (husband) - Social justice and environmental issues, amateur astronomist, stamp collecting, baseball, travel, gardening, short wave radio.

Music, Movies, and Books

I read a lot; daily, weekly, monthly ............. Asking me to pick my favorite book is like asking me to pick my favorite child. Right now I am reading I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai. Favorite music would be classical and folk. My favorite movies are documentaries and foreign films. I volunteer with the Cleveland International Film Festival.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I home schooled my two sons for twenty years; pre-school to college entry. I loved homeschooling because it gave free reign to learning adventures.

Teach, Learn, Share

I am not quite sure what to write here. Most of our travel exchange has been conversation and cooking/sharing meals. I can teach you how to knit or hand spin wool. I am a certified knitting instructor in my free time. I also can help you learn how to identify birds. My husband can teach you how to identify the stars. He also can introduce you to stamp collecting. He writes a stamp column in the local newspaper in his free time.

What I Can Share with Hosts

We like to share a meal, conversation, discussion about current events and American culture.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, England, France, Germany, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States