Hi all,

My name is Forest and I am a Social Studies Teacher at Portland Public schools.

I have not used Couch Surfing since about 2007, as it was not as internationally recognized as it is now, and I have usually been traveling with others. However, every summer I embark on solo cycle tours, and I would love to meet local folks who have travel suggestions, and would be willing to host me.

I used to host people back in the day, but most of it was pretty unofficial. I'm afraid the site has changed a lot and apparently $60!!!! (are you kidding?!) on a credit card is supposed to show you are trustworthy. As a person who has volunteered lots of hours to the Bernie Sanders campaign, I am suspicious of "buying trust" and would rather earn it. If it helps, I am a high school teacher, so I work with children everyday.

Would you like to host me?

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

As I said, it would be great to meet locals and get travel suggestions!
Thanks for reading!

Interests

I am quite interested in politics, but we don't have to talk about them.

• arts
• writing
• wine
• running
• traveling
• painting
• drawing
• bouldering
• music
• cycling

Music, Movies, and Books

Karl Ove Knausgaard, Michel Houellebecq, Camus, R. Crumb, Salinger, O'Toole, Bukowski, Mac DeMarco, Talking Heads, Tame Impala, Supertramp, Charles Bradley, Captain Beefheart, King Crimson, The Soft Machine, Seu Jorge, Zappa.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I've twice climbed Mount Baker (3,286 m), the most glaciated mountain in the contiguous United States, drove across Canada to St. Johns, Newfoundland, lived in Australia for a year and have seen more of it than most Australians, sailed the Caribbean with three other friends in a 38 foot 1982 Tartan (later in a catamaran), traveled widely in SE Asia and SW China, and have cycle toured many areas: Vancouver Island, Oregon and California Coasts, and soon to be the East Coast of the US and Canada, and a cross country tour planned for summer 2019.

But the most rewarding thing I have done is teach undocumented minors. They are the bravest people I have met, and deserve to be treated with equitable deference.

Teach, Learn, Share

Can teach dominoes, liar's dice, swap travel stories, etc.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Good times, respect, and humility.

Exchange? You host me, I host you in sunny Portland, Oregon: the best place I've ever lived.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Bahamas, Cambodia, Canada, China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, England, Japan, Laos, Mexico, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Thailand, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, United States