I landed in Taiwan a few years after living in the US and a few countries in Europe(originally from California). I'm a former chef turned food writer and photographer, but still teaching kindergarteners to get by until I can make a career out of writing. So I can definitely point you in the right direction for different places to eat around town. I love when I'm able to cook together with and learn dishes from my surfers.
My girlfriend is often around on weekends and loves hanging out with surfers as well.

Everything about me, my apartment, my friends, are LGBTQI friendly. My girlfriend often comes to hang out, so if you aren't open to or just feel uncomfortable around such people, I ask you to move on and please look for different hosts.

*Vegetarians/Vegans are more than welcome! I do eat meat, but enjoy eating and cooking vegan dishes and can gladly point you towards some suitable restaurants, join you myself, or cook at home.

**Poly couples/families and non-traditional relationship couples are also welcome. We're open-minded and non-judgmental.

And please read my profile thoroughly (including all the information under "My Home") before deciding to send me a request. Under "Making a Request" you will see the information you need to send in a request; otherwise, I will not host you.

CURRENT MISSION

Explore Taiwan, meet new people, engage in the world and have fun!

ABOUT ME

I'm originally from California, but I consider Germany "home". I've been in Taiwan for over a year.

PHILOSOPHY

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

By attending local CS weekly meetups and events and hosting people. The occasional couchsurf.
I love hosting people, showing them around the cities, introducing them to new people, acting as tour guide, and showing them a terrific time. I hope to be able to surf couches again myself.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

People I've Hosted

*****2018*****
Earn & Ice - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (1/18)

*****2017*****

Jenny & Karyn (USA) - Seoul, South Korea (1/17)

Pavla - Zlin, Czech Republic (1/17)

*****2016*****

Magnus - Stockholm, Sweden (12/16)

Nina - Munich, Germany (12/16)

*****2015*****

Monika and Wayne - Taipei, Taiwan (9/15)

Patrick Schade - Kiel, Germany (8/15)

Lauren - Santa Cruz, CA (8/15)

Summer - Shanghai, China (8/15)

Lisbeth - Copenhagen, Denmark (6/15)

Ainhoa & Teresa - Donostia, Basque Country (7/15)

Fauve and J-S - Montreal, Canada (6/15)

Rachel - Goudhurst, England (5/15)

Cherie - Sydney, Australia (4/15)

Marta & Ni (Germany) - Washington, D.C. (4/15)

Susanne - Utrecht, Netherlands (3/15)

Paul (UK) - Helsinki, Finland (2/15)

Simon & Jess - Adelaide, Australia (1/1/15)

*****2014*****

Sam & Miranda - Amery, WI USA (12/14)

Kaelyn - Sacramento, CA, USA (8/24)

Geraldine + friends - Berlin, Germany (7/28)

Franzi & JP - Hamburg, Germany and Zurich, Switzerland (7/14)

Eva(USA) - Cali, Colombia (6/14)

Michelle (FIN) & Paul (UK) - Helsinki, Finland (6/14)

Sabrina - Heidelberg, Germany (5/14)

Brooks - Brooklyn, NY (3/14)

James - Hamilton, Bermuda (02/14)

Nina - Northampton, MS (1/14)

*****2013 and Earlier*****

Daniel - Gothenburg, Sweden (3/13)

Jodie - Sisters, OR USA (2/13)

James - Hamilton, Bermuda (12/12)

Mirium - Vienna, Austria (7/09) (12/09)

Reeta - Tampere, Finland (09/07)

Troels - Copenhagen, Denmark (07/08)

Laura (AUS) - Cologne, Germany (03/08)

People Who've Been Kind Enough to Host Me

Brooks & Jean (USA) - Hong Kong

Taylor (USA)- Taipei, Taiwan (9/15)

Pete, Sarah, and House Porchu Gal (7/15)

******2009 and Earlier******

Gail (UK)- Bonn, Germany (11/09)

Reeta - Tampere, Finland (07/09)

Laura (AUS) - Cologne, Germany (05/08)

Troels - Copenhagen, Denmark (04/08)

Sophie - Amsterdam, Holland (12/07)

David (USA)- Hamburg, Germany (07/07)

Interests

The usual:

Food, drinks, laughter, movies, Improv Comedy, tennis, kickboxing, comedy, acting, hiking, playing music, traveling, learning new languages.

Music, Movies, and Books

I love a lot of foreign/Independent films. The occasional Hollywood film: Die Welle, Raid, Baader-Meinhof Komplex, Reykjavik 101, Vares, Klassikko, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Books: Beowulf, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sleep?, The Last Kingdom, The Relic, 1984, Marquis de Sade, everything from Brothers Grimm and lots of non-fiction

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I've done a lot of crazy and amazing things in other people's eyes, which is just simply my life.

Moving to Iceland when I was 19 knowing no one and not even the language and somehow building a life there.

And then leaving four years later on a whim with no idea where to go or a possible career and landing in Hamburg, Germany 3 months later with a job.

or how about the time I went to meet some friends for a few drinks on a Friday night and we found ourselves drunk in a different country the next day!

Teach, Learn, Share

visited 20 states (8.88%)Create your own visited map of The World or Like this? try: Vendian

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Thailand

Countries I’ve Lived In

Finland, Germany, Iceland, Taiwan, United States

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