I got involved with couch surfing while I was in Istanbul and this week I had my first surfer here in Lawrence. If you are not hip to couch surfing you should check out the website http://www.couchsurfing.org/ . It is a very cool way to travel, and, as my surfer pointed out to me this week, it is not just a way to travel on the cheap, it is a way to immerse yourself in other cultures and make new friends along the way.
My surfer this past week was an inspiration in many ways. She is Brazilian, but lived here 35 years ago while her father was doing his PhD at KU. She was still a child when they left, and her joy and awe at rediscovering the sites of her youth -the apartment where they lived, the nearby park, her elementary school - it was marvelous to witness. I was very sorry that her travels brought her to Kansas the hottest week of the year, and I was often concerned for her health, but she managed very well.
A professor of architecture, a cyclist and swimmer, and a recent breast cancer survivor, my couch surfer is an amazingly strong woman who does not realize what an inspiration she is for those of us who spend far more time than we should sitting on our butts. Since I am a huge Tour de France fan, I have spent most every evening for the past three weeks watching the tour, and it was a joy to have her here, sharing in my love for that particular sporting event. Although we live on different sides of the equator, we even share our favorites for the yellow jersey.
I think I am going to shop for an exercise bike...
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