Hello, there!
I'm currently teaching English to middle and elementary schoolers in a coastal fishing village called Shikabe on the lovely island of Hokkaido in Japan. I study American Sign Language and Deaf culture in my free time, and I plan to eventually return to America to go to Gallaudet University, the national university for the Deaf, and get my interpreter's license and master in Deaf Studies and Linguistics.

I'm an American, and I've lived in Tokyo; Saint Louis; Chicago; and Walla Walla, Washington. I've backpacked across Japan and Europe, and I've met tons of awesome fellow backpackers along the way. I'm currently exploring Hokkaido and preparing for a long term backpacking trip across Asia and Russia.

Warum ich bei Couchsurfing bin

I think traveling is fantastic under any circumstances, but I believe meeting and getting to know locals in the area is the most enriching way to explore a new place. I've found that every time I travel, whether I'm doing so solo or with friends, the fellow travelers I meet are consistently fascinating, kind, and excited about life. I love that there is an online platform dedicated to building a community of likeminded travelers.

Interessen

I study languages in my free time - even though Japanese is taking up the majority of my studies at the moment, I also study French, Spanish, and American Sign Language. I also know some Russian, but I'm pretty dreadful at it.

I also love urban exploring, skiing, hiking, rock climbing, yoga, and searching out fantastic food and drinks (especially local wine and beer).

• culture
• dining
• seafood
• wine
• beer
• yoga
• drinking
• traveling
• fishing
• hiking
• backpacking
• skiing
• rock climbing
• languages
• sign language

Musik, Filme und Bücher

I love reading nearly anything - mysteries and horror are my favorite genres, and I'm currently working my way through House of Leaves, which is my favorite book.

I'm a huge fan of the horror genre in movies too, particularly older horror films like The Shining and Rosemary's Baby, but also newer films that tend to borrow elements from 70s/80s horror like It Follows, Les Revenants, and The Babadook. I love dissecting the horror genre and could probably talk about it for hours, if you're keen to.

In terms of music, I listen to a wide variety - I particularly like female singer-songwriters like A Fine Frenzy, Rilo Kiley, and so on.

Eine tolle Erfahrung, die ich gemacht habe

I've climbed the tracks of an abandoned rollercoaster in Japan's most famous abandoned theme park. Japan is full of haikyo, or abandoned places, and I've been to a number of them. To me, there's nothing in the world quite like exploring haikyo.

Lehren, lernen, teilen

One thing that I know about that most people tend to know very little about is Deaf culture and sign language (not just in America, but throughout the world. I even know a bit of Japanese Sign Language from my time studying at a Japanese uni). So if that sounds of interest to you, let me know! I also love talking about languages, talking in other languages (to varying degrees of success), talking linguistics (although I'm certainly no expert on that), and sharing travel tips, haikyo locations, and stories.

However, I also really love asking questions and learning from others about different countries and cultures, so I'm sure to ask you heaps of things as well!

Was ich mit Gastgebern teilen kann

Hokkaido is an area of Japan that so many tourists and Japanese citizens alike tend to overlook. I have backpacked around Japan and, while I loved every place, most Japanese cities have a very similar aesthetic and culture.

But if you want to see a side of Japan that is entirely unlike the rest - aesthetically, culturally, historically - Hokkaido is a must see. It's like Japan's final frontier, overrun by nature and a population of hearty, laid back people. Not to mention, Hokkaido is famous throughout Japan for having the best food in the country.
Shikabe is tiny, but very charming, and situated right on the Pacific (tons of fresh seafood!) and the Milk Road, where you can buy amazing fresh ice cream and milk. Seriously. I'm obsessed with the stuff.

It's worth a visit - come and explore a different side of Japan! I have a car and speak the language proficiently, so I can definitely be of help.

Länder, die ich besucht habe

Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Portugal, Scotland, Serbia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan

Länder, in denen ich gelebt habe

Japan, United States