Hello! My name is James and I'm a college student at Duke University. I was born in Beijing, China, immigrated to Tampa, Florida, and go to school in Durham, North Carolina.

I'm currently in between undergraduate college and medical school, and trying to make the most out of the summer in between. I didn't travel much until earlier this year and when I did, I realized I loved it! I'll be on a month-long backpacking trip through Europe this summer, an experience that will help me infinitely more appreciate how amazing our world is.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

A friend first recommended Couchsurfing when I was traveling around the country for my medical school interviews. I found it vastly preferable to staying at hotels since most couches were just as comfy, and I had usually had a fulfilling conversation with a knowledgeable and friendly host! I really like meeting new people and diversity is one of the world's most valuable traits. Plus, the hosts knew the best places to eat!

Interests

I like playing piano, table tennis, and tennis. I'm trying to learn the ukulele and to sing, but I'm not very good at either.

I like to read and think about human behavior, social justice issues, and the underlying mechanisms of how systems work. I'm also interested in politics and environmental issues. I'm a Christian who believes in universal fairness and justice. I appreciate classical music and did some painting when I was younger. I like chess and strategy games in general.

Ultimately, I want to make a positive difference in as many lives as possible, which is why I'm pursuing medicine. Restoring sight to those with eye problems, giving more time to those afflicted by cancer, or correcting body systems damaged by disease are all things I could see myself doing in the future.

• singing
• dining
• politics
• chess
• traveling
• painting
• music
• classical music
• piano
• backpacking
• tennis
• table tennis
• chemistry
• economics
• geography
• history
• medicine

Music, Movies, and Books

Music:
Taylor Swift
One Republic
Maroon 5
Coldplay

Movies:
Manchurian Candidate
Toy Story 3
Marvel Movies

Books:
Tale of Two Cities

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I've surfed down an active volcano in Nicaragua! (There's a picture somewhere in my profile.) We hiked up with large surfboards, put on safety suits and goggles, and the rest was pretty fast. The trick is to keep yourself aligned straight so you don't tip over and roll the rest of the way O.o

Teach, Learn, Share

I want to learn as much as possible about wherever I am staying. I want to know about the customs, food, holidays, schedules, attitudes, politics, economics, relationships, transportation, history, geography, families, ... you name it!

In return, I can give similar detail about all the places I've been in the past. I can talk about China, or Florida, or many other parts of the United States. As I Chemistry major, I learned a lot about real-life applications of chemistry so I have a lot of interesting facts to share.

Countries I’ve Visited

Bahamas, China, Nicaragua, Peru