Currently in San Miguel de Allende, MX . Just started hosting on Couchsurfing again so my response rate went down from 100 percent to this as was no reason to pay money if I could not host so I could not respond. Now I am a maybe. Most of the reviews are about hosting in Colombia -

Please read all below so you know what you/I prefer.

I spent 30 years working for an elected official in Los Angeles. I traveled a lot then , and now I recently retired, at least for a while. We will see how that goes. I started traveling full time in November 2016 visiting Spain, France, Portugal, and Italy , then Vietnam , Cambodia, Thailand , and Bali. I lived in Colombia for 3 years . Thailand for 2, Japan for one, and now in MX.

I have a 3br home in SMA,. a 15 minute walk to centro. I live alone,

I really have enjoy hosting surfers, most have been interesting, kind, smart, fun and energetic. None have been a problem . I hope that continues.

I think you will see from my reviews that I am not offering a couch here , but a private room and bath . I like to offer something special, a welcoming home with some meals, and hospitality especially because most surfers have traveled in some uncomfortable accommodations. I think my reviews illustrate this, and I am proud of that. It is a nice warm atmosphere, good conversation, laughter, talking, listening, eating...very enjoyable and relaxing I hope...(nobody has complained so far..jeje)

I am only accepting visitors if your profile says a bit about you and you include information about any traveling partners including links to their CS or Facebook profiles if the have them. I had a 100% response rate ( until covid and being off CS) - I do not want to leave people wondering. Similarly if I contact you first, please respond whether you want to stay of not so that i can offer someone else if you are not interested.

NOTICE: If my dates are blacked out, please respect that and don't circumvent the process by sending me a seperate message outside the normal request process, or by requesting available dates as a ruse just to request the blacked-out dates.. I like to have a 100% response rate, so please do not force me to write just to restate that the dates are unavailable. It amazes me that this still happens all the time. Gracias.

Caveats: ( I feel bad mentioning these - I never thought I would have to write theses things, and hate to seem like some nut, but these comments have become necessary. Please acknowledge you are ok with these desires.

1.) I don't like to do one night stays - that makes me feel like a hostel - not a home. I usually do stays of 3 to 5 days, I also don’t have more than 2 people in a group,

2. Please let me know the time you will arrive, and arrive close to that time so that I do not interrupt my plans. Some surfers come two hours late, some four hours or seven or twenty hours. I wait, and might not hear anything from them at all. If you need that kind of flexibility, I understand, just I am not the place for you.

3..) I have had angel guests that contributed to cleaning - helping clean more than they should. Others surfers have left without cleaning anything even their own space as if there were a housekeeping service like a hotel. I do not expect Surfers to be house cleaners, just clean your own space at a minimum - wash the sheets, towels ,sweep your private bedroom and bath. Leave it like you would want it when you arrive.

4.) With most surfers we have a few meals in the house together, maybe with some other guests. I like that. I don't like an arrangement where people only buy their own food, and everything is separate . I like this to operate like a home, not a hostel. . No one has to cook - of course you can some. I usually make some meals for guests, sometimes guests prepare some meals.

5.) It is awkward and embarrassing to mention this, but unfortunately it has become necessary. I understand the rigors of travel, but once you get here with your private bathroom, there is no excuse for poor personal hygiene. Please be a clean person.

Please write the words “ purple rain” in your message so I know you agree with all this, Gracias!

Bienvenidos! See you soon!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To Host: . I really enjoy hearing the interesting stories about places people have traveled to, and i love the vitality of my guests. I don't imagine I will ever be a surfer.

Interests

• gardening
• politics
• movies
• travel
• conversation
• exploring new places
• new things
• good work
• construction and mechanical hobbies
• did i say travel
• coffee and wine
• oh and travel.

Music, Movies, and Books

Early rock, jazz, classical, folk rock. Independent and foreign movies. History books primarily.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Used to travel to revolutions - Berlin wall coming down, Prague Velvet Revolution, Hong Kong Changeover....

What I Can Share with Hosts

Good conversation, in a while, a little information about Cartagena, travel stories. Meals, drink, a place to relax and have easy access to places of interest.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Aruba, Austria, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, England, France, Germany, Haiti, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Russian Federation, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Viet Nam, Virgin Islands, U.S.

Countries I’ve Lived In

Colombia, Japan, Mexico, Thailand, United States