CURRENT MISSION

rediscovering the human species

ABOUT ME

A lifelong traveler, never a tourist, love getting to know the local people who know the local scene, but interface nicely with expats and fellow travelers as well. Everyone has a good story to tell. Love playing, singing listening to music, especially in small groups; background in fine arts printmaking, never mss a museum if I can help it.

PHILOSOPHY

the phrase that in retrospect fits nearly everything: It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

just starting out

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

spent college and the following decade giving & receiving sofa space. Sofa, so good.

Interests

Taught in Australia, the UK, USA and Japan, wrote 7 books in the latter. Check my web at www.authorjoe.com. When I finally returned to the USA several years back, school shootings were the big news and I took the time to write a definitive book on that sad subject as well [go to Website: www.schoolshootingsbook.com]. Just now I'm co-authoring a new book that involves travel, history & religion [due out in 2013], but meanwhile writing travel stories like mad for 3 airline magazines.

• arts
• humanities
• writing
• books
• singing
• news
• traveling
• music
• kayaking
• snorkeling
• history
• religion

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Amazing moments? Being one of very few people to actually get to see a real inter-tribal 'Sing-Sing' deep in the highlands jungles of Papua New Guinea. Thousands of participants, and the experience nearly killed me - literally - but I'm still here.
More? snorkeling with giant sea turtles in Tahiti; crawling through a cave filled with human bones in Toraja Land, Celebes, Indonesia; being treated to a 300 euro dinner at the best hotel in Paris; making love on the sand dunes at Cape Cod; living in a Gypsy wagon in Cornwall; kayaking on a lake near Machu Picchu; reaching the hill tribes of Chiang Rai, Thailand via elephant; better stop here, leave some stories for the face to face sharing.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Chile, China, Egypt, India, Morocco, Nepal, Venezuela

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Canada, Japan