My name is John. I am a high school history teacher and am currently completing a second master's degree to become a school counselor. To celebrate finishing this program, I am planning on visiting Ireland during the summer of 2015. I have never cared much for "touristy" activities and hope to connect with people on Couchsurfing in order to get a more authentic experience of a country whose music, history, and culture have fascinated me for a long time.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

For me, the most interesting thing about traveling is the people that I meet. Moreover, I tend to be more interested in small towns than cities and more excited about "average" local experiences than tourist traps. Couchsurfing seems like a great way meet people and have the experience of a local when traveling.

Interests

Music (I play guitar and am learning to play banjo), cooking, brewing/cider making, photography, disc golf.

• culture
• photography
• cooking
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• guitar
• golf
• teaching
• history
• law

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Mostly folk music, Irish folk, and rock & roll. Some of my favorites are Townes Van Zandt, John Prine, Kate Rusby, Bill Staines, Stan Rogers, Dan Bern, Tom Russell, Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, Tom Waites, Great Big Sea, Chris Smither, Steve Earle, Dougie MacLean, The Corries, The Dubliners, The Clancy Brothers, Tommy Makem, Steve Martin, Tim O'Brien, Johnny Cash, The Pogues, Mark Knopfler (solo and with Dire Straits), U2 (especially their older stuff), The Saw Doctors, Ryan's Fancy, North Sea Gas. Lots of others as well.

Movies: Anything from the Cohen Brothers (Raising Arizona and The Big Lebowski are at the top of the heap), Waking Ned Divine, The Castle, Tombstone, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Band of Brothers, The Jerk

TV: Neil DeGrasse Tyson's Cosmos series, Sherlock, The West Wing

Books: Walden, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, The Things They Carried, The Servant, Harry Potter

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I'm still amazed that I talked my wife into marrying me.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I hope that by connecting with people through Couchsurfing I can meet people, share experiences, and offer my hosts reciprocity in coming to visit me where I live. In a more immediate sense, I can offer myself as an undemanding and polite guest, which is hopefully what they were looking for when they signed on to host.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, England, Mexico, Scotland

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States