Benjamin Ranta

 

It was great to host Ben and hear about his amazing travel stories. He was a kind and generous guest. Hope to run into you out on the road!

 

Met ben through Vangie. We hung out in Portland, took a nice bike tour around Portland, saw some sights. Good times. Good guy. Laid back and interesting.

 

Ben was such a wonderful guest! He's very fun to talk to and has a lot of interesting life experiences to share. :) We recommend hosting him if he comes your way- and we can't wait to come visit him in his awesome cabin! :D

 

Ben is a great host...granted, he was in Chicago when I arrived...but he made it up in spades. His family welcomed me with open arms. His brother drove me out to his cabin and his father showed me around and even cooked dinner. When Ben arrived that night, I already felt a part of the family. The next morning, we hiked around for a few hours and picked 2 pints of blueberries. If you can make it out to his cabin, do it. It is well worth the 30 minutes of dirt roads.

Great guy to have around. He easily blended in with my other housemates. Sure knows how to travel and really interested in other people. Eager to learn more about there ideas (even if it includes homework...). Hope to see him again!

I really enjoyed my time with Ben, specially when he told me about his adventures, they were amazing :) I hope you had a good price for you motorcycle? next time i'll deffentely will teach you backamon ;)

Benjamin is a real traveler. He likes to get out there and experience the world and its people. He was a very polite guest and I enjoyed hearing his travel stories and learning about the logistics of traveling by motorcycle.

Ben is the kind of person with whom you soon feel to be friends. He was a very nice and respectable guest.

Guys, don't miss him playing the guitar and singing; he is amazing

Ben, I miss you, come back! I was happy when he was here and now that he left I am sad. And I am not only saying this because he can fix everything in the house and paint walls really well. He has this non-judgemental, everything's-good-aura of harmony and tolerance around him.

 

I really enjoyed the time with Ben. He is a gentle, kind and very nice couchsurfing guest!
It would be a pleasure to meet other people like him, who really live the idea of couchsurfing.

Hope to see him again, maybe in the untied states of america!

What an amazing week of travel it was together. What would Lisa and I have done without GI Ben with us...let's see. I wouldn't have been a one-sided heat-source by the fire, I wouldn't have laughed as hard through all the word games and songs we made up, long talks on the roof would've been seriously lacking, bbq's on the roof? --less fun, impromptu ballroom dancing on an ancient fort would've looked silly, the list goes on and on...see, Ben's amazing. I cant wait to hopefully meet up again this summer :) Thank you for the laughs and kindness.

 

Ben is a great guy. What a delight to have him stay. I guess he enjoyed the duck with truffles for dinner and pancakes in the morning and other goodies that I prepared for him. It is a pleasure to spoil him. He is always welcome at my place and I highly recommend him.

Ben has made an impressive traveling on his cute bike and he is happy to share stories, photos and impressions of his journey.

Ben was a gentle, kind and very comfortable guest. also when he get to sing his quiet voice and singing are very comforting.

Ben,
Come back. We never heard you play guitar!
Ben and the Pope were in Jerusalem so it put a bit of a crimp in some plans but he was easy going and good company. Like we told him, first night guest, second night family.

We bumped into Ben in Petra and again in Amman, and he was the one who put us on to couchsurfıng. Ben is blessed wıth the ability to make you feel calm. He would be at the top of my list of people to have around when the shit hits the fan. He oozes dudeness. Thanks for all your help, man.

 

Ben makes very pleasant company. He's open-minded with a wide heart. He cooked me and my friends a delicious meal and even fixed my toilet with the cunning use of bottle caps. Thanks for bringing a piece of the midwest to the Middle East, Ben. I hope the rest of your travels are just as rewarding.

Ben Ben Ben, what i could say? he is really a great person to be around him, actually it was like i have been traveling the world by listening to his stories, and you will be lucky if he plays on his guitar, he is really woooooooooooooooooow, We had good times together with my friends and Ben, and we played basketball but for sure Americans won like always :-) I'm sure Ben you gonna miss it and miss the sahlab for sure.
I really hope that we could meet again Ben, and next time we will play that song together, and i will teach you how to play reggae music, but then you should teach me how to play country music :-) it sounds like a deal hehehehehe
it was really an honor meeting him, and I'm sure we will meet again soon in sha2 allah.
Thanks for the music Ben, I like Tracy a loooooooooooooooot, and hope i can play her songs.
take care of yourself brother, and send my greetings to Chris and all your family, ok! PEACE

 

Benj we love you!

I loved my friend
He went away from me
There's nothing more to say
The poem ends soft as it began -
I loved my friend.
-Langston Hughes

We ended up surfing together in Cairo and it was incredible. Ben's an amazing guy. He's really relaxed, genuine, smart, and tons of fun to spend some time with. It was an honour to be a part of his 20-month, world-traveling epic.

Benjamin was my guest in Khartoum for view days, he is such a great persone,he was very polite guest interesting to talk to him, my familly and all my friends loved him, he has always alot of storis about the whole world , i was so happy to listn it , i felt like i'm travelling with him.
I highly trust this guy as a guest or a host.
I wish to you nice & safty trip til omeback home Ben.

Ben was super easy to talk to and we had some interesting things in common. It was a very positive experience. He's got some amazing travel experience under his belt and it was really cool to hear about his adventures.

Benjamin is such a great person. He is friendly and knows how to play the guitor and cook cookies,'Benjamin, even with the Recipe, we never managed to cook like you did!'

 

He is a really great guest who went out of his way to help out and he cooked! I will always remember his advice: just ad cheese - it makes everything taste better. I also enjoyed talking to him about his adventures, sharing ideas and listening to him playing his guitar. It was really lovely to host him!

I host Ben for two days and it ws good having him in my place.we just had opportunity to chat during the night cause i was out during the day but ben told me some of his fantastic adventures and my girlfriend really like seeing ben performing with his guitar.
p.s:next time i wont miss it ben

Benjamin is a very interesting person who has vast travelling experience & exciting stories. I really enjoyed chatting with him & learning about his adventures all over the world. This really inspired me & was appealing to me as I would love nothing more than to just travel all over.

In meeting ben for the first time, the first thing that comes to mind - Communist! That's right, this kid is more Red than a Texas Steakhouse!

But seriously, Ben is one of the nicest guys that has crossed my path, and was an absolute joy to host. He and his travel mate, Pam the One-legged Hooker, were pretty easy to were great and they had some wonderful tips on the Asian sex trade. ;-)

HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON, BRUTHA!

Z

I was blown away by Ben and his amazing travels and sincere, deep personality. He is a man of depth and maturity and it was an absolute pleasure meeting him and chatting to him about his travel adventures.

Wow! What can I say . . . Ben 10, as we all fondly refer to our new family member. Ben is the most "feet on the ground" deep thinking, worldly young man I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Words fail to express the deep understanding Ben has of life. His soft nature and good manners can only make his parents proud of a job well done! As our first surfer this was an awesome experience as Ben is a true ambassador of the fraternity. I truly believe a friendship has been forged for life and from the little time we spent together I know this young man is going to go far in life, his compassion for the underprivileged is admirable. Ben we wish you all the best for this your first giant step into the unknown as you go forth and face your Goliath. May the road rise up and meet you, the sun shine warmly on your face and the rain fall softly on your cheeks. Good luck and God bless.

 

Ben in an adventurous and guitar loving guy like me so had a great time meeting him talking traveling stories and play some tunes as we ended up with the same host for a few days! Had a great hike up the tablemountain as well, I hadn't come up the hard way without him!

Hea, old Benjamin my friend...
Shame, I am sure he was overwhelmed when he realized all the beurocrasy he would need to go through to get his trip really started by motorbike. I am glag I could help.

Ben is a true oke, you can trust him! I could not entertain at the time very well but he came and went and was a great pleasure having him around. Safe journeys bro, stop past again!!

 

The first time I met Captain Ben, I thought he was the serious type. That's why I was stunned when he made me do his laundry!! Turns out he's a joker who can keep a straight face. Captain Ben is kind, a real gentleman and very respectful to women :) I hope we can go diving again someday :)

*PS: He's a videoke star too! :D

 

Captain Ben!!!
Theres something about this guy thats very reassuring and secured. The minute you talk to him, you feel you can trust your life in his hands.
Spending a couple of days camped on the beach with other friends showed me hes reliable, fun and very good at Malarky, haha!
A gentleman all throughout, Ben is someone CS is worth joining for.

 

Ben is a wonderful guy! "Nice" is what comes into mind first when you meet him. He is very appreciative and is a great listener. I also enjoy very much listening to his stories about his life. I like hearing his passion for teaching, and I think he's very brave to go for something he really loves. He is the kind of person who inspires you to do good things when you meet him, he is intelligent and fair. I'm so glad our paths crossed and I got to dance with you, Ben! :)

 

He's sincere, dependable and an overall nice guy. I trusted him enough to agree to let him drive Vangie's car while he's in Manila! =) Have fun in your travels!

 

I'm glad to have had the chance to show case Philippines as one of South East Asia's jewel during his short stay.

Ben's a great travel buddy and would make you feel that things will be taken care of when he is around. He's a pleasure to host with his appreciative nature and keen interests in many things. Don't be fooled by his seemingly quiet surface, for when faced with KTV mic, he can belt it like there's no tomorrow! Ah, got video as proof ;)

Cheers to your travels & future plans, Ben. Hope to bump into you again one day, in Manila or elsewhere in the world.

Simply put, Ben is amazing. He is wonderful to talk with, makes every situation positive, and has a great outlook and plan for life. Host him, he's wonderful!

 

Ben is a really great guy, you should meet him. I was incredibly curious (don't know if he could tell) to meet my first former American soldier. its like a leprechaun or something. but in all seriousness, Ben has some cool perspectives, and is on an epic world trip, and I think we probably travel in a like minded way. Anyways, go meet/host Ben - he's a good one.

Well I ahve to say he is the most claim guy I have ever met in my life. He is cool and we had good time, its pity that he did not have any chance to visit any miao village , I hope we can meet again!
Cheers!
Ben

Ben was a great guest! He stayed with me for 2 nights and we had a lot of fun together. He's very polite and a great conversationalist. When I met him, he has already been traveling for a year, so he has great stories to tell. He met some of my students and they all loved him, too. Overall, a fantastic experience!

Ben spent 2 nights in my tiny room.He is a very nice person.Funny,sometimes quiet& learned...

May you good luck on your traveling.

Benjamin Ranta is a different man .Friendly,He will be a successful person

ben is a very special guest, since the first time i received his request which makes me feel that i must host this person, just like i am going to host my good friend(which i did, may be even better than my good friend), and he built up a very comfortable connection even before he came! we had wonderful time together, he is a very lucky guy as i was invited for all sorts of atctivities during his stay, and he has the ability to make people treat him very nice, haaa(ben, you deserved it), then we enjoyed it all together, he even missed his bus(on purpose) in order to finish the materpiece drama show,he said:"it's worth it, i spend 15 bucks for less quality show in broadway"! hi buddy, it was really nice knowing you, hope to catch you up and practise yoga together on your deck one day!

Ben is a great guy and it was fantastic to spend time chatting with him about life and various couchsurfing/traveling experiences. I very much enjoyed exploring the city and going out for drinks in the evening with him - it was definitely a good thing to both be staying with Patrick at the same time.

Take care and good luck with the rest of your travels!

 

ahh what a great guy. so relaxed and positive and ready to talk about anything. I really enjoyed having him around. good luck mate.

Ben is a sincerely warm friendly guy. Hanging out with him was awesome, drinking weird tasting Beerlao, chatting about our lifelong dreams.... such as smoking a pipe, riding a tandem bike, or peeling rabbits for a living (of course). I am still annoyed with him though because he switched off Scrubs at a crucial moment, and now we'll never know. Hmff.

I met him when he came to hue visited me before he arrived Loas.He was very friendly and funny.I took him bought gitar and stay with him at hotel-hear he played guitar and sing together^_^

It was a great pleasure to host Ben. Everyone in the family miss him, and it was really sad to say Goodbye. . . .We tried to keep him longer but his visa was expired ! ! He was also a Fairy in the house since things were fixed without anyone saw. .. .It was done either early in the morning or late at night ! Very helpful, considerate, and responsible person. Thank you for being so kind and helpful to Nicholas and his friends.

Come back anytime, Ben. We miss you very much.. . Have a wonderful journey, and keep in touch.

We just had a little time to be together. Had drinks in the riverside and talked a lot of funny stories. I will not forget an amazing morning when we were in the moutain with nice weather and sang several songs (got some Damien Rice and Tenacious D stuffs..:P). It's a great memory!
Wish to meet you again dude, and all the best!

I met Ben through our host Luyen in Hanoi and had the opportunity to travel with him to Sapa, Northern Vietnam. Ben is an inspiration when it comes to the essence of travelling - he is open, patient, interested\interesting and caring. The most wonderful travel companion I've ever had!

Ben ... his reputation precedes him. A trust worthy kinda person.. i could not show him around coz was so tied down but next time perhaps... 10 months on the road... very impressive ! !
Welcome back without any notice.. take care and travel safe..Highly recommended..

We met, had more than one beer, hung out 3 nights, played bowling, watched the movie, had dinner, joined the meeting here... Oh, a lot of activities ;) Ben - a nice and polite guy he is! He also knows how to make you smile with his stories. I really enjoyed the days I spent with him (and the other CSers) in Saigon. Such a pity that I couldn't clear out my work to travel with him.

Benjamin helped me reconnect with Cambodian kids I met in Baphoun. Although, I haven't met him face to face yet, I know he's a good-natured individual willing to lend a helping hand to a friend in need.
Thank you again Benjamin!
UPDATE
Ben and I finally met in Manila when he decided to make Philippines a part of his travel plans. :-) In person, he turned out to be the kind-hearted and adventurous individual I expected him to be. Twas good to finally meet him and put a face to the good soul who reconnected me with my Cambodian friends. Safe travels Ben.

Calm,smart and interesting are words which I can describe about him;)
We had few times to see around the city, go the market,play bowling and dance :P
Anyway,I'll meet you soon in somewhere near to Vietnam or USA,friend:P

I met Ben in one of the gatherings here in HCMC. He knows how to start a conversation and he is very nice. I hope that the next time we meet we will have a longer time to know each other. Thanks Ben for sharing your thoughts and take care on your travels. : )

 

Ben was a cool guy to have around. He is well travelled and is very active in couchsurfing. Helped out loads at the party we threw at our apartment and was definitely on my wavelength when it comes to travelling and experiencing local cultures. Shame he never made it to the tunnels but I'm sure Vietnam will hold many good times for him on his travels.

A nice, laid back guy and definitely someone you should meet if you get the chance.

his uncanny ability to make the locals (winks)dance w/ him even when he was on flipflops & boardshorts is difficult to beat!hahaah!kidding aside,his outlook bout life is that of a lad filled w/ positivity and enthusiasm.enjoyed BIG time our hangouts with fellow crazy nomads and it restored in me my faith of meeting beautiful people in my travels.hope to seeing you dude in future travels & hopefully you'd be able to teach me la chachacha next time, k?
UPDATE:
it was the quickest invitation i gave to a surfer and he was that decisive to have himself book to fly to my country! and i'm just glad how he lived up w/ my expectation when i decided to make him my perfect 'guinea pig' to my folks' house!he's very respectful & very easy guest to my parents.dad actually thinks he's the true gentleman w/ the military background!t'was great opportunity to know him a lot better and closer.we've become not just mere cs friends but true friends indeed, haven't we? :-) we'll meet again in egypt, yes?

Cool and collective guy who engages in insightful yet amusing conversations. Very respectful, honest, open-minded, and fun. Ben's an okay singer and bowler but is quite the dancer. It was a pleasure to be in the company of a fellow midwesterner.

 

Ben is a really special person I had the good fortune of getting to know while being hosted simultaneously by Natasha in Saigon. For the duration of our stay there, five days, we spent a lot of time together sightseeing, surviving Saigon's crazy traffic, karaoke singing, etc...so I can honestly say he is an excellent travel companion, good both for party and quiet times. Wouldn't mind at all to travel together sometime. Best of luck to you Ben.

 

Ben has been an awesome guest, and certainly represents all the positive things about the couch surfing spirit. He is an extremely respectful and engaging conversationalist, and was an invaluable help in organizing the Ho Chi Minh City couchsurfing pool party at my place over the weekend. I highly recommend him to any future hosts (or guests) in the future. Happy Travels!

 

What a great guy Ben is. He is pleasant, calm, cheerful and a very smart guy.
We spent some quality time together in Phnom Penh experiencing food, night life, khmer culture and taking about so many interesting business ideas.

Ben, I wish you all the best during your travels and hope you have a happy and successful life. Wish you every success in your plan to make your cabin carbon-neutral.

Hope to travel with you or meet you again one day. And if your journey carries you to wherever I am, please remember that you will always have a home.

Ben is absolutely lovely, though sadly I met him only for one night. I hope to be inspired by him though, and to find my way to Sumatra to see the duck racing!

Ben was my first guy friend from CS that I hang out with. He is a very nice white guy that I had ever met.

He is full of respect, well understanding about Asian culture especially our culture and has a good sense of humor.

He stayed at my home even though my house was in a mess at that time as we (my family) were in the process of moving out from that house. He didn’t mind the mess.

I spent a long time with him around the city. He thought me how to dance. He enhance my knowledge of CS by telling me the history of CS.

I really enjoy being with him. The friendship and time with him is a very wonderful memory that won’t be forgotten. I do hope that I will meet him again someday. Ben, you are wonderful! Thanks!

So where the hell are you now? Cambodia?! That's nuts! Well, I'm already home, baking in the Arizona sun.

Ben is truly a wondering nomad. It was a pleasure meeting him in Jogya... of all places. We had a chance to travel together to Borobudur and hung out at the world renowned (to the worthy few) Bintang. Good times, buddy!

Stay safe and happy trekking...

He is been in Malaysia for a few weeks and learned fast about the Malaysian culture by staying with surfers of different races and religion. He listen to our advice, idea and suggestion when traveling without me for his own safety. He respected us as a Muslim couch. I hope he will come again to see us. You are more than welcome. Ben, we missed you cause you leave so soon. Your short stay with us will be always remembered by my family and friends you have met. Bon Voyage! Keep in touch.

I wouldn't mind hosting a person like Ben every single day of the year - I would agree with most of the things others have said of him, also to add that he's a great dancer. So if you ever get to hang out with this guy one day, don't forget to make him teach you all his cool moves.

Host him few days! me and my friend really appreciated him, He is totally warm person, polite with fantastic photograph talent! glad to know him! see u again! :)

i and Ben was meet for the first time ,when we simultaneously hosted by the same host (the host was Charles from kuching very good host).
from kuching we travel all over by land and river antil miri in about 10 days.
Ben make my trip difrent and much better. he his very interseting traveller one of the best.
if you have the chance you will not a bettar person too travel or too host him in your couch.

I had interesting change of experiences and stories about his travel as well as mine. I would definitely like to travel around but not for 18 months....
all the best ben....

 

Ben is well traveled,knows his way around.Easy talker,can shop and cook.HE IS A NICE GUY TO HAVE AROUND. He is wellcome to return any time.

 

He helped me alot.

Tell the truth, im tired others sees the way we working on to connecting people in our country just a matter of ambassadorship tasks, makes the volunteer work like a glamorous status.
But with ben, he was able to grab my stories and understood for the souls of community when i shared them with him. Completely aware and sense why i need to encourage my people to open the doors in Indonesia. Listening it easily, observing them in calm way and sense the actions he may favor to give in.

he owns the patriots souls

 

It was great to watch Kungfu Panda with you and had a late night stroll back to the house :) Ben is very easy-going, sweet, and nice. You just won't be able to tell that he used to be in the army! Wish we've had more time to spend together, Ben.. Hope we'll get to meet again some time.. some where...

Ben is a very nice person and good company. He is easy going, interesting and independent. Sadly I did not have much time for him, but he was happy moving around on his own. I can recommend hosting him without any hesitations!!! Would be nice to meet again!

Ben is a great guy and I had a great time with him. We had some good conversation. He also got on well with the animals. Hopefully I'll see him again!

 

Ben made sure that we were well taken care of for a week in Pai. I really appreciated the care he put into his participation at the collective. He is professional, warm and someone you'd want to have on your team. Thanks Ben!

He is a good guy! We really had a lot of fun.

Ben is very gentle. It was very special for him to volunteer to participate in HASH. I enjoyed seeing him dancing with the ladies. Thank you for helping me rearrange my shop and tea business. Come again anytime!

It took me a long time to get around to writing a reference for Ben. Everything these hosts and friends of his say is true- and more that can not be localized in flawed binary on computer screens.

Ben is a prototype after which we can learn how to be good hosts, guests and most of all good friends. He has a terrific sense of humor, a huge heart, and cares about the world- ecologically and socially. Beyond that, the longer you spend with him the more you'll uncover his wealth of hidden talents!

May we all be lucky enough to have friends like Ben.

Ben couched with me on and off as he was also couching with another CS in the same area. Boy...he nearly shocked my soul off my shoes when I found out that he served with the US Army in Afganistan. He basically erased my stereotype of a typical military kind of guy. Ben is courteous, culturally sensitive, a good company and not forgetting a GREAT cook as well! I entrusted my kitchen to him and he utilized it well enough! Overally, I highly recommend anyone to to host Ben!
He is ALWAYS welcome to my place anytime!

There are not words sufficient enough to desribe the person Ben is. I can say that of my adventures with him he has been respectable, kind, and a jewel of untold value. Thanks for being my shoulder to lean on and a great dance partner.

Ben is a very helpful.He help us to fetch the guest to many places.Thanks,Ben!!!Great to have a friend like you.Thanks for the present.Keep in touch.

 

A wonderfully blessed soul - he's easy-going, calm, kind, honest, and full of insights. Ben has a killer smile too. Already met him few times while we were both in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Penang. Looking forward for our paths to cross again friend and this time I will not leave you! LOL :P :)

 

We met Ben in our first Couch Surfing experience. Being hosted in the same house in Malaysia made us realise how great is Couch Surfing project. You can talk about everything with him even if you just met him and we enjoyed great and abundant chinese food together! He is a very experienced couch surfer and deeply involved in CS so wealso learned a lot! We hope we could follow his steps...

While our house manager was on vacation for a week, Ben took her place. Everyone loved his patience, kindness, creativity, and leadership. These same qualities made him a wonderful house mate as well. His gentle confidence makes him an instant charmer. I would love to have Ben at every Collective!

he is good guy!
actually i can't well English..
but i know about who is good guy or bad guy..
so i can sure that..
he is goooooooood guy..
i want talk to more but my English is limited here so, i will write again..
i miss you! i will go to U.S.A. haha..

 

I hope Ben makes it up to the Alaska collective. We all loved his organization and good-hearted attitude. I'd love to be able to chat with this man for quite a bit more than I already have.

 

Ben is incredibly dependable, kind, sympathetic and friendly. I feel so lucky to have met him at the Thai Collective. Best of luck in your journeys!

We start a bit late as friend,but im sure that make his stay in Penang are well to be remember!What should i said about this guy.If you meet him for the 1st time,dont judge him fast,he can be quite but after awhile you know /talk to him.He can be friendly, smart and well prepare / experiences guy.I hope will see you again Ben.Always welcome back to my city Penang.Im sure we will meet again.. Take care my man!

 

Met Ben through other CS while in Penang. A group of us went to Ipoh for the day and so I got to know Ben more. He is a really nice guy with a huge appetite for knowing the world - no wonder he is travelling for one year! He put up with me on our rushed visit to the Spice Gardens, but I think we both agree it was worth it. All the best for the upcoming travels, Ben! :)

 

Wow, I really had a great time with Ben in Penang. I was amazed of how Ben always without hesitation and regardless of how early in the morning we got up wanted to join for our activities. Not far from a laugh in any situation and get along just as we have been friends since always. He is a really funny guy to have around and easy going. I surely hope that our roads cross soon again, maybe next time in the US if not sooner in Asia. Safe journeys! :)

Ben was a master. His stint as House Manager for just a week, kept him remembered for the rest of our stay in the collective. Hassle free, caring and focussed about his role. He rocks !

 

Ben did an "AWEsome" job at taking over as House Manager for a week at the Thai Collective. It was like he was born to take charge of situations and make our lives easier. He is level-headed, dedicated, thoroughly enjoyable company and was a completely delightful addition to the Collective. It was only sad that you couldn't stay longer Ben!

Ben......
A very nice guy, good personality, polite, friendly. It's great to have him as a guest. I'm very glad to meet him.

You are most welcome Ben. Hope to meet you again soon...... ;)

It was a pleasure to meet Ben; and we really appreciate his thoughtfulness and sincereness that he puts forward towards couchsurfing and fellow CSers (like us).
Happy Travels to you Ben! We would love to meet up with you again (under better circumstances, of course) - maybe on our couch!

 

Ben's blend of creative talent, integrity, productivity, adaptability, humility, and selflessness, is quite impressive. A strong, caring, natural leader whose sense of responsibility is something I wish everyone could experience. Bottom line: You are in the best of hands with Ben, whatever the situation.

 

Ben was a wonderful presence to have in Thailand. He's funny, artistic, calm & collected. He took over as house manager for the Thai CSC after being here for a week, did an incredible job of helping us get our laundry situation sorted out, help kept us fed, & I loved watching him give dance lessons (was that the foxtrot or what, Ben?). He could have stayed forever, & we wanted him to, but alas, more journeys awaited him. Definitely host, surf with, or hang out with this guy!

He was a nice guy eventhrough,we knew each other 2 days but to be a perfect friend. If i have more time i take a good care than this Ben. Come to him at USA if you are the traveler one

 

i met ben at the pai collective where he moved from collective crasher to house manager in a period of weeks. he has a million stories and manages to regale you while organizing a house of 20 people and solving mind twisters on the side. ben is the one-in-a-million type of guy who is consistently reliable and willing to help. definitely hope to run into him again soon (that cottage sure sounds nice!)

 

Every day, I watched Ben quietly working to make the Collective flow smoothly, fixing breaks, easing processes, and generally doing a hell of a job. I truly wish he could stay longer, and I hope we get to share a household again in the future.

Personally, Ben is thoughtful, respectful, gentle, and more open-minded and accepting then many of my fellow San Francisco freaks. He'll always be welcome on my couch, no questions.

 

Ben showed up at the Collective to sub in as House Manager and kicked major ass! Seriously, this guy knows his stuff. On top of being supremely organized and highly capable in just about whatever he's one of the most easy-going people I've ever met. However he manages to do both so well is a mystery to me but I'm really glad to spent at least a little time with this cool guy.

 

Ben showed up at the Thailand Collective and hit the ground running. I was constantly impressed with his demeanor and his consideration for others. He might be a ninja...

 

You have to keep rubbing your eyes to make sure Ben is real. He showed up at the Collective and jumped right into our community. He took on so many responsibilities and was a shining star. Ben helped nurse a sick member back to health (staying overnight in the hospital with her), served as interim house manager, and is the source of all the birthday cards we lovingly hand out. He's the type of person who you could hang out in a hammock with all day and not say anything, or trek through the mountains while talking life philosophy. Well-rounded, kind, thoughtful, talented, polite, and all around fun: I completely vouch for this man as a host, surfer and friend.

Ben was our stand-in house manager at the 2008 Thai collective and my room-mate for the week in Pai - he did an excellent job of taking care of everyone's needs whilst at the collective and I have lots of clean clothes thanks to his efforts in organising the bi-weekly wash which is still working out flawlessly ;o)

I'm very much looking forward to meeting-up with Ben in the future.

 

He is an excellent housemanager stuntdouble :-)
He takes his duty very serious, is extreemly reliable, considerate and dependable. Me being his back up was great --> I didn't have to do a thing :-) And on top of that, he is a fine artist as well!

 

Ben is my personal hero. He is an incredible person who is simply dripping with kindness and insight. I hope our paths cross again...

Ben and I eat,drink and talk together.After that I am sure I really enjoyed to meet him.Also like his character and open minded.
He is great guest,Good teacher and positive man.

Mangos fall from trees when Ben's around! He's a breeze to host, easy-going and flexible, even in the face of faltering technology and unexpected 30-minute hikes. I really enjoyed all of our convos, Ben-- it was great meeting someone all the way over here that I talk about NPR and bread and growing veggies with! See you at your cabin!!!

 

I met Ben when I had been in Bangkok for just about one day, and I was very happy to meet such a good-natured and sociable person from my home country. It takes very little time with him to sense his great character. We had several fun nights with other CouchSurfing friends, and it's too bad we went our separate ways so soon. I would gladly host Ben if he's ever in the Boston area and I hope I run into him before I leave Asia.

BEN! enjoy the rest of your travels. you are a swell dude (given you are from the U P!!). had a few great nights eating and dancing and drinking! CHEERS

I admire Ben's pursuit in not just travelling around the world but totally immersing himself to every culture, the way he chronicles all his travels in his journal (with matching drawings) shows his deep passion to be a citizen of the world. I'll be the first person to line up in the bookstore if ever he'll be releasing a book on it (well, just to check and make sure i'm in it, i'm sure somebody i know will be in it, a chapter of the book i bet LOL). So peeps, do host him in case u get a request, he's definitely in the circle of trust.

I didnt really have to spend long time with him,we went out and many good things happened, the first impression was great,since he is staying more than a month in BKK, I will have to host him again and get to know him better.

a very nice and open-minded guy... even if we just hang-out for quite awhile, ben showed me what he really is.. he's a type of guy most girls want.. lol.... cheers.. looking forward to meet you soon... enjoy your trip...

Ben vibes with the adventure. He has wise eyes and will live many more lives this time around. Great conversation and positivity. Just a real rad dude.

Ben is every bit as positive and open-minded as his profile suggests. He's willing to try new things and in the short time that he has been in South Korea he has experienced so much because of his eagerness to learn something new about the world.

 

This is a great man, who has lived a thousand years. The spirit of Ben can transcend into any moment or conversation. To put him into words can be difficult, but once you meet him, you will understand me. He has many adventures ahead, but maybe you will be lucky enough to cross his path. We loved the memories Ben- keep on saving the world!! Are you Down for the Duck ;)!!!1

 

Ben is good vibes. Our stay at Pablo's in Busan was enhanced by Mr. Ranta's positive outlook, sincere personality and eagerness to try anything. Enjoy

 

Ben was a great guest. He is polite, considerate, gentle, and fun to be around. It is great to talk to him as he is very easy-going and can talk about various topics. One of my best guests ever. Don't hesitate to host him if he is in your area.

Ben surfed our couch for two nights and was a great guest. He was considerate, kind and fun loving. He made great company and had interesting conversation. He was fully independent and went exploring on his own. We would definitely host him again and we hope he sends updates us on his travels (hint, hint).