My friends have described me as wise, patient, a good listener, creative, and an initiative-taker. I think of myself as loyal, honest, dependable, and an "idealistic pragmatist". My favorite personal attribute, however, is my laugh. I enjoy cooking (and eating!) good food. I love to travel. I am an avid linguist, working on reaching my goal of speaking 5 languages conversationally. I like to write, my family and faith are an important part of my life, and I enjoy days out to local points of interest. I also enjoy climbing, ballroom/swing dancing, singing, playing guitar/piano, reading a good novel, and drinking a good wine. I'd much rather engage in conversation over a game of cards than watch the TV. I'm American in my heart, but British in my head. Well-traveled, well-spoken, and overall friendly guy!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I never cease to be amazed at the kindness and generosity of people. Every CouchSurfing experience has been positive so far. I even met one of my closest friends on CouchSurfing!

Interests

Writing. Learning new languages. Playing piano, guitar, singing. Reading. Cycling. Climbing. Exploring. A good conversation and glass of wine. Matters of faith. Learning how to love people in a practical way. Simpler living, greener living.

• writing
• books
• singing
• swing dancing
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• reading
• traveling
• guitar
• piano
• cycling
• rock climbing
• languages
• religion

Music, Movies, and Books

Books: Current favorites include The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, and anything by by Rob Bell.

Movies: All time favorite is the Shawshank Redemption.

Music: My perennial favourites tend towards Irish/Folk/Bluegrass, but I enjoy a wide variety of styles and world music.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Generally, living life is amazing enough, but here are few highlights:

Abseiling down an 200-foot underground waterfall while caving in Yorkshire.

Seeing sunrise from the summit of Mount Sinai followed by sunrise 24-hours later at the Acropolis in Athens.

Sharing dinner and prayers with Korean nuns in a convent in Seoul, South Korea.

Dancing with a Berber tribe under the stars of the Sahara desert.

Celebrating the first anniversary of the Revolution on Tahrir Square, Cairo, Egypt.

Travelling the world for a year with only one carry-on bag.

Living on an Italian vineyard and learning to make wine.

Sitting on the flight deck of an Airbus A380 for take-off and landing.

Exploring the ruined remains of Mosul, Iraq in the aftermath of ISIS.

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach: I can teach English, some simple guitar chords, or how to make a decent Chinese stir-fry or bake a chocolate cake.

Learn: Any language. How to make your favourite food. Your views on just about anything.

Share: Good times, conversation, a bottle of wine, and new experiences.

What I Can Share with Hosts

A LOT of travel experience!

Countries I’ve Visited

Andorra, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belgium, Belize, Brazil, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iraq, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Iraq, United Kingdom, United States

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