In school, my favorite subject was always French. I extended that interest into other foreign languages, learning Chinese and studying German, Arabic, and Spanish. I love the challenge of learning how to pronounce new sounds, about local cultures, and most importantly, about the way people in different places around the world think.

Over the last two years I've lived in Shenzhen, China, where my interests in traveling and hiking really developed. Having been bitten by the travel bug, I'm currently on a gap year (since June 2016) to learn more about the continent that's been my home for over two years: Asia. So far, I've travelled in China, Taiwan, Japan & Korea.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

My favorite part of traveling is the people I've met. From people who plan on traveling the world on bike (or on foot) to people who've been traveling for 14 years, I'm constantly inspired what people are capable of and how committed to travelling and learning about different cultures they are. I love sharing experiences with the people I've met through Couchsurfing.

Interests

Traveling: For me, traveling isn't about checking destinations off a list. It's about the moments where you can sit in cafe or in a park seeing people go about their daily life. It's also about eating LOTS of food. :P

Hiking: I can't get enough of hiking. There is nothing like the feeling of a reaching the top of a mountain after a long climb and chowing down on a PBJ sandwich observing nature.

Meditation: I've been meditating for about 4 years now (mainly practicing Vipassana).

• meditation
• reading
• traveling
• hiking
• languages
• buddhism

Music, Movies, and Books

love reading EVERYTHING, but lately I've been particularly interested in reading non-fiction. A book that recently has changed my perspective on my own country and the world is A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn. Other favorites, include Siddhartha and anything written by Thich Nhat Hanh. I'm pretty attached all my Lonely Planet's as well, while I've been traveling.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Canada, China, England, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Monaco, Palestine, Philippines, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Ukraine

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, France, Ukraine, United States