CURRENT MISSION

to conduct knowledge and cultural exchanges to bring about a necessary shift in global conciousness concerning the importance of environmental stewardship and community for the health of all peoples and this earth.

ABOUT US

Our cross border USA and CANADIAN family is now transitioning back North. Alex has been working for the EPA for the past seven years and Vero has built our edible homesteading paradise in Maine while raising our two bilingual boys. We have a strong passion for community and therefore are excited to learn about the Gatineau region of Quebec where we are currently planning to move. Vero is a cooperative business enthusiast, having started and managed two eco-local cooperative grocery stores and cafes and loves gardening having spent the last seven years growing a multi acre permaculture farm and orchard. Alex is a handy man rock star able to build anything from saunas to co-ops and a yoga enthusiast.

We are looking currently for opportunities to make the transition period (likely a few weeks or month) this fall more comfortable than having to rent a empty apt in a city we do not know, while searching for a home to buy. We have lots to offer a host family including gardening skills, child care, cooking (alex is planning to be a stay at home dad during this period), renovation work (alex is bringing his tools), yoga lessons, and friendship.

We have dedicated ourselves and our growing family to producing sustainable solutions for the environment and communities in which we live. We believe it is necessary to be filled with positive energy and hope that amongst the current environmental and social destruction in the world exists an INFINITE challenge and opportunity for healing and balance.

We use permaculture and the Transition Township philosophies as models for interacting with the world, and building community!

Synergy (www.synergyteachers.com) is Alex's favorite model for interacting with other human beings...he teaches this healthy community building activity ;)!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

My wife and I are living the slow life (really fast!). We have had a 3 acre homestead in Gardiner, ME for the past 7 years, where we grew most of our food. We welcomed lots of couchsurfers, and other visitors and loved every minute of it. Our hope is to create and share a sustainable community lifestyle to combat the stressors of this world and cherish the beautifulness of life.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

We have mostly hosted so far, but we also couchsurfed in Norway and in Washington D.C. when we attended the climate march as a family. We want to share in the positivity! Love to meet amazing people.

Interests

The environment
Sustainable farming
Water
Yoga
Cooking
Permaculture
Bongos
Didgeridoo
Dancin'
Massage
Laughing
Growing
Discussion
Life

visited 16 states (7.11%)Create your own visited map of The World or Triposo world travel guide for Android

• chickens
• environment
• dining
• cooking
• yoga
• modeling
• sauna
• traveling
• homesteading
• soccer
• teaching
• tourism

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: Our Daily Bread (European Documentary on global food production), Amandla (south african music and apartheid documentary), Dirt

Music: Fela Kuti, Xavier Rudd, Fat Freddy's Drop, Cal Tjader, Manu Chao, Fabullosos Cadillacs, Los Cafres, Hector Lavoe, Pancho Sanchez, Willie Colon, The Meters, Micheal Franti, Ry Cooder

Books: Permaculture (by Bill Mollison), The Humanure Handbook, Transition Township (Rob Hopkins), Rolling Thunder and Mad Bear by Douglas Boyd, Ishmael by Daniel Quinn

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Alex has played soccer at 5200 meters above sea level in the Puno region of Peru!

Vero has worked in the Canadian arctic during the 24 hour daylight and has biked solo from Montreal to Cape Cod. Gave birth to our first son at home.

Teach, Learn, Share

Yoga (I am 200 hour certified teacher who prefers Iyengar style classes but can speed a class up if a person is so inclined :))

synergy (partner stretching, acrobatics and thai massage www.synergyteachers.com)

didgeridoo (all you need is a local hardware store and we're good to go!)

greywater and composting systems

bongos

Food preservation

Backyard Chickens

EcoRenovations

What I Can Share with Hosts

Our knowledge of gardening, Alex's handyman skills, cooking, cleaning, childcare, and good company!

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Brazil, China, Cuba, Egypt, France, Iceland, Kenya, Norway

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, Peru, Uruguay

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