Yesterday is history, tomorrow is mystery.
And today is a gift. That's why it's called present. I like to live every second of my life to the fullset.

I don't mind sharing this with fellow adventurers. Just pass it forward(5minutes heart-warming video):
https://youtu.be/nwAYpLVyeFU

Solo travelled to 80-ish countries since age 16, lived, studied and worked in 7 countries.
After nearly a decade of corporate life in Tokyo, Singapore and Paris, I wrote a cookbook inspired by worldwide trips, became a freelanced writer and modern nomad (since 2012). My next dream is to relocate to London and get my 2nd book published there!

By the way, my username "Girasol" (sunflower in Spanish) and "Orchid" are my favourite flowers!:)

🌍🌋🏖🏛🌐🗺Countries I have visited:
Andorra, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei Darussalam, Denmark, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Southern Territories, Germany, Gibraltar, Guam, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iran, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Micronesia, New Zealand, Federated States of, Montenegro, Netherlands Antilles, Norway, Palestine, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,
Russian Federation, Saipan, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam

■■Countries/cities I’ve Lived In:
Paris(France), Japan(Tokyo, Sapporo, Osaka, Kyoto), Singapore, Turkey, Taiwan, London (UK), Madrid(Spain)

■■Countries/cities I visit on a regular basis(almost every year: means more than 13 times/each so far) and stay for 3-4weeks/each time
since my teenage:

- Austria (Vienna),
- London,
- Spain(nationwide, but especially Madrid and Andalusia...porque lo quiero!),
- France(Paris, Lyon and Provence)
- Singapore,
-Milan
- Taiwan (NOT a part of China. Don't mess up)
- Vietnam (especially Ho Chi Minh City)

■■■You can skip the following if you are busy but if you wonder who on earth I am:■■
**************************
👧More detailed info about myself:
I truly believe the law of attraction and the power of positive words.

I declared at 5 years old that I would put my work to be published before I turned 30. People criticised that I was a stupid braggart, but I didn't care. And I made it when I was 29 years and 9 months.

I was being bullied for a long time at primary and junior high school in Japan, my country because I was very different from average Japanese inside and outside. I was told I was meaningless. I didn't find my place anywhere at home and at school. Once I decided to surprise them by achirving something extraordinary. I worked very hard, brought everything to perfection. Next year, when I was 9, I won a world-class prize in an international painting competition. I was interviewed by Japan's top selling Daily Yomiuri and international TV, I said "I don't care if no one at school or home will praise me because the prime minister did!" and I became famous in the town.

I was born to a typical middle class family in Tokyo, but my life (not my siblings') was full of tragedy. I wonder how I have made it through. I think I experienced by 22 years old all sorts of life misfortune that one can encounter in whole of life. I don't know how many times I considered renouncing my life.... But I am glad I didn't. I am now happiest ever. Not that I am fortunate but because I have gained after all, inner strengh, more tolerance (towards myself and others but not yet enough!) and self-affirmation. Now I know it's nobody but myself who design my own life and who define my own happiness. You cannot always control your surroundings or external factors, but you can at least decide how you act and how you handle with the existing circumstances no matter what.

My most loved grandma would always tell me "If you had enough guts to die, you can do anything. Win yourself. The answer always lies within you. "

She was a legendary woman. She was very beautiful inside and outside, multi-talented, courageous and enormously generous to everyone unconditionally and impartiality. She was born to an upper-middle class family but the World Wars took away everything from her. All possessions confiscated from the government, had her most loved siblings killed before her eyes, later had her father and another best friend suicide..... Even after the war ended and she married her life was full of ups and downs but she never forgot her humanity, great sense of humour and imagination (and excellent culinary and sawing skills). One day in early 1960's, she encountered a boy house-breaker (that she later knew was an orphan) in her house. Not only did she let him in, fed him and hosted him for weeks, but also she even supported his later studies financially, instead of handing him over to the police. She knew all he needed was love, this young boy changed his mind and later became a successful businessman and good father of 2 children. I only heard this story from himself crying as if he lost his birth mother when I first met him on her funeral in 1999. She never showed me off when she was alive.

By the way, I have achieved some of my goals in my life that people would call amazing and they always ask how I made it. My answer is,
Just because I decided to make it and I actually did.

I wanted, I wished, I drew a clear image of it, I expressed it with words to myself and others, I took actions, I concentrated like a fool, I tried, I failed, I improved, I tried, failed, improved again and again....till I made it! I don't care if people call me foolish. Because I ~ want it that way! (Back Street Boys?!)

My next goal is to give birth to my eventual second book overseas. I have actually written one in Chinese (I can't speak but do write it very well, almost perfect when it comes to cooking recipes), brought it to 3 publishers in Taipei; also did the same in Paris with impeccable French but no one took an interest in my idea.
I don't give up, I will do that in London next!

If you ever find yourself in the depth of tragedy, there is a good news for you: I promise you THINGS CAN ONLY GET BETTER (seriously!), not any worse since you do know now is 'the worst', and there is no worse than the worst. You don't have to be afraid!

What if you notice on the last day of your life that you lived your life against your wish? Don't worry! You still have a few hours left. Do what you enjoy from the bottom of your heart. Smile!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Why? Because it's fun!

My main purpose is NOT saving money for accomodation. So I don't necessarily plan to couchsurf at every destination, but when there are people out there with common interests, then of course it would be great to meet.

I am looking to discovering/rediscovering the world, meet-up with nice, like-minded, generous, fun, intellectually stimulating , creative people who know (or are seeking passionately) what their things are.

■About mates, quality matters to me rather than quantity.

-share or/and exchange respective cultures/ experiences/ dreams/ business plans(if you're looking to), etc....to enhence our respective lives and future trip plans.

■In the near future(let's say by 2020),
I consider to start-up my own business. But I still don't know in what and how. So I am so passionated to meet people who are already successful entrepreneurs / creators/ self-employed people.

■I don't make any friends on a "friend request" basis. I like to get to know you first. My idea of "friends" is, someone I have already met in person (not just by message)and found nice and decent . Sorry,no exception. People sending a friend request to anyone even without saying hello is definetetaly not from the world I take part of.....

Wants to meet up" EXCLUSIVELY with nice, adequate, intellectual, polite, tidy and generous people to spend MUTUALLY interesting time with. (Sorry, NO stingy greedy one-sided surfers please. I had some bad experience with freeloaders when I was hosting people in Paris and in Singapore. )

I am intolerant to untidy, smelly, dirty, noisy, nasty, over-drunk extremely tight budget "hitch-hiker"/literally "backpacker " typed people. Hence I avoid hostels not from prejudice but from multiple negative experiences. Even when I was a teenager I would felt very uncomfortable with the uncourteous clientele of hostels. I would rather reduce the length of travel or/and number of countries to visit if I had to stay in a hostel again. It does NOT mean I don't want to socialise or share the same space with other people, but I do!!:-) As long as the people show to each other mutual respect. I mean, the majority of hostel clientele is anonymous to each other amongst fellow guests, therefore they don't show as much of courtesy as they do to the people they personally know back home (from work , from their neighbourhood or whatever) whilst being considerate doesn't hurt them or cost them a penny! That's why I like to stay in a private room in hotel without the undesirables, otherwise with local people from CS with complete profile, NOT with any random strangers who won't care about others. I am not fussy about facilities of accomodation. Again, all I seek is mutual respect and peace of mind.

I do respect your life, house rules, schedule and your privacy. Hence, I always take my time to read entire profile and references of the people to whom I will later write. Sending a copy and paste message means, in my dictionary, "what boring people do". However, I don't mind if you don't read my profile. I will read yours anyway and see if we have something to share.

I am on CS, NOT because I am bored or lonely. Saving money for accomodation is NOT the main source of my motivation. I am keen to connect with VERY interesting people(otherwise I would choose to stay on my own since I am a happy and busy person). I afford a motel/hotel, but if I had another option, I would rarher invest in an artisanal (not cheapy industrial)souvenir for my hosts, good food (or quality ingredients to cook for hosts at least once during my stay) or a bottle of quality wine (or 2!? If you enjoy wine) to share with my hosts over cultural exchange and interesting conversations to have a mutual fun. I am keen to connect with well-read, considerate, mature, cultured, well- organised, intellectual and creative adults(ideally aged over 28), regardless of gender, nationality and religion.

I am also perfectly okay on my own if my hosts are too busy to interact whilst I almost always stay up for interesting conversations whenever
you feel like.

■My couchsurfing experience
I was previously enjoying both hosting people from 27 countries and home-staying myself with locals in 45 countries (including where no one spoke even a word in foreign languages) through hospitality club and on odd-spontaneous encounters on my way.

I have been on Couchsurfing for 2 years now. My first account I opened in Paris had a dozen of positive references from both guests that I accomodated in Paris and hosts I stayed with but it has recently been hucked and deleted by someone I don't know, I asked CS support team for help but they won't help... So I have recently created a new fresh account now.

◆Unfortunately due to some health complications of a relative of mine resulting her spending most of time at my place, I am not able to accommodate any guest in Tokyo for the moment.....Also because I am currently not in Tokyo as I am almost always travelling overseas this year.

Music, Movies, and Books

■Interests■
My source of motivation for work and life is always travelling and fine dining. I had worked very hard to afford it and never let anyone(including my parents) pay my bill for travel and dining out since I was 16. And I have visited most of countries and dined at most of Michelin starred restaurants in Europe and Asia that I wannted before I turned 25, all on my own. Now I am more into home-style cooking from all around the world whilst I also enjoy replicating exactly "as eaten at Michelin- starred restautants before! " dishes at home from time to time just for myself and friends. ( If you are interesred, see my 'home photos' for some examples. All photos have captions. I did myself table styling and took photos too. I used to have 2 fantastic cameras but too bad they have been stolen by Russian police.)

My most preferred restaurant ever is Martin Berasategui in La Sarte-
Oria(near San Sebastian), Spain. I have been there 4 times over 15 years. Not only am I a big fun of his perfect cuisine, but I respect and sympathise with his philosophy as human, a businessman and as a company leader as well. I had a chance to chat with him personally before and I understood the secret of his sublime cuisine was his personality!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

■I declared at 5 years old that I would put my work to be published before I turned 30. People criticised that I was a stupid braggart, but I didn't care. And I made it when I was 29 years and 9 months.

■I started travelling within Japan by plane all by myself when I was 6, as an unaccompanied minor passenger escorted by a friendly ground staff.

My worldwide solo travel addiction commenced at the age of 16 in 1997 when I was at high school. In retrospect, I was travelling with non-reissuable paper tickets, without mobile phone nor internet(I mean no emails, no Google map, no Google translator, no booking.com, no sky scanner, no online booking/payments), plus, no credit card as I was too young for that.

I have ever travelled to varied places, more than 500 times. Each time I stay longer than other standard tourists (10days to 2 month in the same town or country , sometimes rent a monthly room), enjoying local fresh markets, unknown inspiring local spices, herbs, ingredients and cook them like the locals do.

Teach, Learn, Share

■I can teach you
- Japanese, French or Spanish.
- my secret cooking recipes easy & quick to make, to impress your family/friends,
to make yourself look as if a competent master chef! :-)

■I can share with you:
- Tips to travel smart and my best kept secret addresses of highly cost-effective shops/ restaurants/ bars especially in France(Paris, Lyon, Provence), London, Spain(nationwide), Vienna (Austria), Japan, Singapore and many different places in Asia.

What I Can Share with Hosts

■see above

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, United Kingdom