CURRENT MISSION

Giving is receiving! (no, not that kind of reciprocal circle)

ABOUT ME

I was born and grew up in Saigon, Vietnam. Currently, I'm writing a dissertation in Socio-cultural Anthropology at Cornell University of which I have been doing research for my ethnography fieldwork in Vietnam.

Ok, what's about me? I'm easy going, chill, quick thinking. Love to joke around and made people laugh! I also have great passion for travel and love to listen to people stories (well I'm an ethnographer, I'm well trained :) but seriously people are amazing, what can i say? I love to cook and cook for others as well. In terms of playing games and team sports, I could be very competitive, sometimes a little aggressive (in an harmless way i meant well! so don't freak out!):)

PHILOSOPHY

Live each day in its fullest potential! Although, some days i enjoy lounging and do absolutely nothing, those are the recharged days.

Give and you will be given abundantly (I tested this and it did work! hah)
Listen more and talk less! Read more and watch (TV) less!

Moderation is the key. Hard-core people are intimidating!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Sometime in 2007, a friend told me about her couch surf experience in Japan, I'm hooked every since. I hope i will be able to host some joyful strangers! :) This is a great idea.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I surfed in Puerto Rico, Quebec, NYC, Hawaii, The Philippines, and Singapore, and staying with friends in Italy, Germany, France, UK, Ecuador, Cambodia, and a few other places. All were fabulous and pleasant experience.
Somehow I hosted and get people connected more than I surfed others couch. Blessed are the givers and...so does the receivers! Couchsurfing rock!

Interests

I'm doing research about Internal Displaced People (IDP) and Development in contemporary Vietnam. Particularly, post slum dwellers who currently resettled in government high-rise resettlement sites. I'm interested in learning how impoverished families deal with their new living environment and adapt to new lifestyle. That's my main project! Moreover, as a lecturer (on leave at the moment), I also teach social-cultural anthropology at the Vietnam National University in Saigon, and CIEE oversea study program.

I love learning new things. I think I'm in love with learning new things or something :)

Besides academic world, I love to hang out with friends for coffee, read, run, take long walk (along the gorges, the wood, and the neighborhood etc) or playing team sport such as dragon boating, outrigger canoe, volleyball, martial arts, swimming, hiking, biking, singing, organizing socialize outlets for the Vietnamese community in Ithaca, mentoring teenagers and at risk immigrant kids, taking photographs, cooking nice homey dinners, learning and debate about things happen in the world, and world issues.

Other stuff that i involved (or hope to involve)in are: Teaching Vietnamese language and sharing Vietnamese Culture and Southeast Asia understanding to elementary and K-12 american kids (it would be cool to teach Intro Anthro to inmates in upstate NY, Spring 2016 look promising), being a Teaching Assistant at Cornell University which requires running sessions weekly, have weekly Bible study with elders in the neighborhood, Cornell International Christian Fellowship, doing Pilates, leisurely training to run races, playing volleyball when I can, Latin dancing, (at the moment, I'm hooked with dragon boating, outrigger canoe, and marathon canoeing!!! Well, there this beautiful Cayuga lake in town and countless of waterways in the areas, yolo!) Growing homemade gardens, learning about green and alternative energy, living large on a small budget, minimalist living, travel light, zumba, checking out all sort of online courses offer on MOOC, learn to speak other languages such as French, Spanish, or Thai....

When I was home (Saigon), I enjoy cruising around town on my 70s hondacup scooter, stop over street vendor food stalls for some mouth-watering inexpensive snacks, sipping ice sugarcane juice while watching lively everyday activities pass by.
I consider Ithaca is my home away from home too, in the summer though, you will see me paddle the lake 5-6 days a week, bike riding, CSA harvesting, running trails, i'm a summer kid. In the winter, ay yay yay yay, i retreat in hibernation mode, gain pounds to fight the next cruel vortex :) occasionally, I show up for snowboarding, snowshoeing, sledding, wall climbing, go to the gym, contemplating where would be my next trips.

• arts
• culture
• writing
• singing
• dancing
• environment
• dining
• cooking
• coffee
• pilates
• marathon
• running
• zumba
• walking
• boating
• tv
• team sports
• traveling
• socializing
• cycling
• hiking
• canoeing
• snowboarding
• snowshoeing
• sports
• martial arts
• rock climbing
• volleyball
• swimming
• anthropology
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

Reading is one of my favorite mode of relaxing, I read whatever on my hands and in my sight :) I also like to read the Bible. Such a great book! Highly recommended everybody should read it at least once.
I love to sing and listen to music too (all kinds of genres). My Vietnamese karaoke friends told me that I have potential!I take that as a compliment :)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I was sort of lost riding my bike in middle of nowhere in rural Burma. It's probably 110 F outside and there was not a single soul on village road. After a long wait, I saw an older Burmese man walking from a far. Stupidly assumed this man might not speak much English, I proceed to use broken English to ask him for direction. He grinned (silly girl, why would you talking to me like that?), no teeth, warmest smile ever! That when he started giving me directions...in perfect British accent!!!

Stuff like this confirmed why stereotype don't often work, rethink who you are, taste the joy of humility, and...grow.

and many more....

Teach, Learn, Share

Be kind and considerate is never too hard to do (There are three things left Faith, Hope and Love, but the greatest of all is Love - quoted from Jesus). Give it a try when you get a chance! You will be surprised!

Be truthful to yourself and others, otherwise it will be hard to go to sleep at night and wake up in the morning and have to face...yourself! Yike!

What I Can Share with Hosts

meet for coffee and chat

Countries I’ve Visited

Cambodia, Canada, China, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Laos, Malaysia, Monaco, Myanmar, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, United States, Viet Nam

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