Hello everyone, this is Calvin. I am quite outgoing, welcome, vivacious and easy to be alone with. And I love traveling and making friends.

I've started to go traveling on my own since junior high school. And so far, I have been to most of countries and East Asia, South East Asia and West Europe. (China Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Philippine, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain, German, United States, Cameroon) To me, traveling is an endless journey that gives you unique experiences according to different people you meet each time. That's why I cherish the moment that I spend on traveling and every traveler.

From the background of electrical engineering, I have worked in IBM and Lenovo as x86 server product safety engineer.

I'm currently fun / not judgmental if that's a quality you're looking for a host. If you have no idea what to do in the Taipei city I can just plan a series of fun itineraries and you can throw away your Lonely Planet guide.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Reading and hearing many interesting and unforgettable experience both online and from friends make me want to give a try, though I have actually known this platform for years. Besides, I enjoy sharing my favorite spots of Taipei City and introduce them to those who are unfamiliar with.

Interests

Sports (table tennis, basketball, swimming), movies, traveling, food, photography, reading (financial related)

• fish
• culture
• photography
• dining
• motorcycles
• politics
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• fishing
• sports
• basketball
• tennis
• swimming
• table tennis
• engineering
• history
• tourism

Music, Movies, and Books

Movie
- Shawshank redemption
- Pulp Fiction
- Interstellar

Music
- Bell and Sebastian
- Limp Bizkit
- Jason Mraz
- Bob Marley

Book
- Poor Charlie’s Almanack: The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Me and my Dutch pal went waterfall seeing in West Africa, Cameroon. I was glad that we made the decision to break through a bunch of gangsters rather than step back and go back.

It was during my internship in Cameroon in 2008. During which, I was working in a NGO, promoting precautions regarding ADIS to communities and villages. I went on some adventures to nearby cities on weekends to explore more about this nation. There was one time I went to see a waterfall in a small fish village. Upon arrival, there were local people gathered in the bus station who were unfriendly. We wandered a bit but were warned that our safety wasn't secured unless money was paid. We kind of gave up in the first place because no one would risk their lives in a foreign country. However, we both regarded it as a must visit spot. So, it turned out that we hired two motorcycles and broke out that bunch of people regardless of being rejected by those gangsters. It was pretty much like action movie that all gangsters chased us , shouting and yelling, with other five motor bikes along the way rain forest.

It's a pretty dramatic story and we were both safe and sound in the end. The waterfall we saw was pretty much the same as the one in Lion King, which was fascinating. That's so far one of the craziest thing I have ever done.

Teach, Learn, Share

I have spent all my life living in Taipei, Taiwan, and concerned about politics and history. So I have a keep understanding of modern history of East Asia and general political status of these countries, specifically Taiwan and China. Furthermore, when it comes to Chinese culture, language and local food, I am the expert you are looking for. I can bring you to places only local people know and let you have authentic experiences help you to figure out how to plan your itinerary efficiently.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I am a decent chef. Also, I am respectful, hygienic and willing to help out any sort of activity in the house.

Countries I’ve Visited

Cameroon, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Macao, Malaysia, Montenegro, North Korea, Philippines, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United States, Vatican City State, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States