CURRENT MISSION

First things first: IMPORTANT NOTE to PROSPECTIVE COUCH SURFERS: If you are traveling with "a friend," your friend must also have a CS profile. This is so I know who I will be hosting in my home. Thank you! (If you are a family unit, or a relationship couple, then only one person needs to have a CS profile.)

My mission? To develop meaningful contacts with interesting people, listen to their stories, help them when I can, and develop my sense of compassion.

ABOUT ME

I teach at the University of Maine and am the single father of two sons from Russia and Ukraine — and they get along! They are both grown, on their own, and fascinating in their own ways. I enjoy peace - the natural state of things - and discussing ideas. I find that Maine is good for the spirit, and I have found abundant physical and emotional space in its sweet, forgiving landscape. I'm also a writer. You can check out my books at:
http://www.amazon.com/Robert-Klose/e/B001JS9LRA/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

PHILOSOPHY

Try it, you might like it. And if you don't, you at least get bragging rights to the experience.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

The first time I couch-surfed was in Montreal on my way to Cuba. My host was welcoming, accommodating and gracious. A fine introduction to the CouchSurfing experience. Since then I have hosted a decent number of surfers — mostly people arriving to begin studies/research at the nearby University of Maine, or en route to/from Canada or the Maine coast. I have also continued to surf couches myself from time to time and have never had a bad experience.

Interests

Books, writing, languages, hiking, canoeing, traveling, swimming, scuba, racketball, fishing, exploring junk stores, playing music in small ensembles (I play clarinet and guitar).

• writing
• books
• traveling
• music
• guitar
• fishing
• hiking
• canoeing
• scuba diving
• swimming
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

I try to read as wide an array of books as possible: fiction, biography, poetry, historical. As time goes on I am less impressed with movies that are built around special effects. I derive greater enjoyment from films that detail the human experience and have something to say. As for music, I dig a broad spectrum: Beatles, folk, new age jazz, classical (Papa Haydn!), bluegrass, the still-great Eagles, Iron and Wine, Dave Mallett, Richard Stolzman, Kat Edmonson, Jón Jónsson, Milk Carton Kids, the sainted James Taylor…

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

When I adopted my first son from Russia, I thought he was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Then I repeated the experience several years later by traveling to Ukraine to adopt my second son.

What I Can Share with Hosts

FOR MY HOSTS I enjoy comparing travel notes and am very interested in hearing stories about places I've never been before. I am always wiling to bake Irish soda bread. FOR MY GUESTS I am an enthusiastic Mainer and enjoy introducing visitors to this unique and beautiful state. A jaunt to Stephen King's house (just down the road) is always in the offing and, time and weather permitting, a trip to the magnificent Maine coast is sometimes a possibility.

Countries I’ve Visited

Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Belize, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greenland, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Vatican City State, Virgin Islands, British, Virgin Islands, U.S.

Countries I’ve Lived In

Germany, Iceland, United States

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