I live in NYC, I work as a graphic designer for a news media company.

I love the creative possibilities in NYC-- for music, art and performance. I perform standup comedy in the city-- currently developing a comedy powerpoint about fonts. Also trying to develop my personal art practice and explore journalistic and essay writing.

This year I'm trying to read 52 books, learn Spanish, and memorize more poetry. I just memorized T.S. Eliot's "Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" and would love recommendations for the next long poem-- it's calming to memorize lines while wandering around different neighborhoods in the city.

My graphic design work:
www.andreajw.com

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To meet people who are different from me so I can learn from their experiences and life stories, thus increasing my understanding of the world. I want to learn more and improve myself every day especially since it is a long process with no end.

Also maybe your city has nice dumpsters we could explore for treasure.

Interests

I can talk extensively about fonts and typography-- letters are the designed objects that we interact with the most on a daily basis, yet they're mostly overlooked. The psychology of graphic design, especially how it relates to communication, is really interesting!

• animals
• photography
• diy
• vegetarian
• tv
• dumpster diving
• linguistics
• foraging
• mycology
• photoshop

Music, Movies, and Books

some movies I've seen recently and liked: Schenectady New York, Happiness, Y Tu Mama Tambien, Ghost World, Hannah and her Sisters, Secretary

Music: things that stick out are Sufjan Stevens' Illinois, instrumental hip hop, Shugo Tokumaru, bossa nova, the Social Network soundtrack, the sound of the cello. The cello is one of the most beautiful instruments ever.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Performing standup comedy in New York

Performing in a 100-piece steel pan (steel drum) band with Brooklyn's Caribbean community https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XobBEnJRBY

Hitchhiking in the midwest US -- When hitchhiking with a young man and his wife from Battle Creek to Kalamazoo MI: I spotted him drinking from a can of Natural Light in the front seat cupholder and he noted "don't worry, I drive worse when I'm sober"

Teach, Learn, Share

Drawing is my favorite thing to teach! Learning how to draw is 1% drawing and 99% learning how to see. It makes you more observant and attentive of the world around you.

Other skills: Adobe Photoshop/illustrator, cooking Chinese food, taking leftovers and turning it into something more delicious, identifying trees and plants in the Eastern US, playing the tuba, speaking Chinese, sewing/repairing clothes.

Things I can cook: chinese food (because of my family), granola (i was the head granola maker for my college co-op cooking for 100 people/week), love baking bread

I would love to learn: a new instrument, crafting, but most importantly just about your way of life/your city/anything that you care about.

What I Can Share with Hosts

An open mind and good conversation!

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Hong Kong, Macao, South Korea, Virgin Islands, U.S.

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, United States