CURRENT MISSION

Travel to out of the way places and to make social connections with people completely different than myself.

ABOUT ME

I am an American happily stranded in Europe for a few years. I speak a fair amount of French but I need more practice and I am very slowly picking up some German since I moved here last year. I am a single male. I have two sons that are nearly adults now but they stayed back in the United States. I have a very quiet and polite 85 lbs Yellow Labrador named Banks.

PHILOSOPHY

Wow, that is a pretty deep subject.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I can host. I have, what I feel, is a beautiful house with an awesome view of the Black Forest. It has four bedrooms and I only use one. The upstairs actually has its own kitchen.

And travel. I plan to use this new European location as a launching point for all of the places I have yet see. I will likely not be asking for a couch but I would like to meet people during my travels. People that could show me around their towns and give me all sorts of insider local tid-bits.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

None. I have several friends that have been involved in it for years and they turned me on to the idea. So, here I am.

Update: after a few months I have had a few guests from Germany, France and Poland.

Interests

Travel, of course. Food and drink. Staying healthy, I am into Crossfit. Motorcycling, I have a Triumph Café Racer that I can't get enough time on.

• dining
• breakfast
• coffee
• crossfit
• drinking
• traveling
• socializing

Music, Movies, and Books

I'm open to a lot of different types of music but I am a metal head from my youth growing up in the 80's. Lately I have been searching iTunes for French music because it helps me to learn the language and I really like ZAZ, Carla Bruni and Boisjoli among other French artists.

Books: What I am reading now: "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole. I'm not sure how I even got this book, someone left it at my house and it is so funny. I started reading "Lucas et les Machines Extraordinaires" it is in French so it is taking some time.

Movies: I like the all of the Mel Gibson hero war movies, We were soldiers, Braveheart and Patriot. I also like the 300 movies, they are like moving artwork. One of my first Couchsurfing guests turned me on to the "Walking Dead" and I spend weeks catching up on the first five seasons. Now I can't wait till it starts again.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Just one? At my age I have done a few amazing things. How about arriving in a foreign county with $6 in my pocket and somehow surviving?

Not sure if it amazing in a good way but a sand storm in the Sahara desert was pretty incredible. Or how about three days homeless in Las Vegas?

Teach, Learn, Share

I can use all the French practice I can get. But I am willing to work through any language.

What I Can Share with Hosts

If you host me I will buy coffee/drink/breakfast/lunch/dinner depending on the time of day and situation.

If you want to learn something form me that few people in the world ever really get to experience I would suggest letting me share my recipe for Maryland Crab Cakes. You see it on menus all over but they are not real, don't be fooled, they do not come frozen.

If you have a motorcycle we can go for a ride. If you are female I have space for you on mine but sorry, I think it is weird stacking two full grown men on a motorcycle like they do in Afghanistan.

Countries I’ve Visited

Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, Canada, Djibouti, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mali, Mexico, Netherlands, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United States, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Germany, United States