CURRENT MISSION

I really think that another world is possible, but I also like to be transformed by the world while I know more of it.

ABOUT ME

I am 59 years old. I have leart more from what I have lived than from what I have studied.
I have been rocker in the 70's, student leader in the University when it was a very dangerous activity during the military dictatorships, political organizer, congressman, diplomatic, cultural and environmental activist. I have wrote several books and articles on several issues such as sustainable development, indigenous peoples rights, sacred natural sites, coca and cocaine, narcotic drugs policy, among others.
If I should have to choose a life to live, probably I would choose the life I have lived.

I have traveled a lot throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia and Afrika, but I feel that the more I know the more I want to keep discovering.
Nevertheless, the place I know and love the best is my own country and enjoy a lot talking about of it with people who has real interest on it.
The best experience I had with CS was during a kind of "sabatical" in 2009. I met my wife in Switzerland and, after spending a couple of months in the Alps, we went biking along the Inn and de Danube, from the Engadin Valley in Switzerland to Budapest. Afterwards, we made a trip to India (where she spent 5 years 20 years ago), Lebannon (where I found the family that my grandparents left behind a century ago), and Turkey (that wonderful hinge between West and East).
Now I live and work in Santiago de Chile as professor at the Anthropology School and as Indigenous Peoples Specialist at FAO' Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean.

PHILOSOPHY

I like to trust in people. I believe in reciprocity but I like giving no matter what I get in return.
I wish nobody what I do not want for myself.
I am critical of Newtonian science and love to discover the truths lying in their relative settings.
I like "finding" but I enjoy most "searching".

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I became a member under one of my sons advice and since then, I have been quite active in receiving hosts and contacting members whose profiles I consider interesting. I have made a bunch of very good new friends, sharing our common purpose to intensify an intercultural exchange with people of other continents, cultures, beliefs, ages and interests.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I am member of CS since January 2009 and have had many wonderful experiences hosting surfers in my appartment in La Paz before I moved to Switzerland. Now we have also treasured had some very nice experiences as visitors along our cycling tour and in our travel to India and Lebanon.

Interests

I am a very good non-professional cook, photographer and musician.
I enjoy a lot of open air activities, specially trekking, biking and camping. I prefer the mountains rather than the beaches and the tropic, the countryside rather than the cities.

• books
• cooking
• traveling
• music
• cycling
• camping
• anthropology
• teaching
• science
• beaches
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

I read all I can, although I prefer History and historical novel. I enjoy the classics but rather contemporary authors from all over the world. I am fan of I Ching.
I love concerts of clasic music, jazz, rock, folck y popular music from all over.
I love also good independent films on the large screen. I do not have and won't have TV.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Travel across Europe without travel documents (I was a refugee at that time), bouncing in many boundaries and crossing them anyway when there was no one to ask you to show any paper. It was in the early '80s, when most "surfers" like me were not born and Schengen was too far away.

Teach, Learn, Share

I think I have things and experiences to share, and I like to do it, but I'd much rather keep learning.
The main contribution I could make to the CS -in a world increasingly intolerant- is to promote the attitude of learning from and respecting each other. There are many items that can be of our common interest but besides of WHAT I think we may also exchange on HOW to share our knowledge and values.

Countries I’ve Visited

Algeria, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Lebanon, Monaco, Netherlands, Nicaragua, North Korea, Paraguay, Peru, Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela

Countries I’ve Lived In

Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Norway

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