Hello! My name is Sunshine.

"An inhabitant on mother earth" - I see life as an eternal journey, and living one's true self as a work of art. I'm exploring ways to sustainably give back to the environment, local communities, and myself.

I try to approach life with curiosity, creativity, and care. I value connections with nature and people. I'm seeking opportunities to learn, grow, and contribute through cultural exchange.

I am a student during gap year, majoring in architecture from the University of Tokyo.

Helping others and connecting with the essence of life is the meaning of my existence. Everyone who knows me says that I'm warm, like my name, Sunshine. My smile and personality can melt anyone's heart. I can quickly become friends with anyone!

I'm now practice and share permaculture design & natural building techniques in communities around the world. I hope to gain hands-on experience with eco-friendly designs and lifestyles, while exchanging cultures and perspectives. Playing a small part in the stewardship of our shared home motivates me. I aim to approach any task with care, creativity, and conscientiousness.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Rather than just sightseeing, I eager to experience the connections between place, space and people. That’s why I am on Couchsurfing!

Interests

• architecture
• yoga
• meditation
• gardening
• blogging
• travel
• permaculture
• vipassana
• sketch
• vipassana meditation

Music, Movies, and Books

I love listening to all kinds of music! Recently, I've been enjoying Indigenous music from various culture, especially West Africa music and Javanese Gamelon.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

My first journey took me to a village in Morocco, where I worked and stayed for a month as an intern at an eco-friendly earthen yoga retreat center. Most of the local people communicated in Moroccan Arabic or Berber, with only a few speaking English. Despite the language barrier, the warmth of the Moroccan people and my friendly demeanor allowed me to connect with the local staff from initial polite interactions to warm embraces, kisses, cooking together, and practicing yoga. I also made friends with residents of the local village and explored the area together. On the other side of the world, I found precious connections that felt like family.

Teach, Learn, Share

I am multilingual, fluent in English, Japanese, and Chinese, which allows me to communicate effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.

I teach Hatha yoga, pranayama and yin yoga with my precious friends. Furthermore, I am also a practitioner in Chinese medicine.

I’m also a certified Permaculture Design Course graduate, and have bunch experience volunteering in various permaculture farm in China and Australia.

I have a deep love for the wild, untamed nature and returning to the primal and natural state of being on the land, allowing my creativity to flow freely.

In the creative field, I have advanced skills in visual arts and design, including graphic design, as well as illustration and painting. I am adept at using CAD and 3D modeling tools, which are essential in my major - architecture at the University of Tokyo. My expertise also extends to videography and photography. Please visit my portfolio website to view my work: https://gesnimbar.studio.site.

I'm also an independent documentary & visual media producer. You can watch my documentary on YouTube that recorded the roof re-thatching tradition in rural Japan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktNefKUHzCY

I have a deep passion for creating new culinary forms; I study recipes from around the world and combine them with locally grown plants and spices. To date, I have provided delicious, creative meals for over 30 people in various ecovillages.

What I Can Share with Hosts

As for life skills, I enjoy cooking and can prepare delicious meals from different cultures, especially Chinese and Japanese cuisine. I am also a RYT500 Yoga Teacher, so I am comfortable to share my journey. Also I would love to share stories in volunteering in various permaculture farms & ecovillages in China, Japan and Australia.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Czech Republic, France, Gambia, Germany, Guinea-Bissau, Italy, Malaysia, Mauritania, Morocco, Senegal, Singapore, Spain, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, Japan