I’m 43 and was born and raised in a small town in rural Texas, but many years ago my career took me to London, where I eventually became a British citizen - I therefore refer to myself as British-American.

After retiring at age 40, I now split my life between my two homes in London and Cape Town. Oddly enough, even though my British home is in London and I've lived there for many years, the part of the United Kingdom I feel the strongest connection to is Northern Ireland. I love the Irish landscapes, the Celtic music and culture, and the warmth of the people. I also love the Scottish Highlands. In the near future, I'll probably leave my home in England and move to Belfast or Inverness, but that's a story for another day. Living in the "big city" of London was ideal for me in my 20s and 30s, but now that my life no longer revolves around work, I'm ready for a quieter, more rural lifestyle.

I don’t enjoy cold weather, so I live in the Northern Hemisphere during spring and summer, and then move to my African home during the Southern Hemisphere’s spring and summer (which, as you know, are the Northern Hemisphere's autumn and winter). As a young retiree, I have the freedom to focus on the things I enjoy most: travelling, studying subjects that deeply interest me — particularly economics and foreign languages — and volunteering with local Malawian and Zimbabwean communities here in South Africa.

Since retiring, hosting travellers through Couchsurfing has become a new favourite hobby of mine. It allows me to connect with people from different backgrounds and cultures, which is good for my mental well-being now that I no longer have the daily community of work colleagues that once surrounded me.

To my travelling guests, I sincerely say: Welcome to Casa Lorraine! This home is named in honour of my grandmother, Lorraine. She came from a peasant family in southern France, and together they left their homeland in search of a better life in the New World.

In many ways, I feel she has been with me and has guided me on my own journey—leaving my own homeland to begin a new life here in South Africa, just as she left hers for North America. Naming this house after her is my way of honouring that shared spirit of hope and yearning for a fresh start in life in some far-away land.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I hosted travellers through Couchsurfing in my twenties and loved it, and now in my mid-40s I’m happily opening my home to guests again. This time around, there’s no sofa sleeping—guests enjoy a private room with an en-suite bathroom in a comfortable home.

Hosting helps me stay connected with people from different cultures now that I’m retired. While I can’t offer airport pickups or tours, getting around Cape Town is easy with affordable Uber and public transport. You’re free to explore this amazing city independently, and I’ll be around as a welcoming, relaxed host—perhaps even for a shared dinner now and then.

A few short YouTube video clips of my home:

"Stepping out into the garden from my living room"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kK8HERurzw

"View from the little dock in my back garden"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajTdRu70tDQ

"Cape Town kayakers at sunset"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go4z_wBLtjM

Interests

• traveling
• languages
• russian language
• spanish language
• safari
• afrikaans

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I’ve never climbed a mountain or won a race, but I believe small actions can be just as meaningful. One of the things I’m most proud of is convincing a friend—who had no interest in Africa at all—to join me on safari in Kenya and Tanzania.

The trip completely changed his perspective; I’d even say it changed his life. Since then, he and his wife have visited me in South Africa on several occasions, they have completely fallen in love with Cape Town, and they themselves are now in the process of buying a home here. We may even end up as neighbours on the same street.

For me, helping someone discover a love for this continent they might never have experienced otherwise feels like a small but deeply meaningful act—one that quietly reshaped all of our paths and brought our futures closer together.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I love hosting Couchsurfing travellers, even though I’ve never actually surfed myself — I’m more of a hotel person when I travel. So while I can’t really say what I would “share with hosts,” what I can offer is a comfortable home and a warm, friendly welcome to travellers exploring Africa.

Countries I’ve Visited

Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Macao, Mexico, Namibia, Norway, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Tanzania, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Russian Federation, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States