Hiya, I'm Em 🌿

In 2023, I went to live in Japan for a handful of months and ended up moving around a lot for work. I got a lot of help from the couchsurfing community as a broke 20-something on the road, and it's been a riot. I'm now back in my little corner of Scotland, and I try to host whenever I can (please please please read the "My home" section about that!).

I love to travel and discover new places, but even more when I get to take my time to truly appreciate them. Quality over quantity, as you say! (I definitely don't get that much done this way, but it's always an excuse to come back later...)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I loved Couchsurfing when I used it as a student, and thought it might be a good way to meet great people as I travelled around Japan. In my opinion, what makes a place unique is its people - and what makes a trip memorable is the experiences that you have!

Interests

• folklore
• swing dancing
• language exchange
• mythology
• legends
• reading and writing
• culture and history

Music, Movies, and Books

🎧 Pop, rock, musicals, K-Drama OSTs if I want a good cry
🎞️ Red Beard, Charade, Ponyo, Practical Magic, From Up On Poppy Hill
📖 Ogawa Ito, R. F. Kuang, Naomi Novik, Hiromu Arakawa

— Currently watching: The X-Files, All Creature Great and Small, The Makanai
— Currently reading: あかね噺, The Dangers of Smoking in Bed, Heroes of Olympus

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I don't know how amazing, but I'm pretty happy with myself on that: hitchhiking from Tokushima city to Fukuoka through Shikoku and Kyushu, and then back again through Honshu. Met lots of amazing people, and now I just wanna hitchhike everywhere.

(Edit: I did end up hitchhiking through a good chunk of southern Japan and my guys, it was awesome. Now to try my luck in northern Europe and the UK!)

(Edit 2: Now can confirm that it's really easy to hitchhike from Aberdeen to both Glasgow and Edinburgh!)

Teach, Learn, Share

I can hold my own in English, French, Spanish and simple Japanese conversations, teach you some swing dancing or blues, show you how to do floral embroidery on your trousers (YouTube does it better, though) or take you out for a ceilidh if we got the time and opportunity.

I'm always eager to learn about language, culture, dancing, music and cooking/baking. Food is pretty neat.

I can't host for very long nor as often as I'd like, but I'll always treat you to a meal (vegetarian only though, vegan can be arranged). Big fan of movie nights and pub quizzes.

What I Can Share with Hosts

If you want to practice your English, French or Spanish, or need someone to entertain the kids - I can do that too :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, England, Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, United States, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Japan, Scotland, Spain