Help with some home and active outdoor projects and learn about life in Alaska, USA

Details

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  Description

  I owned a commuter airline in Alaska for 42 years, but sold it eleven years ago and I am now retired. I also taught management information systems, entrepreneurship and corporate strategy at the University of Alaska school of management for 15 years in my spare time! While I don't fly commercially anymore I do still have one airplane that I keep for my personal use.
  
  I am divorced and have four grown daughters. My number three daughter lives a quarter of a mile from me at the other end of my street with her husband and my three grandsons. My daughter is a flight paramedic, and her husband who she met when he was a pilot for me, is a pilot for Alaska Airlines now. My other daughters live in New York City, Las Vegas and Burlington, Vermont. Two of them are professional musicians and one is a senior software engineer.
  
  Nine years ago I suffered a significant stroke and was completely paralyzed on the left side of my body. I have spent the intervening years fighting my way back but unfortunately I still have a significant deficit in my left leg. And that was exacerbated when I broke my left hip last April!. It is for this reason that I am looking for help on this site.
  
  Currently I am in the process of completing construction on a wood shop/garage/metal shop. It is nearly complete. Two years ago I attended the center for furniture craftsmanship in Rockport Maine and completed their furniture intensive program. I have also attended the Lincoln electric welding school and hope to include some metal work in my shop.
  
  I am the Alaska dealer for the Inspired Cycle Engineering company in Falmouth, UK and Catrike. They build recumbent tadpole trikes. I am thinking about starting a small tourism biking business around Fairbanks. Not so much to make money as to meet interesting people and get some exercise since I usually bike about 20 miles a day anyway.
  
  I cook but nothing complicated. It might be better if I provide the ingredients and you cook! Please be forewarned that I eat oatmeal with raisins, walnuts and milk every morning without exception. I have an oat groat flaker and make my own oatmeal. I am mostly vegetarian and usually eat organic if available. I eat fish. Occasionally I eat a little meat.
  
  I have excellent unlimited high-speed Wi-Fi access which you can use. I do not have a TV. I do not like music played in my house just as background noise.
  
  No smoking is allowed either in the house or outside. That includes cigarettes and marijuana. If you use drugs, are an alcoholic or your life is all about partying, this is not the place for you. Consumption of wine, cider or beer etc. in moderation Is fine.
  
  I have done a lot of Couchsurfing hosting, you can check my profile and references.
  
  I do not often host people from the United States, or generally any English speaking country, although if you think I should make an exception for you please explain why!

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Language practice

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Farmstay help

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  I can speak English if you are trying to learn English! I am trying to learn Spanish so that is a bonus if you are a native Spanish speaker, but that is not necessary.
  
  I have lived all my Life in Alaska so have a few wild tales to tell, some of which are actually true. I’ll let you figure out which ones! Some people find them interesting but if you find them boring just tell me and I will shut up! I have stood a half an arm's-length from a grizzly bear bear barefoot in my underwear in the tundra. I crashed in an airplane on New Year's eve a few decades ago while shooting wolves from the air and spent a few days cooling down and leaking blood until they found us. Karma was on the wolves side. I have been a lifelong entrepreneur, from operating a backhoe loader, selling fireworks, Stihl chainsaws, operating a trailer court, a flying school, an avionics shop, and many other aviation related ventures. I have a doctorate from an Ivy League university but I do not have an undergraduate degree. I was homeschooled, and was a high school dropout until I was 24, but have been in business since I was 15. I am a certificated aircraft mechanic, flight instructor and airline transport pilot. I am currently working on a TEFL certification.
  
  I am interested in your views on politics, religion and the culture of other countries. I have traveled extensively around the world since I retired. Last winter I traveled through nine western Africa countries, starting in Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso, and ending in Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Sierra Leone. Then a few weeks driving around Morocco, I stop in Macau to visit a friend and then a month riding my recumbent tadpole trike in New Zealand.
  
  I am not happy with the current political situation in the US, and if you are a follower of the Trump flavor of politics we will probably not agree on some things, although I love to debate politics and enjoy hearing opposing views. However if you live in a left or right wing echo chamber, or traffic in conspiracy theories or alternative facts, I might get frustrated with you! At the same time I am not a bleeding heart liberal. I do not identify with either the Republican or Democratic party and I do my own thinking.
  
  I have no problem with any religion you might have or if you are agnostic or atheist, as long as you do not try to convert me to your particular flavor of religion! I would be delighted to hear about it though! There are various churches in Fairbanks, including Muslim, Catholic and most other flavors of Christianity. I will be happy to get you to one if you would like to attend. I may even go with you!

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  Help

  I am primarily looking for some help with yardwork, planting trees, cutting down dead trees, cutting up firewood, clearing brush, planting and mowing grass, gardening etc.
  
  Actually, my number one project is to remove some landscape rock and replace it with lawn. I will post a couple of pictures of what needs to be done
  
  And moving heavy things around! I am not as strong as I used to be.
  
  And maybe miscellaneous other things I haven't thought of!
  
  If you have formal or practical experience in landscaping that would be a plus!
  
  I need to build a website for my possible bike tour is in business! Do you have serious website building skills?

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Beginner

  This host offers a language exchange
  I am a native English speaker learning Spanish
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  Accommodation

  I have a three bedroom house upstairs with a spare bedroom. My master bedroom has its own bathroom so there is a second bathroom for guests. I also have a one bedroom mother-in-law apartment downstairs that I sometimes rent and sometimes use for guests.
  
  This is a NO SMOKING house! Including outside. Including marijuana. If you are a drug user or alcoholic or major partier, this is not the place for you. I am not opposed to wine, cider, beer etc. in moderation.
  
  I know I have said that twice now, but I just wanted to make sure you have read it!

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  What else ...

  My house is located halfway between the airport and the University, in a nice residential area adjacent to Fairbanks. It is on an acre lot and I own the adjacent vacant lot. The bus system in Fairbanks is very minimal, but my house is in walking distance of a bus stop. A fairly long walk I should say, maybe 15 minutes. There is a coffee shop/bakery, bar, convenience store, Thai restaurant etc. less than a 1km walk from my house. You can also bike easily to most of Fairbanks. I can give you rides. I have a couple of kayaks and some trikes. If you are the adventuresome type we might even go flying!
  
  Sometimes I make Trike selling trips to Anchorage and other communities around Alaska if you wanted to participate on one of those trips.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Can host digital nomads

  I have excellent cable Internet, unlimited access.

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  Space for parking camper vans

  I have room to park a small rv or van.i

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  Hours expected

  Maybe half days, I’ve got a couple projects I want to get done and then we can go play.