ABOUT ME

Adventure seeking, sunshine eating, beer drinking, yoga doing, happy being. -- This absolutely describes who I am.

I'm Gigi, a Chinese-Canadian who is currently taking a gap year from my university doing a one-year volunteer internship for a youth organization in Latvia. I don't want to live the life in the way that just following the flow; I want to follow my heart, enjoy life and live my own life. I love to travel and I believe travelling is the best way to feed your soul, but I am not a tourist. I believe real travelling means interactions with locals, experience the local culture, and at the same time a way for self-reflection and become more self-aware.

My three personal values are relationships, impact and positivity. Relationships means my interactions with everyone around me, not just my partner, my family or friends, but also the strangers on the streets, the cashier in the supermarket, and you, my friend who will be hosting me in my trips. I enjoy big talks-meaningful conversations but not just simply how are you. I would like to learn from your life stories and share my unique experience with you.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Real travelling-understand and experience the local culture, interact with different people, have big talks with my host and make life-long friendship.

Interests

Music: love to sing, and play piano, guitar, and ukulele. I can bring my ukulele with me and have a chill music night with you :)

I recently started to vlog all my travel stories so if you want you can also be in my vlog! Check out my channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsUhkdgY4P0&t=313s

Modern Art; Like to go to different museums in different countries. Tracy Emin is my recently favourite modern artiest.

I also enjoy cooking especially Asian food. I cook everyday and I can make you dinner if you want.

I value positivity and self-awareness therefore I enjoy doing yoga and meditation.

All other adventurous stuff: Sky diving, scuba diving, water-motorcycling.

• arts
• singing
• modern art
• cooking
• yoga
• traveling
• music
• guitar
• piano
• backpacking
• scuba diving
• skydiving
• ukulele
• media
• social media
• vlogging

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Jazz, pop, classic. I can bring my ukulele with me and have a chill music and wine night with you ;)

TV: Game of Thrones; Prison Break; Friends (watched all 10 seasons for almost 10 times but still watching it :)

Movies: Don't actually have a favourite movie. Would appreciate your recommendations :)

Books: Istanbul Passage, Big talks.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

1. I was on a water-motorcycle in Tenby, UK on a really windy day. There was a couple doing it with me but they were sitting on the same motorcycle. (Only us three on the water because it was too windy.) We were having a lot of fun racing on the water but all of a sudden when I looked back I realized they disappeared-them and the motorcycle. I realized there was something wrong so I turned back and looked for them. Then I saw their motorcycle flipped over and they were trapped underneath the motorcycle. I jumped into the water and brought them up on my motorcycle. That was the proudest moment and one thing amazing I have done even though now I think back I still feel nervous and scared.

2. Skydiving in Canada on a -22 Celsius Degree day;

3. Using a torch for night diving in Cuba then having it broken 5 minutes after I went into the water;

4. Climbed up to the Arthur's Seats in Edinburgh on a stormy day and trapped on the top for an hour;

5. Took a gap year from my university and came to a country I have never heard of before for a one year volunteer internship.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can cook traditional Chinese food with you for dinner, and after that we can have a chill music night with my ukulele :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Cuba, Czech Republic, England, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Macao, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, China, Latvia