I grew up in a small town in Colorado on the Arkansas River with 2 younger brothers. We did lots of hiking, boating, and hanging out with friends. I then started at the University of Colorado and graduated 10 years later after spending 2 years in Seattle, 3 years as a medic in the Army, and 4 years in a pottery studio. In 1974 I was recruited to attend one of the first Physician Assistant courses in the U.S. After graduating I worked in primary care, taught anatomy, worked overseas and finally in emergency medicine in Cookeville, Tennessee. I retired 4 years ago although I still do some volunteer work. I married a wonderful woman while working overseas. We bought a small farm in Tennessee, built a house and she developed a wholesale herb business while I worked in town. She died of complications of diabetes 5 years ago. After that I needed to get away for awhile and I went to live in Guatemala. I now spend winters there, summers traveling and spring/fall on the farm.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

When traveling I like to meet local people and learn about their country or community. I'm more interested in the local culture than the usual tourist sights. It's also nice to hear their personal stories and have a home to stay in rather than watching TV in a hotel room.

I like hosting travelers for the same reason.

Interests

• music festivals
• reading
• hiking
• swimming
• astronomy
• science
• solo travel
• storytelling
• playing music
• alternative medicine
• organic farming

Music, Movies, and Books

Since retiring I've been doing a lot of reading, about 70 % non-fiction and 30% fiction. This is a great pleasure as it was a luxury when I was working.

My favorite movie is "Groundhog Day". The last really good move I've seen was "Boyhood"

I like most music from classical to jazz to bluegrass. I especially like live music with creative musicians who are enjoying playing.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

My life was changed forever in 1982 when I signed a one year contract to work in a bush camp in rural Africa. I ended up staying 5 years and went on to work in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, and Kazakhstan. These were some pretty wild and wooly places with extremely interesting cultures. I worked with some amazing local people, and made some fast friends.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm not sure what this means. I like to teach and I like to learn new things. It seems like sharing is what this is all about

What I Can Share with Hosts

I would be willing to shop and cook. I could do some routine repairs and handyman chores. I'm a fairly good carpenter and gardener and would be willing to help in those activities.

Countries I’ve Visited

Barbados, Canada, Cuba, Egypt, England, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Malawi, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Portugal, Russian Federation, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Countries I’ve Lived In

Guatemala, Italy, Kazakhstan, Papua New Guinea, South Sudan, Viet Nam