Hello, my name is Xu Chenxiang , because Chinese name is hard to pronounce, so I have another English name, which is Edward (Ed), call me whichever you prefer. I'm a 20-year-old boy from China, and I am a full time student of Sichuan University who major in history. My research interest is the history period of Mongolian Conquest, inner Asia and the Frontier history of China. Because I'm an adventurous student, never a nerd. Although I am living and growing up in a typical Chinese area, in which everyone tells you to fellow the rules and act quietly and gently, so staying in home and just reading and thinking are good enough. However, I don't think so. Based on my research interest, I have travelled and done field trips in inner Mongolia, Tibet, and Sinkiang in China for a few times. And did some historical discoveries in some areas which lack of modern civiliazation and infrastructure by myself. All above proves that I am a person who curious to find out what I don't know, unafraid to try new stuff, and always staying optimistic even if the environment is not so good. When I travelled in less developed areas, like some poor village in the frontier of China. All I have to do is trying to get in touch with the native man. Therefore, I am a outgoing, humourous person, and a sincere, honest friend open to talk about anything - literally anything, making everyone feel comfortable.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I am going to UC berkeley as a summer school student. This will be my first experience to get abroad and live in a totally different culture. I'm so excited and looking forward to the period of time, therefore I want to make this experience valuable and be worth to remember. After hearing about Courchsurfing from my friend coming back from Europe, I realized that this can be a good way for me to fit in the unfamiliar environment and get to know the culture's deep layer including the local lifesytyle quickly with the help of some kind native friends, just like my field trip in inner Mongolia and Tibet(of course not according Courchsurfing). So in my 8-week's stay in U.S, I would like to try Couchsurfing in the first two weeks. And in return, I would certainly accept guests in China and make an effort to popularize this way in mainland of China, as you can see, Couchsurfing can't be accepted by a great amout of traditional Chinese. Learning different cultures and meeting good people are always great interests during travelling, and I believe Couchsurfing can make these easier.

Interests

• writing
• literature
• ballet dancing
• chinese food
• japanese food
• reading
• traveling
• classical music
• folk music
• buddhist
• swimming
• anthropology
• sociology
• adventure
• museums
• french food
• medieval history
• mongolia
• cooking and eating
• romantic movies
• western philosophy
• history and culture

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Handel, Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Chopin, Strauss, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven

Movie: Harry Potter, Braveheart, Kingdom of Heaven, Gone with the wind, Roman Holiday, The Bridges of Madison County, Waterloo Bridge, Tristan and Isolde, Back to future, Marvel series movies

Book：Mainly professional books about the history period of Mongolian Conquest, inner Asia and the Frontier history of China. As for literatural books, the most part of these books are written by Lev Tolstoy, Pushkin, Chekhov (I like the Russian writers in Tsarist Russia mostly), English writters like Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Dickens and modern writers J.k. Rowling, Tolkien.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

In my field trip in Tibet, because of in the remote mountainous regions, I had no place like hotel to accomodate. Therefore, I walked all day to find a proper place to sleep with a strong altitude sickness. Then I found a house belongs to a herdsman near a Tibetan Buddhism Temple, and I commiuncated with the host in gesture (I can speak little Tibetan), hoped that I can be provided with a sleep place for several nights. Eventually, I succeed, and having great three days without any bother of modern technology, and this may be included as a risky adventure I have experienced.

Teach, Learn, Share

I magor in history and I am familiar with sociology, anthropology, and religious. So sometimes I can consider some problems and events in a unique professional social science viewpoint.

and because my interest are Mongolian Conquest, inner Asia and the Frontier history of China. So I am learning some languages not used in a wide range or even not used today, like Sanskrit, Manchu language, Mogolian, Tibetan and Persian

I am good at cooking Chinese food, I can teach some cooking skills especially existed in Chinese food.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Sharing the viewpoints of current and historical events, basic social science theories, langguage learning experience and interesting language knowledge.

Sharing my adventure and field trip experience and amazing stories in the inner Mongolia, Tibet, and Sinkiang of China

Cooking and eating, music and literature

Countries I’ve Visited

China, Hong Kong, Macao

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, Hong Kong