I’m Wes. I grew up on a dairy farm in Southside Virginia. Right after university I moved to Korea, and I spent five years there teaching history at an English school. Korea was good to me, so when I left I spent a couple years Couchsurfing around the world. Now, I'm an ENL and reading intervention teacher in NY. I spend my free time with friends in bars, restaurants, and cafes. I love eating, drinking, and chatting. I really like meeting new people and hearing their stories. Couch surfing has been good for that.

***Updated December 2018***
My partner and I live in a three bedroom apartment in Sunnyside, Queens. If you stay with me, you'll have your own room and a key to come and go as you please. This is a clothing-optional home.

***Important***
I never thought I would have to write this, but I've received a lot of junk requests from people since I moved to NYC. If you are requesting to stay to me, you must:
1. address me by name (Wes, not Wesley),
2. send a request with dates I can accept or decline, don’t just send a message,
3. have a filled-in profile,
4. have references or explain why you don't have references,
5. and finally, tell me why you want to stay with me...why you want me to be your host.

A terrible CS is one that writes “Heyyy!!!” or “Hello!” then presents ten copied-and-pasted paragraphs about themself. Even worse is the one who replies “Why?” When I decline that request without comment.

I will reply to everyone, but if you don't send a personalized request, you will receive a generic response.

ONE "RULE"
Please don't engage my neighbors. I had a bad experience when I lived in Astoria in which my neighbors found out about Couchsurfing and accused me of hosting criminals and endangering the neighborhood. While this is obviously absurd, I need you to not jeopardize my hosting situation. If anyone asks, you're a friend I met abroad.

*New November 2024*
I can’t accept guests who plan to stay out late. It doesn’t bother me, but our guest room is above a neighbor who is very sensitive to foot steps. 😆 I’d rather not field her complaints, so if you’re planning on coming home after midnight please look for a different host.

ANSWERS TO THE MOST COMMON QUESTIONS
Yes, you can wear shoes in the house.
Yes, it is safe to drink water from the sink.
Yes, you can (and should) flush toilet paper down the toilet.

PHILOSOPHY
I’ve found that the most unhappy people I’ve met were those who had expectations about how things should have been.

Life, for me, is all about the experience. I'm traveling the world, exploring new places, meeting new people, and taking everything in before I die.

On a mission to live a great story.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I hosted a ton in Seoul. It was so much fun meeting new people all the time and showing them around the city I loved.

When I left Seoul, I couch surfed for the greater part of 2 years of travel.

Now I'm in New York. Here, most requests coming in are just looking for a free place to stay. CS is so much more than that. If it’s clear that’s what you’re looking for, I will decline you without explanation. Then again, most of those requests don’t read host profiles, so writing this is a waste of time.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

So far - so good. I have some interesting stories.

Interests

Sharing and learning

Music, Movies, and Books

Anna Karenina, Don Quixote

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Traveling without a return ticket.

Teach, Learn, Share

I do quite a bit of pickling and fermenting at home. I brew beer, age several different liqueurs, and ferment some of the best kimchi you'll ever taste. I'm happy to share those practices.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Camaraderie. I have a lot of stories to share from my travels. I'm also a good listener, and I enjoy hearing about other people's experiences.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Australia, Belize, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, England, France, Greece, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Scotland, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City State, Viet Nam, Virgin Islands, U.S.

Countries I’ve Lived In

South Korea, Spain, United Kingdom, United States

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