CURRENT MISSION

Share nature and intercultural understanding. Promote local food and sustainability.

ABOUT ME

Note: We live in the country, so do not contact us if you are looking to stay in New York City. You need a car to get here, unless we arrange for you to take the bus. I am interested in hosting people coming to this area, not people trying to find a place in the city!

If you do not mention the words Greenwood Lake, which is our town, and explain why you want to visit the countryside and how you will get here, I will not respond, as I am getting dozens of generic requests to visit “my city” and I don’t even live in any city. We live very far from the city.

Ahmed is from Egypt and has lived in NY since 2005. Elish is from Atlanta but has lived in other parts of the US as well as Greece and Turkey.
WE speak Arabic, Turkish, Greek and Spanish as well as English. Elish can speak and understand French and Italian but not fluently.
WE are interested in environmental and social justice issues, sustainablity and the Middle East in general. We spend a lot of time reading the news, especially Middle East news, and enjoy hiking, canoeing , camping and traveling.

PHILOSOPHY

We are all global citizens and stewards of the earth.We must care for the planet and all life on it. The lives of people everywhere matter. We reject nationalism and other divisive ways of thinking.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Share ideas and cultures...Make new friends.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have friends everywhere so I've stayed at friends' homes everywhere.

Interests

.., Urban Agriculture, locavore diet, Sustainable Living, , Turkish, Kurdish, and Persian music, language and culture...exploring mountains, rivers, and wetlands, fight for social justice, fight against war and nationalism..

• birds
• culture
• dining
• dieting
• walking
• news
• reading
• traveling
• music
• hiking
• canoeing
• camping
• scuba diving
• swimming
• agriculture
• languages
• rivers
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Democracy Now, The Shock Doctrine...lots more....

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Couchsurfing in Iran, camping in Yellowstone, spending time on Lesvos, Diving in the Red Sea... camping in the Desert.. taking trips with my students... traveling through Kurdistan...walking along the Hudson River in lower Manhattan, watching the birds at my feeder, swimming in the Aegean, getting to know people in different parts of the world through speaking with them in their own languages..

Teach, Learn, Share

We offer good, informed conversation on many topics. If the time is right we can take you canoeing. We can introduce you to the kids we teach. Mostly we look forward to learning about you and hearing about your life..

Countries I’ve Lived In

Egypt, Greece, Turkey

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