Born and raised in California :) Moved to Japan in September 2018 and am absolutely loving it! Before that, I was working in Hong Kong, and before that, I was living in the US. I went to university in Boston and also did an exchange year in England.

I treasure experiences, memories, and conversations, though not in that particular order. I've been journaling since I was ten. I live for long car rides and long-winded conversations. I love the outdoors and especially outdoor rock climbing. I very much enjoy cooking, reading, dancing, and playing piano--again not necessarily in that order :)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I love the idea of having a home wherever you go. To me, this is the essence of the couchsurfing community. When I'm traveling, I tend to look for hosts who have similar interests and with whom I'll be able to hang out, even if only for one evening. If I'm hosting, I will want to get to know you, and will probably invite you along to whatever activities I'm doing with friends.

One of my favorite feelings: at the end of a long day in a foreign city, turning onto the street where my host lives, seeing their house/apartment, and feeling like I am "coming home". I think attaining that level of familiarity and comfort while traveling in a foreign place is one of the best and most precious feelings.

Interests

Things that I like:

People! Meeting new people. Making new friends. Asking questions.

Seeing things I have never seen before.

Outdoor rock climbing.

Oceans. The ocean.

Chinese art history.

Long conversations at the dinner table.

Dancing.

Working in start-ups.

Film theory.

Plants.

Learning about people.

Big cities.

Swimming.

People watching.

Cooking.

Seeing old buildings.

Moving to new countries.

Dogs. (And cats. And all animals really.)

Playing piano.

Warm and humid climates.

Learning new languages.

Playing the ancient game of Go.

And a lot of other things. It's an incomplete list.

• books
• cooking
• traveling
• piano
• rock climbing
• languages
• mountains
• dance
• conversations

Music, Movies, and Books

Just a sample...

Books:
Americanah by Chiamamanda Ngozi Adichie
Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston
The Gangster We Are All Looking For by le thi diem thuy
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri

Films:
Currently going through an anime craze--Akira, Grave of the Fireflies, My Neighbor Totoro, Whisper of the Heart, Your Name, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Also took a Chinese film class during my last semester of college and my favorites were--Mr. Six, Chungking Express, Farewell My Concubine, One and a Two

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

When I was 19, I went to Thailand by myself with just a backpack for a week. Didn't know anyone, didn't book accommodation beforehand. Only round trip plane tickets :)

Teach, Learn, Share

I love getting to know people. I think everyone is an incredibly interesting human being and while we might have similarities, we also have vast differences. Hearing your stories, seeing from your perspective, and learning about your experiences is something I find deeply enriching.

In return, I can share with you my journey, or teach you anything I know to the best of my ability, whether that's playing piano, or speaking Mandarin, or even rock climbing!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Depending on what you're feeling, I can be an engaging conversationalist or a quiet guest who keeps to herself. Whatever you need.

I can also cook (and I know vegan dishes)!

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Canada, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Viet Nam, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

England, Hong Kong, Japan, United States