CURRENT MISSION

We all live under the same sky

ABOUT ME

Moved to London from LA about 4 months ago. Sorry, haven't had a chance to update my long profile below. I don't think one can fully get to know this city ever (so many upside surprises), but I can say that I've learned the ropes here and would love to show my guests (whenever I can) my favorite spots in LDN.

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Hello!My name is Erwin and Los Angeles is my home for now. I am currently doing a rotation program at a financial service company based in LA.I recently graduated from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut (where Ted, Lily, and Marshall from How I Met your Mother went to school), with majors in government and economics. I also have keen interest in exploring the formation of national identity in various countries and how it plays out in our world. During my study at Wesleyan, I went abroad to Germany for seven months to learn the country's economic and political system, as well as learning about the various kinds of german beer and how to climb a Maibaum tree on a beer festival (this includes knowing the maximum number of beer that one can drink to be able to climb the tree). I was born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia. Jakarta is a BIG urban jungle - it has been estimated that the number of people in Jakarta fluctuates around 10-15 million people between night and day. Other than a big urban jungle, Jakarta is a prime training ground for drivers. Take my words: if you can drive well in Jakarta, you can drive anywhere else in the world (excluding Bombay and Mexico City). I am a very laid-back person; I take things very easily. I have been raised in an international community. During my childhood and adolescent years, I participated quite heavily in a peace education organization called CISV (Children International Summer Village). With CISV, I have travelled to Thailand, Japan, Denmark, and Sweden. Growing up with a lof exposure to many cultures, I've come to naturally appreciate any kind of people beyond the face value - beyond their ideaology, how they look and sound. But instead I am eager to understand why people think/behave the way they do. Some things that I like: - Yoga and meditation- Ordering Pistachio gelato from different gelato shops just to compare- Taking trains (but not subway/metro trains)- Lakes- Boats (I want to own one some day if I ever get rich)- Miniature trains (I want to own this too if I get rich)- Sunsets- Watching netflix at home- Cooking Indonesian and Italian food- Airports (except in US)- Trader Joe'sSome things that I don't like: - Waiting (I really don't like this, especially waiting for someone. Waiting in line is ok). - Waking up too early- Small motorcycles/scooters in Jakarta (except Vespas if they are from the years older than 1990)- Public buses in Jakarta - Strawberry flavored Ice Cream- Mean people- Running (this should be on the temporary list of things I don't like - I am trying to like running)- Mongolian culinary (most of the foods are too bland)- New york subway stations (I prefer Moscow's subway stations with New York subway trains)- Franzia box wine

PHILOSOPHY

these words fascinate me: saudades (portuguese) ; hüzün (turkish)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I was first introduced to CS by my college friends Luke Pang, Andrew Lim, and KinYan Chew when I was planning my trans-siberian trip. They had used CS to find affordable accommodation as well as to meet other travelers on their journey.

My first CS experience was with THYTHIA in Moscow. He was then the CS ambassador for Russia. More than providing a place to stay and took me to places in Moscow, he introduced me to the amazing CS community. I was first skeptical with the concept of CS, but now I am a firm believer that this is a great program! I guess this is what happen when open-minded people who like to travel and experience new other culture meet up. CS sounds too good to be true, but it's true!

Interests

Photography, culinary adventure, beer, world folk music, gelato and frozen yogurt, yoga, meditation, politics of culture international films, linguistics

• culture
• photography
• beauty
• festivals
• education
• dining
• italian food
• cooking
• wine
• beer
• picnic
• yoga
• running
• meditation
• drinking
• motorcycles
• politics
• movies
• traveling
• music
• folk music
• scuba diving
• boxing
• rock climbing
• swimming
• economics
• teaching
• history
• lakes

Music, Movies, and Books

MUSICSounds I like: world folk music, laid-back beach tunes, bossa nova, melancholic female voices, acoustic guitar, brass bands, popular music, house and electropop. Some of the musicians/groups I like: Beirut, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Fryderyk Chopin, Johann Sebastian Bach, Joao Gilberto, Phoenix, Kings of Convenience, Bon Iver, Friendly Fires MOVIESI have quite an appreciation for Scandinavian and German aesthetics. Really enjoy films with understated emotion and melancholic feel. Favorite genré would be social realism. Need to think more about the exact movies, there's so many of them.. AUTHORSPramoedya Ananta Toer, Orhan Pamuk, Hesse

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Riding trains from St.Petersburg to Hong Kong with a group of Russian army cadets

Diving in Gili Trawangan, swimming with sea turtles

Having a picnic on a bench in Berchtesgaden, Germany. Marveling at the beauty of Königsee and the alps around it

Taking my family to a fortress in Salzburg. Enjoyed a warm apple strudle with them with a view of the Austrian alps

Driving through Big Sur on Highway 1. Sitting on a stone across the Bixby bridge overlooking the cliff

Being poor and happy in Berlin

Climbing the May festival tree on the very last day of the festival after two weeks of failure

Almost every interaction with CouchSurfers, really..

Teach, Learn, Share

I'd be more than happy to teach you Bahasa Indonesia and share my view on Indonesian history and culture

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mongolia, Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Russian Federation, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Denmark, Germany, Indonesia, Sweden, United States

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