CURRENT MISSION

Facilitate a cultural exchange between the Nordic countries and Oregon

ABOUT ME

Last year when Bernie Sanders mentioned Denmark, Sweden and Norway as countries to learn from I started looking for articles, books, and movies about the Nordic countries. I loved Michael Booth's book, and recently Anu Partanen was in Portland for her book tour. She talked about how cities and states in the U.S. could be the first to adopt the smart social policies detailed in The Nordic Theory of Everything—In Search of a Better Life.

I've asked Nordic Northwest in Portland, Oregon about the possibility of sponsoring a sister city relationship with one of the capital cities of the Nordic countries. That could help advocates to build support for progressive policy, improving our quality of life. In addition to policy, people in the U.S. could benefit from seeing lifestyles that allow an alternative to commuting everywhere by car. Living in Portland, I can commute by bike but our cycling infrastructure still has much to learn from cities like Copenhagen.

I grew up in Eugene, Oregon, a college town about 111 miles south of Portland. After graduating from the University of Oregon, I moved here with the intention to become an artist, and over the years I've developed my ability as a storyteller both in words and images. I've worked with illustration, video, and text; and I've completed two novels, both published independently with Powell's Espresso Book Machine. I work as a communications professional to promote progressive causes and have managed social media for a wildlife conservation nonprofit since 2012. Please visit arthursmid.com to see some of my writing and visual art.

PHILOSOPHY

Acknowledge reality. Focus on what works best for everyone, all life, and the generations to come.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I love meeting people from different countries and learning about the world. Plus, I enjoy learning languages (six years of Spanish during my school years, six months of Japanese before going to teach in Shido, and a few months of German before going to Berlin for vacation).

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I stayed with couchsurfers during short stays in Barcelona and Prague; at the time I was living and working in Madrid. It was the 2007–08 school year, and as I began preparing for a summer vacation in Berlin, I met Germans living in Madrid through Couchsurfing and did some language exchange.

In 2009 I hosted in Portland before my household started renting our extra room. Now I can offer a literal couch, I wish it was a room, so you could sleep in, if that's your style, but we'll make sure you're comfortable, the bed can be on the couch or a small futon if you prefer.

Interests

Language, Literature, Yoga, and Tarot

• arts
• writing
• literature
• yoga
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

I'm an avid reader, and this summer I went to a writer's workshop and heard Rachel Kushner read from a work-in-progress. She's amazing, her second novel The Flamethrowers is a coming of age story about a young woman who moves to New York City from a small town.

I like the recent books of Dave Eggers, and I admire how he has leveraged his literary fame to create tutoring centers in seven U.S. cities. He's great! I'm also a fan of Miranda July, Ted Chiang, and Philip K. Dick. Honestly, I read more nonfiction these days than fiction.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I made a short film in a fast food restaurant.

Teach, Learn, Share

English Language, Creative Writing, Tarot

What I Can Share with Hosts

Conversation and culture, food and drinks, and I got to say that some of the people I met through couchsurfing I've stayed in touch with via social media (Facebook and Twitter), which has been nice!

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Bolivia, Czech Republic, Germany, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Chile, Japan, Spain, United States

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