I am a retired software engineer and database administrator with over 40 year in the technology industry. I retired with 61 years in 2018.

I began traveling around Asia and South America in 2016 and I love to visit new cities and countries for photography and to learn about different cultures. I lived in Germany for nine years from 1982 to 1990 (for work) where all three of my children were born. During that time, I spent every free moment travelling around Europe, exploring new scenery and cultures.

I have been a serious amateur photographer since I was a teenager, and that is usually my focus while exploring new countries. My other serious hobby is listening to live music performances (country, folk, rock, bluegrass). I have been able to combine these hobbies by doing concert photography.

I am now single and free to travel as often as I can afford it. I am also working on a plan to retire permanently in Colombia or Ecuador in 2020 or 2021. I have spent much time in both of these countries and I love the culture there!

My old bones do not work as well as in the past, so I am not able to take on strenuous hikes, long walks, or climb many flights of stairs. I am adventurous, but I have some physical limitations.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I have traveled to many countries in Asia, South America and Europe and I would love to continue my travels exploring new places to learn about the various cultures, to photograph my experiences and make new friends. I have made many friends around the world with whom I still remain in contact.

In the USA, I have lived in Texas, Virginia, Maryland and Colorado. I have visited 45 states, missing only Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Alaska and Hawaii. I most want to see the Northeast, spending time in Maine in the fall.

I have visited and explored 22 countries (that I can remember), including parts of Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, S. Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Canada, Mexico, Belize, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Brazil, Germany, Luxembourg, France, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium, England. I have visited many of these countries 3 or 4 times and would love to return to most of them! The friendliest people I have met have been in Indonesia, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Germany and Switzerland. I have NOT been to Italy or Greece, which are at the top of my list to visit.

I would like to visit Scandinavia, Southern Europe, Capetown, Doha, Dubai, Malaysia, Nepal, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, and Australia.

Interests

• wildlife
• photography
• music
• fishing
• hiking
• mountains
• volcanos
• scenic views
• wildlife photography

Music, Movies, and Books

I love BlueGrass music, Folk music, Texas Country music and Classic Rock.
I watch movies nearly every day but especially love the topic of Time Travel. I like Sci-Fi, Drama, Thrillers and Mysteries. I'm not much of a fan of silly comedies or war movies.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

This is a hard question. Other than raising three teenagers, I think my extensive travels have been very exciting. I'm very proud that I have been able to photograph cities, nature and people from around the world. I still have many more to reach.

Teach, Learn, Share

I like to go to Language Exchange meetings in the country I'm visiting. I enjoy teaching English. I have only done this in Colombia (Spanish), but would be excited to learn other languages! I can teach photography and computer science.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I enjoy conversation, learning about people I meet. I can also share my knowledge of photography, computers and English.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Germany, United States