Benjamin Balzer

Ben is a really friendly guy with a flexible, intelligent mind, warm manners, a seriously awesome wit. He's lucky in his wife and family and knows it. All around neato.

 

Benjamin was a model guest. Not only did he provide zombie puns and put up with my sad attempt at homemade crackers, he also cooked us up some kickass tuna! What a treat. Lovely to make your acquaintance, good luck with the house/subsistence farming plans, and I look forward to meeting the whole family sometime. You are all most welcome at our casa here in the euge :)

 

Holly and Ben hosted us last minute on our way to the Burning Man Festival. They were great host, we really enjoyed their company and the fish tacos! I'm sure we'll meet again, cause I love Portland and their little family!

Didn't stay with Ben but after meeting him through our couch surfer at a CS gathering (at Ben's house of course) Ben invited my friend and I to a little creek in Washington for the day. Bens an overall super cool dude, Portland's lucky to have him.

Ben was able to keep up with all my sassafrass, and more than capable to appreciate it. He's funny, friendly, encouraging and intelligent. And he likes my dirty jokes.

Ben you and your wife are awesome! Thanks you soo much forinviting us to your potluck and swimming in the river. It was definatly a highlite in our trip!!!! If your are ever in Calgayr or Ottowa let us know!

Ben made me laugh so much I almost broke my inner organs. Be careful of this guy. He may even... shock you by driving up behind you making an ineffable witch-like cackle of a laugh, causing you to nearly die... with laughter. Be prepared, if you can. Ben also taught me how to play Settlers of Catan late in the night. Ben is like a big brother to us all. (sometimes the big brother you never had) I know he's one to me.

Simply put, Ben & Holly are incredible. Being accepted into their home is a very special experience for me. Very rarely do I feel so safe and comfortable while traveling than I did when I visited them. I might even say that the house has a healing atmosphere, something intangible. We need to reinstate the EXTREMELY POSITIVE rating!

I can't wait to see you all again! You are all beautiful diamonds in a world that (at times) seems like it's filled with sand.

Ben is a great guy!

 

Benjamin is - I'm fairly certain - the big brother type friend I always wished I had growing up! Hilarious and wise, and sort of a smart-ass, but in an entirely endearing way. I fell in love with this family and their energy, how open they were to new faces and fresh memories, and I loved every minute with these guys.

When it comes to Ben, I was continually blessed by his presence, he is warm and kind, and shared everything he could possibly think of. Beyond that, I think the hardest I laughed this whole summer was on their front porch, sharing jokes and anecdotes... just relaxing and enjoying the company and telling stories (I can see through TIME!).

Absolutely can't wait to see Ben and Co. again, and they would all be welcome on my couch(es) any day of any week... ever. Thanks again, for everything.

benjamin is a huge ball of energy, creativity, and humor. i always have the best time hanging around he and his troop. ben and his family are inspiring to be around, the way they communicate, empathise and care for each other. The group hosted me and my daughter when we first moved to portland, were homeless, and very ill with the flu, not only were we hosted but cared for. i am so happy to know ben.

 

ben is the first country ambassador i have met so far. he also really helped out some friends of mine in the past, which i really appreciate.

 

Ben and his family are great people. I don't know how Ben has so much energy to devote to all the CouchSurfing functions going on in Portland all the time. We really enjoyed meeting and hosting his family for his recent wedding.

Benjamin has an abundance of positive vibes. I wasn't able to spend as much time as I would like to have with them but my short experience there was memorable. Best wishes for the wedding!

Quick-witted, enjoys the banter, full of snippets of useful info, and his love of life is infectious. Dude is awesome to put it another way! Hope to meet more folk like him as my stay in the US will be all the more memorable. Cheers!

Oh, Sir Benjamin, deliverer of quick-witted verbal volleys shrouded in the scent of a geek whose introductory statements of freshly new friends flatter even the most mediocre of souls... You may be able to weave your words into grandiose jests, but can you roll your way out of a baited trap in a thief's den?

What can be said about this fellow that hasn't been said before?

I was taken aback by the outstanding vibes occuring in the Benjamin/Holly household. Their amazing aptitude of attention to their families needs was beyond impressive. Benjamin was so respectful of myself, and most assuredly any CSer, and the lessons it developed with the children was awestriking. I wish I had been raised this way. A true gentleman and family man, I was blessed to witness their dynamics. Ben and Holly alike, were vast vessels of valuable and valid information, I only wish I had taken the opportunity to divulge in more conversation. Amazing souls to get to know, I look forward to staying in contact. Thank you for sharing your home with me. :)

This is one habile and delightful gentleman.

He will serve his slice of Portland with fresh flavor despite a constant flow of surfers. He will hear patiently what he has heard countless times before and allow you the gift of self-discovery. He will break bread with you while giving you the history and quirky trivia of the bread he's breaking. He will demo mad dad skillz (hyphen optional) and display a lovely fondness for his family and darling catch, Holly. You will soon show fondness for them all too, and wish your home could be so open and your children's creativity and locks so flowing. He's got a solid sense of humor and a nimble mind, and if you're lucky, you'll elicit the reward of his laugh. He may even take you to the races!

Benjamin's long and winding road could fill a thick tome and makes him the wise individual he is. Treat yourself to an afternoon or twelve with him. I look forward to more.

 

This man throws a mean potluck! I've been to three or four of his mass food ceremonies/couch-ins and have never left disappointed :D Good times, good people.

What a great guy!

Even though I didn't really get to talk to him much I got a pretty good vibe from him.

I look forward to getting to know him better over more Vodka.

Seb

Benjamin is a very kind and warm human being and symbolizes the kind of person that I expect to be a member of CS.

a kindred spirit. benjamin easily made me feel right at home, calling me by the wrong name, teasing me, making fun of my chronological age, etc. it was one of the most heart warming gestures. i really can not be more grateful to meet people like benjamin and his lovely lady, holly, people like them make moving to a new city so much more beautiful. edit: now that i have couch surfed at the lovely familys home for a few days, i still stand by my point but this time with even more enthusiasm. they are an amazing family & i am immensely grateful that they let me stay on their couch for a few days. i love each and every one of them, even their cats!

 

He was one of the co hosts of the Portland CS round table discussion. I enjoyed listening to his points and he had a lot of great ideas. I am so thankful he helped organize this event and I look forward to helping him in building a great CS community in Portland. I have not doubt he is a great host and surfer.

 

We are very lucky to have Ben as part of our Portland CSing community. In the true spirit of CSing he does not hesistate to open his doors to help serve and make us all better community members. I am looking forward to spending more time with him and his fantastic family!

 

We met Ben at a couple cs gatherings. He is very funny, smart, and an all around awesome guy. He is an amazing leader for our Portland CS Community. We really hope to spend more time with Ben and Holly! (and their awesome sprouts)

And learn more about their moss garden drawers, because seriously we're jealous.

ben fully opened his home to me so i could explore portland. he's a smart, knowledgeable guy with a great family that you should get to know!!

 

I am soooo happy to have found such an awesome cser in Portland! Benjamin is full of verve and good humor and fun. He prepared a fantastic meal for another cser and me last night and I have to say I'm considering slowly sneaking my way into living with him because that was the best home cooked meal I've had in forever! This is the start of a beautiful friendship.. :D

 

I met Ben while couchsurfing in Portland. I went over to his house and was cooked a fabulous dinner by him and Holly and even subjected to British jokes. It was great, a true fountain of knowledge. The only prob is the food and company were so good that I don't think I want to leave Portlamd!

 

Amazing person, magnetic personality, really kind, funny and witty.
Ben, come to Brazil, I'll host you guys and you'll have to cook - deal? :P
Thank you for all, you crazy! :-)

 

Ben is one cool guy. I had a great time surfing with him recently. He's got stories aplenty to tell, a lot of discussion in him and was more than happy to give me rides all over Portland! Cheers man.

This was an amazing couchsurfing experience for us. Holly and Benjamin made us feel very welcome and comfortable, and we shared some great conversations about everything from chocolate to roller coasters. They're a very interesting, open-minded couple with very friendly kids and entertaining cats.

 

Meeting Benjamin & Holly was definitely a high-light of my last visit to Chico. More fun than a barrel of monkeys these two...

Ben is a one of a kind... smart, funny, charming, caring, honest, witty as hell, and has an amazing family at home that was extremely welcoming to me and my 3 friends I brought along for the ride! Cheers my friend!

 

Benjamin and Holly were two of the most accommodating, friendly, outgoing, charming and engaging hosts i've met in a really long time, not just in the world of couchsurfing.

They welcomed me into their home for a really long time! I stayed with them for nearly two weeks off and on and they extended every possible hospitality as well as many great suggestions for fun in the city.

if you are in portland, or anywhere in the world and they are there too, i highly recommend looking them up.

and benjamin and holly, please call us up whenever you might be on the east coast, particularly in dc. we've always got a space for you with food and drinks and tours and fun, hopefully.

thank you so much! i wouldn't have been able to go to the carfree cities conference or stay in your wonderful city without your help!

 

yeahhh! all i wanna say! wow what a bloody amazing city! what kinda amazing people IN this city! i love it! so benjamin and holly, am looking forward to cya on christmas :))) and that these little kids around u jump on my couch next time! have fun! and i think ... there are always 3 times in life to meeting up u ;)!!!

 

They are amazing, living in house which of full of fun, happiness... It was a pleasure to know them, thanks a lot Benjamin to host us. I hope to see ya guys again...

Holly and Ben are amazing hosts. Open to the nth degree. Verily trusting. It was so very refreshing to have a place that felt like home so immediately! The children are hilarious and will gobble up every nanosecond of entertaining energy that you merrily offer, and pour it back on top of your head while giggling and running away in triumph. Thank you all so much; any and all of you are always welcome with me, wherever that may be!

Ben responded to my request at super-short notice. He and his household are friendly, busy and fun. I was only there a short while but i felt well at home. An excellent host.

Always let me ride your bike, always wished me a good morning when I woke up, and even gave me a ride to the library and offered to let me tag along with the sprouts on a zoo adveture!

If you stay with this guy you will find your home away from home.

Oi Oi Oi. Bio Luminescence. Electromagnetic Fields. Dragonfly Dynamics. What a cool experience surfing with Ben and Holly -- they took me in last minute and somehow I managed to get many conversations and late nights on the porch with them amidst their kids, other surfers, jobs, and school. I learned a lot from them and left very inspired (and my meatloaf in their fridge)!

 

Ben is maybe the most enthusiastic advocate of Couchsurfing I have met. He's great for some intelligent conversation and knows lots about lots of subjects. Don't miss a chance to meet him!

Benjamin, Holly and the kids are great hosts! They live in a safe and quiet neighborhood. They are also very helpful. You are awesome ;-)

 

If there was a competition in the Olympics for funny and interesting conversation, Ben would add another gold to the USA's obscene collection.

For the first few nights of my stay, when Portland was somewhat akin to their self-cleaning cooker on bake, we convened on their porch staying up far past our bed times discussing politics, art, and Leeds transvestites.

Respectful and more helpful than you could wish him to be, I would definitely recommend staying with/hosting Ben.

And when the time comes: Tenga una gran vida en España!

He was kind enough to mend my glasses when I oafishly sat on them. That's pretty wicked in itself. He lives in a safe, quiet neighborhood. The kids love guests. It's a very welcoming household. He knows fun, witty people, and he's one himself. My experience on his couch convinced me to get my own CS account. Ben, you rock!

 

Ben is a FAB host! I had such a great time hangin with him, Holly and the coolest kids in Portland. We went to the zoo, drank wine on the porch and did a lot of talking and laughing. Ben and Holly are to of the most kind hearted beautiful people I have ever met.Thank you so very much for taking me in! I would like to do a bee bop drop by sometime nxt week to say my official good byes before I head home!!

Ben is a supurb host, his knowledge of his city was very helpful during my stay, but more importantly he gave me more information about this wonderful community we exist within. I am highly indebted to him for his insights about CS, and what it takes to keep the whole shibang operational. Thank you Ben.

Benjamin, Holly and the kids were delightful hosts and helped me and Dusty Nik when we were in need of a place at short notice. Erin kindly let us sleep in her room and Benjamin made us scrumptious blueberry pancakes for Sunday brekkie. We were most grateful they put us up despite already having a full house.

Myself and my travel buddy Tanya were in a tight situation and Ben and Holly offered us a place to stay - despite already having a full house! They are very generous and kind people with a great deal of integrity. I hope I can repay the favor one day.

 

Benjamin was just great. We felt so at home. One of my better couchsurfing experiences. Holly and the sprouts get mad props too.

If you are in Portland and need help... This is the man! If he can not do it, he knows who can. (OK... The rime was not intentional.) Thanks for coming to my party and thanks for all the cool stuff that centered at your house during the Portland Invasion!

 

Evil genius.
Is working on recruiting minions.
I highly suggest being one of his minions.

He might not have all the answers, but he does have a few awesome couches.

I'd like to thank Benjamin for hosting us at his home in Portland - it was a real positive and funny experience! Thanks!

There is so much to say, I feel a novel coming on! I knew I was surfing with Holly, but I didn't know I got the whole package (which of course includes Ben)! Hes very talkative, which is a good thing in his case, he has a lot of both interesting and hilarious stories as well as helpful information to share. He made me think more about how I would like my own future to pan out after he told me of all of his skills and adventures. He was so kind and easy to talk to, it really made my stay in Portland better because he was around. I loved to watch him interact with the kids, it was clear they respected him and loved having him around. Hes also an amazing cook, try to make it for birthday weekend, if you can!

Ben and Holly live in a really nice neiborhood. You can find anything around. There is a beautiful park right in front. The kidz where awesome. Ben did everything he could to help us out to find our way around Portland and fun things to do. He also help us out to find couches on our way down south.

I fell a little bit in love with Benjamin and Holly. We had so much fun with them and the other 400 couchsurfers at their place! We made sushi with other CSers and it was madness! (it's whips and you know it..)I hope I'll see you in Amsterdam, we'll watch EDDIE IZZARD together?! Hey y'all!We'll teach you a little dutch this time.

 

Benjamin is pretty awsome even though he is holding my pot for ransome, and though it is mostly my fault for not picking it up I still hold it against him and expect compensation in the form of whiskey or curry, or both.

Though I was asleep most of the time, I truely enjoyed the convos and interactions with this beautiful and creative family.
much love

 

Benjammin is someone I have wanted to meet for awhile and he does not fail to impress. Besides Being a fabulous host and herder of cats, he has a heart of gold and a true desire to make the world a better place. He is an extraordinary country ambassador and goes out of his way to take care of the ENTIRE community. He's not half bad in the kitchen either!

Not only did he and Holly allow me and 5+ people to crash at their house this whole weekend, he cooked for us and kept a smile on his face throughout the whole crazy weekend. If you want to know about food, talk to him. Want to know about comics, talk to him and if you want to know about things in general, talk to him! He most likely knows about it!

He has been a great Chef at many a CS gathering. Extremely generous and caring towards others. He's always there to lend a helping hand to those in need.

He's also a great conversationalist. You'll never run out of stories to exchange and it can be a great past time at their front lawn.

 

Ben was my first couchsurfing experience here and was very accommodating. Surfed his place during the "Invasion" in what seemed quite a full house. Turns out, only fun can ensue with more in his place.

He had a couple events at his place, during my stay and got to meet a lot of wonderful people in the process. Totally chill and funny guy to hang out with. Look forward to hanging out more in the future.

Our trip to Portland happened to coincide with the recent 'invasion.' They welcomed us into what already could have been considered a full house (the more the merrier, it turns out.) Ben and Holly were wonderful hosts, and I only wish we had more time to stay in town and hang out with them.

He came through for me and Colin in a pinch, I'd recomend him and his family to anyone that comes through Portland. He is most certainly an active assest to the Couch surfing community, and I hope to give back to the community as much as he does. Thanks again! (I promise as soon as we have a place for you to sit down we'll invite you over to repay you)

We had a great time staying with Ben and his housemates, as well as his lovely lady, Holly. We're very lucky to have had such a warmhearted, interested and intelligent guy as our first CS experience.

Ben is a cool dude and a great chef. He fed me and a bunch of freeloading cs'ers quite nicely, thank you! and he hosted my friends!

Benjamin is a unique soul. He has a very bright outlook on life with very good words to share. An amazing person to meet!

Ben rocks, bottom line!

 

Because both of us were quite busy during my time in Portland, we didn't get to spend much time together. But Benjamin was great conversation when I arrived at his place, made sure things would be comfortable and I would make it home okay, and as fun to hang out with at Mary's. I'd stay with him again any time, but next time I'd hope to meet Taylor, Jenni, & Holly, too.

 

I want to write a comic book about Benjamin. He's a character, make that with a CAPITAL C. And he has some too. SO many levels on which to appreciate this force of nature. Geekitude, Word-nerdiness, Kindness, Wit, Food, Art...the list goes on. Benjamin and his world rock mine.

 

Benjamin is an interesting and friendly guy.

 

This guy shows real wisdom after a few drinks ironically. Smart and hospitable.

I don't know if i can top previous references but here we go...
Benjamin is probably the most genuinely considerate guy i know. I am convinced that he is one of the only people I know that would literally give you the shirt off their back. On top of his sincere kindness he is one of the most charismatic cats i know, a natural born leader. He is as smart as he is smooth and he has no problem with expressing his opinion and keeping yours in mind while doing so. Over all Benjamin is a guy you can't go wrong by.

Benjamin was a very welcoming host and sent me off in the direction of a very interesting local evening event. He and his hostmates were very trusting of me, and I felt safe at their home.

Benjamin's awesome. Although I've never surfed with him, I definitely would. He has lots of stories to tell. He took us to see Jason and the Argonauts at the Laurelhurst Theater, and we drank beer at a number of places around town.

Ben was an excellent host and made things easy for me. I didn't get to hang out with him for very long, but he was extremely nice. Next time i am in portland i will make sure to get a hold of him. Good guy and a good experience all around.

My fiance, good friend and I stayed with Ben and his two roomates in their house in Portland and had a great time! All three were extremely helpful in helping us to figure out public transit and had great recommendations of places to go and things to do. I couldn't imagine having had better hosts. Hope things are going well guys!

Hey Ben, wait -- this is for others to read. Ok, Ben and others - thanks for letting us stay (Ben let us stay) It was awesome and you were super accommodating (Ben is awesome, Brad says your awesome) We went to the doughnut shop on Sunday, Portland was quiet but it rocked (stay with Ben he knows all the cool sh*t in Portland.) Amazing time thanks again. Mancato.

 

I'm grateful for the time I spent with Benjamin and Holli, a safe and loving space to spend the night where I met two wonderful people I hope to know for a very long time to come. I intend to get better acquainted with that masterful mind of Benjamin's and that loving heart of Holli's. To expanding our selves and our relationships with others, I thank you both for who you are!

B.B. is a King when it comes to the Couch Surfing community in Portland (cheesy pun intended!)

I highly recommend Ben as a couchsurfing host. Especially if it would be your first time, I was welcomed into the home and I was able to do my own thing. I even got a key to the house, and likewise the city.

I had a lovely experience. This was the first time I used this site, and it was great. Thanks Ben :)

B-est CS regional amb from ptown
E-ver (in the history of CS regional ambs from Ptown), who is:
N-ever afraid of trying something new,
J-ust
A-wesome, and on top of all that...
M-akes
I-ncredible food.
N-eeds to come visit me in Europe.

He is the PDX ambassador. Need anything else be said?

Couchsurfed with them when I first arrived in Portland. They were tremendous hosts! As advertised their cat is very friendly. Can't say enough about their generousity. Glad I met them!

 

If you give Benjamin $5, you'll walk away with $17. Really.
I'm not sure it's possible to rock anymore than this person does.

Very cool person! I learned a lot about the Couchsurfering community in Portland via Ben. He also introduced me to my newest favorite manga series Vagabond, which mostly parallels my travels, except for the whole being a samurai in medieval Japan.

 

Ben is one of the coolest people that I could've hoped to meet in Portland. He showed me a good time, got me to try new things, and made me feel very much at home in a city far, far away. Ben is funny, full of great stories, instantly likeable, and overall, a very trustworthy dude.

ben is one of the most generous people i've ever met- i stayed with him a couple months ago and i'm glad to see the flood pace of guests is still rolling! gives up his time and home for the sheer joy of it and it spreads. THANKS AGAIN BEN! xx

Ben has to be the best couch surfer on the entire social network. Honestly, I'm not speaking in hyperbole. He is absolutely wonderful and his family/roomates are incredibly fun and interesting.

I had a great time in Portland with Benjamin. He hosted a dinner party with other couchsurfers, some of his friends, and children!!! it was a blast.
Thanks for the party!

I knew Ben would be a soul brother before i met him. outlandish, trustworthy, warm, musical...he is pretty much a couchsurfer you gotta meet when your in portland and, so far as i can tell, is doing a great job gettin the city group up, running, and rolling. Cheers Ben

 

ben can always meke me laugh, plus he can tell a joke, and is not opposed to pictionary! what more could a girl want!

Excellent, excellent, excellent hosts! I stayed for quite a while, and they were happy to go around with me, chat it up, and give me plenty of information. Also, helped me to discover Perry Fellow Bibleship! thanks again!

 

OK, I'll admit it, when I signed up on this site, I *did* think it was just a space swap, a place to crash for a place to crash. But Ben told me otherwise and he was right; it's much more than that.

I have have been overwhelmed by the ready-warmth and kindness of the people I have met through CS, exemplified by Benjamin, and look forward to hanging out with him in the near future.

 

Benjamin is quite possibly the epitome of CS. All the things that exist in a great Couchsurfing experience; travel tales, interesting life stories, hospitality, supreme conversation skills, wide sense of humor, outstanding ability to connect with people, trust out the wazoo, well you get the picture. ALL these things exist in Ben to the Nth degree. He is one of the greatest and most influential people I have met thus far, and I mean in my entire life. Though we only spent one week of time together I feel as if I have known him for years. I plan on staying in touch with Ben for years to come. Thank you for everything Ben. You have great things to come my friend, great things.

-Epic

staying with Ben was great. I felt very welcome at his and his housemate's house. very awesome.

Ben and his house mates were awesome. very friendly and hospitable. they were one of my favorite stops on the whole west coast.

A great guy who believes in Couchsurfing! Don't miss a chance to meet this generous man. He brings a positive impact to his world every day. He is very cool and open - and has great hair.

When I think "Ben" I think Pink: Pink meat...Pink flesh...Pink shirts. Although I don't care much for pink myself, this man had a particularly dashing sense of finess while wearing it and indulging us in merciless dialogue. He saddened me in one conversation when admitting that he let yuppie skum ruin his yoga practice. I enjoyed Ben's laugh, his smile, his stories, and his incredible hospitality. Kudos Ben.Kudos.Until we meet again.

Benji-buddy is awesome. Philosopher, intellectual, chef, gamer, pirate, ninja, and only slightly pedantic.

Benjamin was a great first host. He brought me to places I would have never seen on my own but knew it was important for me to stumble on places by myself, as well. A fun and well-balanced experience!

 

A friend that eats, a friend indeed
a friend that cooks is better

He made the eggs and all the rest
For all us hungry beggars.

Brunch! Mooooorning!
Brunch! Mooorning!

And we both have siamese cats too.....

Fortuitously Benjamin the super ambassador / consumate host / Portland encyclopaedia hosted me for my very first couchsurf. I was incredibly spoiled. I turned up to meet multiple surfers and Portlanders at a CS party. He offers great conversation, info on all good bars / restaurants, is an excellent barhopping companion, and even introduced me to the way of the geek. Thankyou Benjamin thankyou.

it was great to meet Benjamin and the gang of CSers at his place, went to an awesome party and had some really good laughs, this dude is hilarious! eclectically worded, cardboard-cut-out enhanced, and ohh so witty. Lots going on when we met, so hopefully we can chat some more before he moves to Spain!

 

Ben and accually all his roommates are awesome. He gave made us feel welcome even though their house was busting at the seems. His food and bar recommendations are right on

Via Smarmy comments and rambling conversation he wowed me with his immense knowledge, class and sense of style. When you surf with Benjamin you are not just surfing with an Ambassador...you are surfing with the embodiment of a map! Benjamin comes with all the fixing of a fantastic host: hospitality, laughter, bad jokes, great hair, and a plethora of pink shirts among other amazing things! I plan on invading Portland again one day soon where Benjamin and I plan to have a cook-off dance party! YAY!

 

I have chilled with Benjamin at a few cs meetings and went to a party at his house. Very cool guy, easy going, sweet house in Portland amazing host.

 

Really a great host. I accidentally showed up right on time for a CS party he hosted, but not only was he ready to go, but he was offering me wine and striking up friendly conversation right off the bat. He seems to know a little something about everything, up to and including some light quantum mechanics and emergent perception of consciousness. Great guy to hang out with. The better I get to know him, the better I like him. :)

 

Benjamin showed up at my shrunken head party equipped with his own awesome head gear. Very fun and smiley! You're invited to any party I have from now on! We're planning for one the beginning of December...

Though I've yet to surf on his couch specifically, he was most certainly a gracious host. Conversational, fascinating, and full of endless facts and trivia. It felt like half the time I was content being quiet because it allowed me to get to know him better just by listening. Jackass extraordinaire, so he and I get along swimmingly. Hope to see more of him in the future. Cheers!

I had an awesome time surfing with ben and co. for a couple days. They were my first couchsurfing experience and showed me a ghettopolistic time.

Benjamin hosted my friend & I last minute & welcomed us into the Portland couchsurfing collective. It was great to converse with all the people who had gathered together & he definitely went out of his way to make our stay comfortable.

 

He's dedicated, he's enthusiastic, he's charming, and he's an ambassador! Benjamin welcomed me with open arms into the CS group here in Portland. I look forward to more wacky times and virgin drinks together!

 

Benjamin takes his role as the Portland ambassador seriously, and in doing so models what it means to be a gracious host. We had a great conversation out on the porch, he put us up on a pull out bed that was actually comfortable (quite possibly the first comfortable pull-out I've ever experienced), and was totally down to explore innovative new ideas in Couch Surfing.

As Hanna already said, we had THE best time at his and his roommates's house!! It was soooo much fun to hang out there! He's a great person with a real good sense of humor!

What an awesome guy. Totally the good samaritan of couchsurfing. Benjamin embodies the nature of couchsurfing and altruism.
"I don't meet strangers, only new friends." - an adage i find to quite adecquately describe Benjamin's attitude towards couchsurfing.
Come up to Bham for the uber couchsurfing party in the woods, man. Ill let you know when details become available.
Thanks again!!

Benjamin + friends were SOOO awesome!! We had the greatest time staying at their house! They're fun, open minded .. AND Benjamin knows how to cook. He really does. Best food on our roadtrip! Excellent! Thank you for everything!

Great stay, extremely funny and fun to hang out with, helped me out with my first couchsurfing experiance and made some friends in the Portland area.

Overall I cannot imagine a better experiance.

 

Add me to the list of admirers! Benjamin is intelligent, caring, fun, and wants to accomplish things - all of which makes him a great ambassador for Portland *and* for CS.

He is also humble in the best definition of that word: teachable. He can help anyone to feel at ease, because he is open to learning what others have to offer.

And he's a good teacher, too! If it wasn't for Benjamin, I might have gone to my grave never knowing what a concentric perimeter is... and I wear one around my neck!

Benjamin is the BOMB! He is passionate about hosting surfers and he often gathers the local and visiting surfers for a fun event in Portland. He shines with enthusiasm, quick wit and charm!

I don't know what this guy does for a living but it should be professional CS Host/Pictionary Clue Writer. Benjamin is a very cool guy. I'm glad to know you sir.

Nice and charming guy. I spent a really good day in your house. You made me really comfortable.Thanks for the meeting. Even if we don't know eachother very well, i think we are in the same positive way of life. I see you later, ok?

 

After randomly asking the Portland group if anyone wanted to hang out over Labor Day weekend, Ben and his housemates came through and graciously hosted a large number of us at their home. (So awesome!) I had a great time and hope to see them all again soon! :)

Our stay at their home was very pleasant, and this is why we couchsurfed two more days that what we had first planned. It was hard for us to quit that charming and lovable place. Benjamin and Zoe were fortunately on vacation during our stay so we passed a lot of time together and they showed us the cool places in the city. We met two generous and welcoming persons that shared our way of thinking. Thanks to you, we had a very shiny time in Portland. Amongst all the places where we couchsurfed, yours certainly is one of the best. We already miss you buddies, come to Montreal soon!!

Ben made us Diner and we all went out to the bars in town later. we had a really good time, thanks

He was very welcoming, friendly, and made me feel at home. Ben's a real delight to chat with, and if you surf at his place, show some measure of appreciation for his hospitality.

 

Benjamin and Zoey are a very cute couple.
Despite the fact that we were both quite busy during their stay here in Berkeley, we were honored to see a beautiful manifestation of a connection that everyone would dream to find one day in their lifetime.
Seeing them interact with each and their plan for their wonderful forthcoming year made us warm and happy because they shared their happiness with us while they had their nest in our humble apartment floor.
Thank you for staying with us guys, and best wishes to your warm, sweet, and happy future.
Our door will always open for you my friends. :D

Benjamin ans Zoey are two extremely nice and awsome people.
Its a pleasure to have surfed with you guys. I thank you guys from the bottom of my heart. Most Excellent Recomendation

If the couch surfing community in Portland is a pizza, then Benjamin and Zoey are the crust that keeps everything together. Benjamin set up some great CS events, knows how to liven up the atmosphere and hopefully will be able to give me advice when I become the ambassador of Seaside.

 

Amid the boxes and endless unpacking, Ben and Zoey and Taylor and Jenni and Kiri and oh yea Orion my beauty couldn't have been any more host-a-licious. Thx guys for letting me christen your new abode and taking me to the Mississippi bars and the Portland pizza and pancake palaces.

Ben is highly deserving of his post in the couchsurfing government. He is a great leader and organizer, and he's effin hilarious to boot. I think I'm going to stay in the Portland group just to have his posts emailed to me every week. And I can't wait to go visit this guy in Spain when the couchsurfing house becomes a reality.

We met Benjamin at a Couchsurf meetup in Portland. He was a very nice guy to talk with. Benjamin is working very hard to make the couchsurf community better. You should visit him when he don't has visitors already:)

we surfed benjamin's couch for 2 nights and had a great time there. he gave us a lot of useful tips and the time we spent with him and zoe we had a lot of fun. we are really looking forward to meeting them in about 2 hours to go swimming :) and would love to host them and give back one day.

took me under his wing and made me feel right at home in portland. this baker rocks!

Benjamin is a guy with full of charisma & perspective. He's very friendly and lives up to the name as a CS ambassador! It sure is fun having him around on any occasion. Cheers man!

benjamin & zoey were the first people i met in portland and provided my first experience with couchsurfing. they introduced me to some very cool friends of theirs, we went out a couple nights and had fun and they let my friend coushsurf the last night. great experience, very cool people to know in portland

I met Benjamin and Zoey through my sister Kendra, who had met them while I was in Afghanistan. Our official meet was at Laurelhurst Theater, for an entertaining night of drinking beer, eating pizza, and watching Jason and the Argonauts. Also met them at Montage for an okay food experience. I am definitely looking forward to many more fun times with this great couple!

Ben and Zoey, thanks a lot for the awesome time we spent together. For sure I will try to come to Portland again in the future, or to Spain. Who knows where you will open your marvelous restaurant...
;-) No matter where, I will be there and try your whole menu! See you

 

Benjamin's a great guy. Kinda makes me wish I didn't live in the same city so I could surf his couch! I'm looking forward to hanging out with him and Zoey at lot more this summer. It should be a blast.

 

Benjamin is someone I wish I had met much sooner. Portland is full of thoughtful, creative, and adventerous folk like him, but somehow it always takes longer than it should to find them. Thank the stars for couch surfing! I look forward to our next outing...

Ben is just one of the people I've met lately that makes me feel reluctant to leave this genuinely mixed up town(Portland). But alas, I will say farewell for now to Ben who will inspire you to travel/host Couchly, make fun/oddness, and share intriguing stories.

What he takes he gives back in spades...his commitment to the CS project is impressive and a challenge to those, like me, who think they want to be ambassadors! I hope I can match his activity and enthusiasm. I also hope we will see more of each other in this whole CS Portland...carry on, Benjamin!

 

although I had some altercations with his cats (Mr. Feathers & DB) everything was resolved shortly afterwards. Great host, lost one of his jobs right before we got to Portland, so his unemployed ass got to hang out with us the whole time. He and his lady showed us around and let us throw metallic cats out of his car window. Great folks, hope they'll come to BC soon.

Benjamin is such a fun person to be around. He's hilarious and a good sport (we made him play stupid games with us). He's a great person to have met and hopefully we'll hang out again!

 

I don't think I could've found a more generous host:) He put with my horrible sense of direction and I had a fantastic time staying with him and Zoey! salsa, wine and good friends till 5am, what more could one ask for? It was fun sharing our restaurant tales with each other and I hope to stay with him soon again!

 

Benjamin and Zoey are wonderful! And I was fortunate enough to get to help celebrate Zoey's Birthday. Thank you for everthing guys. I hope your kitty gets better and I hope we get to hang out again. . maybe in Portland, or New Zealand or in you villa in Spain. Take care

 

Benjamin and Zoey rock. And I don't use that word lightly. I would be most psyched to be able to hang out with them again. They epitomize what couchsurfing is all about.

Benjamin and Zoey are welcoming and gracious hosts. They are relaxed and flexible, and both of them have a healthy sense of humour. Their openness to different ideas and experiences was refreshing and reassuring. I had a great time staying with them for a few days.

I had a great time staying at Ben's place. He lives in a great neighborhood, has a beautiful and eclectic home, cares about giving you the Portland experience and treats you well even when he gets smacked with personal issues during your stay!

The next time you are in the area, lets meet again

back again! ya man!
dya still remember me? we met at the berlin hc camp a short time ago! what´s up to u, guy? nice to find u on this site and to discover some more things bout u ;-).
anyway, after 25 "verpiss dich"s and 13 "zum kotzen"s (because the trip back nearly ended in a desaster on the highway!) I arrived home again, tired but happy having met so many kind people in berlin. I´m quite in a good mood actually, continuing with my practical course...
I read ur still in berlin? u told me about travelling back to US. did u extend ur trip all around europe?
Ai, I caught some information about banghra music, and it´s kinda crazy, funny but sometimes nerving mixture of different styles for me. hm. I have to figure out more.
well, I have to end for today. tried to improve my profile somehow..
see ya then! let´s stay in contact...

p.s.: how did u get to that disgusting nick? ;-)

Host him! Benjamin is a interresting, cool guy, total fun and uncomplicated to be arround, helpfull, curious, smart and excited to explore europe!
See you soon....

He's a chef... let him cook up some good times (I love making up cheesy lines). I had an absolute great time in Portland with Ben and his roommates. They are all incredibly great and kind and fun. It was a wonderful introduction to Portland and I want to move there. Thanks so much for everything - I greatly appreciate it all.