CURRENT MISSION

Attempting to charm my way through life.

ABOUT ME

Me = love of piano, food and Africa, traveling, good conversation, making people laugh, occasional flippancy and remembering details.

I grew up and went to university in Canada, lived in Sierra Leone for a year, then dispatched myself to the capital of Switzerland, which is where I currently am.

I quit piano lessons at the age of seven and have been playing lots ever since. If you have a piano, I'll play you a song. I love food to a fault. Enjoy most things but could probably live on fresh mozzarella, balsamic vinegar, tomatoes and olive oil, preferably set on a Tuscan hill sometime in late summer with a good selection of wine.

There is nothing of substance I'm not interested in.

PHILOSOPHY

I believe in adventure, taking risk, getting hurt (scraped knees, bruised egos), appreciating things both simple and complex, not taking one's self too seriously, laughing, seeing the world and taking good care of it, free market economics, compassion, showing unbelievable amounts of love, compassion and generosity, being politically, socially and culturally engaged, appreciating music and nurturing creativity.

There's probably more.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Sell side: Lend out one of two fold-out beds, tours of Bern and any other part of Switzerland if I have the time, lively conversations, and possibly doling out some Swiss German lessons.

Buy side: Meet new people, occupy padded horizontal surfaces, engage in excellent conversations.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Excellent. Have different, exciting and interesting people.

Interests

Interests include food (if you host me, I'll prepare a delicious meal), piano (if you host me and you own a piano, I will play you a beautiful song), child rights, Africa, and telling entertaining stories.

• dining
• wine
• traveling
• music
• piano
• economics
• tours

Music, Movies, and Books

Juno, Thank You For Smoking, Gladiator, Leonard Cohen, world music, some African and Middle Eastern things, and too many books to list, but I did enjoy Tony Judt's latest on postwar Europe.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Seen where Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone intersect. Driven on an ice road up to the Arctic Ocean.

Researched child rights and worked in an obstetrics hospital in Africa. Had a shower in the Kenyan rain. Scurried up a small mountain in Switzerland.

Teach, Learn, Share

I will share some piano skills and could even write you a song. I will tell you about Sierra Leone, child rights and about obstetric fistula. You might also learn some words in Swiss German and I'll speak of the political systems in Canada and Switzerland.

I will hope to learn about your country, language, talents, family, friends, job, travels, hopes and dreams.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Bermuda, France, Gambia, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, Romania, Syrian Arab Republic, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, Sierra Leone, Switzerland

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