First:

One important reason I am on CouchSurfing is I am living alone temporarily and I’m not motivated to cook proper meals just for my self. Just having someone here seems to solve that problem in two ways. I become motivated to cook for my guest but usually my guests cook more healthy meals which I like even better. I love dishes from all over the world and I’m always interested in trying new foods. Please come and cook for me!

Now the usual profile items.
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About Me

I’m not sure what to say about me because most things I can say to describe myself conflict with other things I can say to describe myself. Like, how can I say I am very logical and practical and at the same time say I am very emotional. But I’m all of these.

I guess there are a few things that have no contradiction:
I’m reasonably fit, healthy, and active.
I’m 5’ 11” tall, but I used to be just over 6’. I have found we get shorter as we get older.
I’m still the same weight as I have been for many years…175lbs.
The hair was gone a long time ago, but my eyes are still blue.

I enjoy sailing, fishing, hiking, camping, wood working, gardening, computers, music, reading, cooking (with another person), and many other things.

At various times of the year I live in 2 different places; Japan and New Zealand. Both feel like home but my interests and how I spend my time differs greatly from place to place. Each place has a different culture and a different physical environment and I feel like a different person in each place. I’m originally from the USA but that part of me is fading. I left the US in 1980 and it seems like a different place to me now. Not much interest to go back.

I have permanent residence in all 3 countries and I can come and go and stay as long as I like in any country but New Zealand is where I spend most of my time.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Philosophically:

I am trying to increase my understanding and acceptance of people from all cultures by bringing them to me and sharing our life stories.

I try to practice kindness, simplicity, gratefulness, mindfulness and hospitality. I am very accepting of different races, religions, cultural practices, sexual orientations, etc. Basically my primary guide is “do no harm”…almost everything that meets that requirement is OK with me.

Practically:
I live in a big beautiful house at the tip of a peninsula overlooking the Opua Harbor. Absolutely the best view in the bay. I have many projects and activities, and just being in this house is a total pleasure. But...

I am living alone now. And I don't like living alone. There have been times in the past when I enjoyed being alone for a week or two. But recently a day or two is enough and I'm much happier when someone is here .

I am very open about most elements of my life and I value conversations with people who can be comfortable sharing their deep feelings about the good, the bad, and the ugly in their life as well. I have learned what you see on the surface is not the real person. I like to know the real person.

I am very accepting of people from diverse cultures and lifestyles. LGBT are very welcome in my home.

I think CouchSurfing offers you and me an opportunity for conversations we might not have with people in our everyday life. Opening up your feelings with a stranger and listening to your own thoughts can be helpful in understanding yourself. And hearing another persons experiences and opinions can also be enlightening. This is a safe environment where people you deal with everyday will not know "too much" about you. But you will learn more about yourself through the process of verbalizing your thoughts. Just like a psychiatrist mostly listens to you resolving our own issues!

But I also spend a lot of time with my guests doing things together, like going to remote beaches off the tourist trail. Going for walks, watching movies in my home cinema with 3 meter screen, sharing music on YouTube and Spotify, and of course cooking together. Quite often my local friends drop by for coffee and conversation and my guests usually enjoy meeting them...I have some very colorful friends!

I give my guest some space when they need it to just unwind, or catch up on their dairy, or plan their next adventure. I'm happy to take you to and from other activities you might book while in my area. If you are at my place on a Friday night there will be an activity that you will surely find unique and enjoyable...everyone has so far. But you have to come to find out what it is!

Music, Movies, and Books

Music - Depends on how I feel...usually slow serious stuff. It seems YouTube knows more about what I like than I do. Just looking at My Mix that YouTube decided I like:

Ray LaMontagne
Damien Rice
Passenger
Adele
Christina Perri
John Legend
Boyce Avenue
many others

with occasional old ones like
REM
Coldplay
or Bryan Adams
even Fleetwood Mac

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

A long time ago I was fearful of the collapse of civilization in America and pursued an "off the grid" self sustaining life style. I bought a place in the country side and built an underground house (300sqm). I had a half acre vege garden, fruit tree orchard, honey bees, goats, chickens, rabbits, etc. After about 7 years there was no collapse and I had created more than I could maintain independently. I finally realized you need a commune of around 20-30 people to share skills and duties to survive. Very difficult to survive outside society all alone. Some do but I was not interested in living like a hermit or a bum. So I gave that up and "Escaped from America". Went to Japan and started a new life.

Actually, the above was just one of many lives I'd like to tell you about.

Teach, Learn, Share

Would love to share this wonderful house/view with a pleasant person and just enjoy being together. Cooking together. Talking about meaningful life experiences. Understanding alternate views of the world as we see it.

Just hanging out and having a good time sharing the beauty of the Bay of Islands with another person would be my pleasure.

It would be nice if you could prepare a meal or two from your country, I get tired of my own (lack of) cooking.

I host many one year working holiday visitors and enjoy helping them get their NZ life organized. I can help you with phones, bank accounts, IRD applications, job search, etc. I can usually help you get most of this done in 2 days instead of the 2 weeks it takes many people. I’m happy to help even if you do not stay with me.

I like hosting people who share common interests as well as diverse opinions. Most people say in their profile they are “open minded” which I have found means quite different things from person to person. You don’t have to be open minded to get along well with me. I also find closed minded people interesting. I will try to understand you and your opinions.

I like hosting thoughtful, cooperative people who want to be sociable and want to practice fair sharing.
I like meeting people who have time to share for cultural exchange, learning and fun. I also understand sometimes people need private time for rest or planning their travel.

I prefer visitors stay for a few days to make the experience worthwhile for me. If you are just wanting a free hostel or want to be unsociable or want to stay at a party house - best find another place to stay.

Before sending a request or accepting an offer to host please my read and pay attention to all my profile. If you are travelling with a friend say something about them in your request and preferably include a link to their CouchSurfing profile.

What I Can Share with Hosts

My home has a separate guest apartment which I rent to tourists in the summer…sometimes. I don’t push this too much so it is often empty. If you visited me this is where you would stay: www.hannahdehaven.com

For free of course.

Sometimes I rent my apartment to tourist and in that case, it's a big house and has other sleeping options including a couple of very large and comfortable sofas.

Please read the My Home section.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Guam, Italy, Mexico, Myanmar, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, United States Minor Outlying Islands

Countries I’ve Lived In

Japan, New Zealand, United States