CURRENT MISSION

Searching for purpose and meaning, and enjoying life again, after suffering a serious life-threatening medical emergency in October 2017. I hope to travel more again soon!

ABOUT ME

Reasonably well-traveled mellow male. I'm pretty easy-going, I am clean, neat, and really enjoy visiting places of natural scenic beauty. Unlike some of my more-earthy brethren however, I prefer clean clothes and a warm shower each day.! A good meal and a soft dry place to sleep makes even the toughest day's travel enjoyable. I enjoy bad puns and good jokes, and I can do some voice impersonations! My father is Peruvian and my mother is an American from Wisconsin. I have 1 brother, 1 sister, several half-brothers, several stepbrothers and a stepsister and at least 20 first cousins! I've traveled to 44 of the 50 U.S. states and I speak Spanish reasonably well. I do not smoke; I very rarely drink alcohol ; coffee occasionally. I love to make fresh home-made soups, and fresh pressed juices. My favorite foods include fruit cobblers, tacos, chili, pan-Asian dishes, my own spaghetti sauce, and many many other foods including a few Peruvian favorites such as ceviche. I like to cook and eat!

PHILOSOPHY

Live, Love, Laugh, and Learn! Make the most of each day and enjoy being alive.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Surfing, hosting, and attending CS events. I started hosting guests at my home in Gainesville in 2012. It was a wonderful experience to start giving back to the CS system after having only "surfed" as a CS-er for several years.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I stayed with 4 awesome hosts in Portland (Ore.) including one exceedingly wonderful couple! ; one great couple in Twin Falls, Idaho, one fantastic and awesome host in Greenville NC, and a very nice couple in Kernersville, NC. I met a wonderful woman from south Florida during a CS event in Gainesville; and so many others too numerous to mention. Thank you to everybody! I enjoy hosting interesting, polite, courteous, clean, and well-traveled people who truly embody the CouchSurfing spirit of community, diversity, honesty, friendship, and a holistic worldview.

Interests

Hiking, kayaking, canoeing, rollerblading (only where it's flat, or else I'll crash), cooking and eating light; healthy, traveling, exercise, history, taking walks. Visiting waterfalls anywhere. I've owned at least seven different old Saturn S-series (1994-2002) cars, some for driving, some just for fixing up and selling as a hobby.

• animals
• architecture
• beauty
• education
• dining
• cooking
• breakfast
• coffee
• exercise
• drinking
• clothing
• traveling
• eating out
• cars
• music
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• canoeing
• kayaking
• surfing
• teaching
• freelancing
• history

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: comedy and adventure
Music: classic rock (60s-90s) and Jimmy Buffett, movie soundtracks
Books: history, natural and cultural history, adventure, travel books from around the globe, social satire (i.e. Mark Twain), old-school science fiction.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Confronted a very belligerent alligator at a swampy work site in northern Florida. In 2003 I escaped from a serious canoe accident with some help from one of northern Florida's most famous nature photographers, John Moran. The most amazing living plants I've ever seen are California Coast Redwoods. They are truly living ambassadors from an era of Earth's ancient past. The most amazing living animal I've seen is a grey whale, in the Klamath River near Klamath, California. In October 2017, I survived a very serious medical emergency that nearly cost me my life. I am very lucky to be alive!

Teach, Learn, Share

"Oh, to be like these, straight true and fine; to make our world like theirs, a shrine."
--Joseph Strauss, architect of the Golden Gate Bridge (describing the Redwood forests).

“For me, I am driven by two main philosophies: know more today about the world than I knew yesterday and lessen the suffering of others. You'd be surprised how far that gets you.” ― Neil deGrasse Tyson

CPR and AED's save lives - if you have a chance, get CPR and AED certified! I am only alive today because of someone else's knowledge and skill with these life-saving techniques and devices.

What I Can Share with Hosts

A basic place to sleep (which most likely will be an air mattress, futon pad, or a pile of blankets on the floor), some fridge space for your chow if you need it; maybe a basic breakfast (most likely oatmeal which is what I have every day). I have a few travel size soaps and things, or a towel or two, that I may be able to share - but please bring your own food and own bathroom items.

Please note: *NONE* of these are allowed at my home: pets, smoking, drugs, alcohol/drinking, weapons of any kind, loud music, or any other guests other than yourself (unless you are traveling with a companion, spouse, etc. AND you tell me beforehand who will be coming with you, AND I must approve). Thank you for your cooperation and consideration of my house rules!

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, England, Israel, Mexico, Peru, Spain

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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