We are a couple who have been married for 23 years, with two children aged 16 and 18.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

We thought that being part of Couchsurfing would be a great way to meet new people and make new friends. We love helping people, but don't always have the money to help individuals directly and this seems like a great way to help without breaking the bank.

Interests

We are very much homebodies during our work week, and on weekends we enjoy cycling within our local area as well as other areas within California.

• books
• environment
• dining
• drinking
• clothing
• cycling
• backpacking
• surfing
• law

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

We have hosted a total of 5 foreign exchange students. 3 of our students were from France and two of our students were from Germany.

Teach, Learn, Share

Things I have learned from a Couch Surfer:

Will I get a key of my own? No

Can I smoke anywhere on your property? No, I have severe asthma reactions to smoke as well as cleaning chemicals.

May I get into your mailbox and go through your mail? No, not necessary, I can handle that by myself!

May I start poking through papers that you have lying on the counter? Probably not the best choice an individual can make. However, if I see you doing this, I will request that you break out your check book and you can pay the bills that are there.

May I give your address to my family and have them begin sending mail to your house? No. Stick to emails and texts with your family members. If you need money from them please consider Western Union as your best option.

May I have alcohol in your house? If it is legal in the state of California for you to have alcohol, and you would like to buy your own, please feel free to drink it at my house. I do not drink alcohol, however my husband enjoys his on occasion.

May I store my alcohol in your cupboards in a common area of the house that children have access to? No thank you! Please consider other options for hiding your alcohol, i.e. your purse, your suitcase, your backpack, your car, your back pocket, or another unreachable location.

May I take your clothes out of your washer and begin doing my laundry without consulting you first? No thank you. I would rather you ask and I can then move them myself. My laundry is a personal item for me and however well-meaning you may be, I would rather fold my dainties myself.

Do I need to clean my stuff off of tables or can I just leave everything out for my entire stay? You should clean up after yourself and remember that you are sharing a common space that is used by my family.

If I need personal toiletries, may I get into yours? If we are talking about one cotton ball or a Band-Aid, by all means please feel free. However if it is a product you will be using every day, please make arrangements to bring it with you or plan on buying it from the store shortly after arriving. Toilet paper usage at this time is currently unmonitored. Hehe! Again, this is Couch Surfing not Product Surfing, Cupboard Surfing, Shampoo Pilfering, Clothes Sharing or Car Sharing.

May I use your spa in the backyard? Absolutely! However please limit yourself to two times or less each day! Length of stay is up to you. If you need to be in the hot tub more than two different times in one day, there is probably something else going on that is either against my house rules or the law. Breaking the law or Smoking on my property is a level of disrespect that will result in a personal invitation to leave the property at that moment. I probably won’t help you pack but I will throw things out the door for you!

May I eat your food? I would be more than happy to share my meals with you. However, you might want to consider buying a few groceries to share, or possibly preparing a meal yourself one night to share. However, constantly eating my food every day for more than 7 days with no intent to return favor in some way, is discouraged. Common Courtesy will go a long way!!!

Is there a curfew? Yes, there is a 10 pm curfew unless previously discussed. I would like to lock my doors and continue to maintain the safety of myself as well as my family. If you are unable to make this and fail to communicate with me please be prepared to make other sleeping arrangements for the evening. I am very accommodating. However if you tell me you will be home at 11pm and I wait up until 3:30 am before finally locking the doors. I will do you one last favor and pack all of your belongings for you.

Can I enter and exit the house at will? Absolutely! However it is courteous to say Good-bye upon exiting and Hello upon returning.

What I Can Share with Hosts

We can offer you a warm bed in a game room area. I can also offer a totally and completely smoke free environment. I do not permit smoking of any kind on my property. If you are a smoker and want to hide this from me, please do not bother to stay here. My health is more important than your addiction.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, France, Germany, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Germany, United States