We're a family of 5. We have 3 kids aged 3, 6 and 8 as of this writing and we love to travel. You could place me somewhere between a free thinker and a nutcase as I subscribe to many alternative philosophies including alternative education, natural farming and alternative medicine which is ironic considering the only presentations I've done are at technology conferences.

The rest of the family is more balanced in thought. The kids are usually well mannered but we do have the occasional tantrum.

There is a combination of geekiness and creatives in the family. My wife is from a theatre and dance background even though she has a degree in Computer Science and has worked on and off in that field.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

The main reason is to let us and especially my kids absorb and learn other cultures. You always get better exposure to local culture from people who actually live at a place and seeing and sharing in their daily routine is in our opinion the best way to do it.

At the same time, we're happy to share what we have acquired in terms of knowledge and philosophies with others who may be interested.

Interests

• cooking
• movies
• traveling
• dance
• theatre
• different cultures
• farming
• alternative medicine
• vegetarian cooking
• natural medicine
• alternative education
• organic
• historical monuments
• natural farming
• tribal cultures
• folk medicine

Music, Movies, and Books

Very eclectic taste so it's mix of way too many things. There may be things I love and hate from the same genre as well.

Movies: HopScotch (Walter Mathau), Office Space and too many more to list. I don't really care for horror movies (don't find them entertaining) or for romantic comedies that have no comedy in them, and I don't really care for juvenile/cheap comedy but Chaplin and Marx brothers slapstick and one liners are at the top of the list. Intelligent comedies like the Thin Man Series (1940s) are at the top of the list.

Music: Too many to list. Ranges from old crooners to 80s metal to soft rock to hard rock to Indian oldies to many modern bands. It's the songs, not the artistes for me (Some of whom are exceptions of course).

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I volunteer teach a Computer Science and Programming course at a non-profit village school in India.

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach/Share:
Non-mainstream Indian history (documented but not propagated), Kitchen and garden remedies for common ailments, programming with kids (Scratch, Squeak), E-mail marketing for your business. My wife can teach some steps in bharatnatyam (Indian classical dance) and has worked extensively in theatre in her local language which is Kannada.

Teach/Learn/Share:
Education and learning philosophies that depart from the mainstream and how they connect to ancient Indian culture. Vegetarian food recipes. Would love to share and learn, prep, taste.

Would love to learn about edible wild food and foraging. Have very limited skills in that, but open to learning.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Recipes, Natural and Kitchen Medicine, E-mail Copywriting, Indian Classical Dance, Views on Alternative Education, Programming for Kids

Countries I’ve Visited

Germany, Mauritius, United Arab Emirates

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, India, United Kingdom, United States