CURRENT MISSION!

Spain in June! I'm volunteering for 2 weeks for an English immersion program called Vaughan Town. After the program is finished, my girlfriend Deb is going to meet me in Spain for about 10 days. We will primarily spend our time in Madrid and Barcelona. We would love to find fun couples to host us for a few days each. Dog owners okay!

ABOUT ME

I was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, and have lived here my entire life except for 7.5 years in New York City from 2001-2009. I have been dating my girlfriend Deb for 2 years (as of October 2014). We will both be 46 years old when we are visiting Spain.

I have degrees in Accounting and Education. I currently teach in a high school, but I worked as an accountant for 17+ years. My girlfriend's had a job with Verizon Wireless, a large US phone company, for about 15 years.

I have many interests, and we like being social. One thing that we love about Columbus are the number of craft microbreweries here. We enjoy drinking good beer or red wine and having fun with the company we keep. We have no children (a needy dog, somewhat like a child) which makes things less complicated.

We like good food. It doesn't have to be fancy, just well-prepared, reasonably priced, and delicious. Deb and I are very excited for the tapas experience while in Spain, and that is one of our main dining priorities. We would like to try a variety of local foods, cheeses, breads, and culinary experiences.

I enjoy drinking a pint of good beer or a nice red blend. I drink for quality, not quantity, but sometimes the two come together quite nicely. It would be fun to visit a winery or a farm while in Spain. Other than alcohol, I do not use drugs. Both Deb and I are non-smokers and we prefer to stay in a non-smoking home, but outdoor smoking is okay.

I love traveling! I first visited Europe in 2010, traveling to Paris, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Prague, and Stuttgart over the course of 3+ weeks. This will be Deb's first visit to Europe, and I want it to be very special. In 2012, I visited Kenya for 3+ weeks. My experiences included a 3-day safari and a 3-day summit of Mount Kenya. I have also been to Canada (Montreal and Toronto), Mexico (Acapulco), and various metropolitan cities in the United States.

We both love animals, especially dogs! Deb has a dog, whose picture you can see in my photos. We would like to find a host who has one or more friendly dogs.

Deb and I enjoy exploring history and art and culture. I am looking forward to seeing museums, sculptures, gardens, and medieval architecture while in Spain. I'd love to spend a half day at a cheese farm in the countryside. We also enjoy live theater of all types. Are there drag shows in Madrid and Barcelona?

I am a sports fan. I've been attending Ohio State University football games (the Buckeyes) since I was a child. I enjoy futbol as well, and pay close attention to the World Cup and the Euro Cup. Attending a live sporting event on my trip to Spain (anything from a futbol game to a grand prix race) would be a great experience and a welcome addition to the itinerary.

PHILOSOPHY

My philosophy is that when you treat others with kindness and friendliness, most people appreciate it and will treat you with similar kindnesses. I always try to make the best of any situation.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

My house is sometimes open to travelers, though I admit that not too many are interested in visiting Columbus, Ohio. While living in New York City, I hosted many individuals and couples from such places as Zurich, Vienna, Prague, Cologne, Berlin, Thailand, and Japan. It was a way to bring the world to me when I wasn't able to travel myself.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I was fortunate to find wonderful hosts in Paris (3 different hosts for 1-3 days each) and Amsterdam (3 days). In Prague (3 days), I stayed with a friend of someone I housed through Global Freeloaders while in New York.

Interests

I like to teach. That's why I enjoy going to work (school) every day, why I changed my career from accounting. I am traveling to Spain to volunteer as a teacher in conversational English.

I like to watch sports, but I'm not obsessed with sports except for Ohio State football (the Buckeyes). I watch World Cup and Euro Cup, but that's about it for futbol.

I enjoy working out at the gym and keeping in good physical shape, and I occasionally like to go for a jog.

I enjoy socializing with people who are fun but not in a wild-and-crazy sort of way. I'm more laid back and would rather have an interesting conversation.

• animals
• dogs
• arts
• culture
• theater
• architecture
• perfumes
• education
• dining
• wine
• red wine
• cheese
• beer
• marathon
• working out
• drinking
• traveling
• watching sports
• socializing
• outdoor activities
• sports
• soccer
• world cup
• teaching
• history
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

My musical taste is across the board. I had some musical training, so I have a good ear. I enjoy classical music, the grateful dead, coldplay, and many others.

I don't see a lot of movies, but I always enjoy the experience when I do. Even if the movie isn't the greatest.

I have read a lot of interesting books, but I'm not a dedicated reader. I have been at certain times, though. My favorite author is Herman Wouk.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I completed a marathon in less than 4 hours in 2000.

Teach, Learn, Share

As I have a teaching license, of course I enjoy teaching and learning and sharing. I love having a meaningful conversation, but I also enjoy bullshitting too!

I'm really looking forward to volunteering at Vaughan Town teaching conversational English to Spanish professionals. It will be a great opportunity to make new friends and learn about Spain and Spanish people!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I/We offer our hosts friendliness, responsibility, respectful behavior, cleanliness, quiet at night, fun and good conversation. I will bring each of our hosts a gift from our wonderful home city of Columbus as a token of appreciation. I look forward to meeting you!

Countries I’ve Visited

Bahamas, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, Kenya, Mexico, Netherlands, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States

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