I love helping people and organizations discover how to be themselves well.

My background is in literature (I studied at the University of St Andrews and taught for a couple years), but I now work as a communications consultant. My main job is for a company that arranges chauffeur (car & driver) transportation in 1,000 cities around the world.

I love meeting new people and discovering new places. I believe every person and every place has a unique beauty that's worth discovering.

Many reviews of my Couchsurfing are under my wife's account (which we shared for several years): https://www.couchsurfing.org/profile.html?id=30BOE3K

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I tell everyone I can about CouchSurfing. Most people respond by saying either, "Wow! That sounds awesome!" or "Aren't you afraid that the other person will turn out to be an axe-murderer?" Especially Americans think immediately of axe-murderers, for some reason. You may have had the same experience.

Just the fact that such a brilliant movement exists is helping people learn where we might be prejudiced and how we can all learn from one another—especially people who are different from ourselves.

MY EXPERIENCE

My wife Alison & I have hosted many Couchsurfers—both in St Andrews, Scotland and in Greenville, South Carolina. We also took a month-long trip through Europe following the life of Vincent Van Gog. Alone the way, we stayed with hosts in the Netherlands, Belgium, and France.

Interests

I love the arts, especially film, literature and music.

Language is amazing and I usually try to learn new words and phrases from my hosts, as well as teaching anything they're interested to learn in English.

I'm a huge fan of food & drink, especially if there are local specialties.

Usually (as you'll see in my other references at https://www.couchsurfing.com/users/448145/references), I just love having a great conversation.

• arts
• books
• literature
• beauty
• dining
• drinking
• movies
• music
• communications

Music, Movies, and Books

movies: The Tree of Life, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The New World, 8 1/2, Heaven, Magnolia, Dancer in the Dark, Revanche
music:” Gregory Alan Isakov, Sufjan Stevens, Glen Hansard, Bell X1, Iron & Wine, Vigilantes of Love, Kings of Convenience, Arvo Part, Gerald Finzi, Bill Evans
books:” Les Miserables, Waiting for the Barbarians, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, The Gift of Good Land, The War of Art

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I helped my wife give birth to our two (midwife-assisted) babies.

Teach, Learn, Share

I've learned a lot about literature and the English language. I enjoy learning about how people live in their cities or towns, and what their impressions of America are. I love sharing and receiving recommendations on films, music, books, and places to visit.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Switzerland

Countries I’ve Lived In

United Kingdom, United States