CURRENT MISSION
Visit Egypt for February 2024!

ABOUT ME
Personal instagram= @damianopr

My blog on performing art scene+ Taiwan society=
https://www.facebook.com/legatintensita
https://www.instagram.com/legatintensita

My blog on my previous half-year trip in 2012 (originally meant as a 1yr RTW trip) = http://hrrsd.wordpress.com/
http://www.facebook.com/hrrsd

Passionate about music, performing arts, history, and outdoor activities!
I love getting to know various peoples from all over the world and, through them, really getting to know more in-depth things about their cultures.

Oft nicknamed (by friends old and new) to be the "unofficial ambassador of Taiwan" (at least for the tourism part, that is).

I'm a very devoted friend, who never forgets good things people've done for me. Once someone becomes my friend, s/he's my family.

I'm very organized -- at least I try to be organized as much as I can be. That said, when need be, especially when chips are down, I improvise (such as fleeing Egypt in 2011 shortly after arriving there and, instead sticking to the excruciatingly detailed plan typed with the Excel format, improvised a whole different trip for Jordan and Syria).

Oh, and I'm a pretty tidy and clean non-smoker -- I can't stand smoking. I may enjoy a glass of wine occasionally (and not that often), but I always retain a very clear head above my shoulders.

PHILOSOPHY

Fear is one's biggest enemy.
Despite all the contradictions in me, I try to remind myself from time to time to "give it a shot"; after all, if I don't try, I'll never know what I miss.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Even before knowing and joining CS I have been voluntarily helping culturally keen foreign visitors to explore my beautiful country, and I'm told by many I'm great at promoting Taiwan and give useful advice.

Have surfed all the way from Helsinki to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Mexico, and more.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Have met quite some loveliest people during my the half-year trip I did in 2012 -- which was meant to be a 10-month RTW trip and was nevertheless cut short due to certain issues.

The reason I wanted to join CS is that I had amazing interactions with random locals met on the streets during my trip to Syria, and (especially after hearing nice stories about CS,) I decide I want to ORGANIZE (yes that's me! organized!) such wonderful interpersonal, cross-cultural interactions so that they happen much more often to my life!

Interests

Opera, opera, and opera.
And my ears are always keen and sensitive to explore all kinds of music!
Also very involved in the performing art scene in Taiwan; I go to performances and write extensively about them.

I love backpack-traveling, make friends on the way, and hopefully continue to get to know so much more about both them and their cultures even after I return home.

I love learning languages -- if only I were a millionaire! In that case I'll surely want to master several languages.

I can't resist good foods -- that's a big weakness of mine :P

I love the nature, architectures and various types of arts.

Oh and I am a dog person too :) Dogs tend to love me.

• arts
• culture
• architecture
• photography
• music festivals
• lgbt rights
• wine
• traveling
• blogging
• music
• live music
• classical music
• folk music
• opera
• world music
• hiking
• backpacking
• history
• languages
• tourism
• mountains
• foods

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: mostly classical, but I'm always keen to explore, and some classic Taiwanese songs have a soft spot in my heart.

Movies: wow, lots of them. Let's have a drink and talk about some of them!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Fleeing Egypt during the 2011 demonstration, which includes braving my way through tons of people trying to get on the planes.

Witnessing music perfectly done (yes it happens, although not often).

Gasping at the miraculous beauty of Taroko Gorge, Hualien, Taiwan.

Having the good fortune to be born in the "Formosa" Taiwan and spoil myself with her amazing coastlines and mountains (and foods -- glutinous me!).

Being welcomed by so many warming Syrians (especially Aleppans, i.e. people from Aleppo) unreservedly, to whom I'm nevertheless a total stranger from a faraway country!

Witnessing hordes of butterflies that migrated from very far north for winter: there're only two places in the world where one can see such phenomenons, and I've seen them both! (In case you're wondering, the two places are Maolin Township, Kaohsuing City, TAIWAN, and some reserves (for instance El Rosario) in Michoacan, MEXICO.)

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach both basic-level and advanced Chinese and English. (And if you are willing to try the way-more-difficult Taiwanese, be my guest.)

What I Can Share with Hosts

A bed, a kitchen, some coffee, and information about the city and country. Ask me!

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Jordan, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand

Countries I’ve Lived In

Netherlands, Taiwan

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