Hello, my name is Elane and I'm from Taiwan.

https://abuga1999.wordpress.com/

I am currently a teacher in an after-school care program for elementary school students. I love seeing the smiles on the children's faces and learning with them. I especially enjoy working in the local indigenous community, and I am fascinated by the local culture.

In addition to my teaching job, I am also a part-time wedding consultant. I often travel to other parts of Taiwan on weekends for work. Every time I see a bride and groom looking at each other lovingly and exchanging vows, I forget all about the troubles of planning a wedding and I feel truly happy for them.

I also have my own brand, where I sell handmade ethnic jewelry. I set up booths at various music festivals because I love sharing indigenous culture with others, as well as the stories behind each design.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Even though I have many different jobs, I still have an adventurous spirit. That's why I want to use Couchsurfing to meet people from different cultures and to share my love of Taiwan with others.

If you have free time, I would be delighted to explore the city with you. However, if you're busy, I'm also quite capable of exploring on my own. And if there are any gatherings or events, please feel free to include me. I usually find it easy to fit in️

Interests

• culture
• education
• board games
• music
• travel
• adventure
• taiwan
• weddings
• indigenous cultures
• wedding planner
• rural education
• teach for all

Music, Movies, and Books

BOOK
- Counselling for Toads: A Psychological Adventure by Robert de Board
- Playful Parenting by Lawrence J. Cohen

I have always hoped that I could become a person who loves to read, so I signed up for a book club. But the truth is: I still prefer to learn by watching and doing.

MUSIC
I like all kinds of acoustic music. I like the feeling of relaxation and healing that it brings. I don't really like heavy metal music. Because of my work, I often listen to wedding recommendation playlists. :)

MOVIE
I love watching movies, especially movie analysis. I often find them very thought-provoking.

For example, I recently watched Dune, and last year I spent a week watching the entire Harry Potter series. I finally understood why there are so many fans. The magical world is really fascinating.

However, I still have several movies on my to-watch list, including:

- Murder on the Orient Express
- Inception
- Green Book
- Coco
- Little Women
- Neerja

...and so on! I can't stop talking about them! Haha

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

One of the things I'm most proud of myself for is choosing to take a gap year after graduating from high school instead of going straight to college.

I didn't want to settle for just any college, so I decided to take a year off to travel and explore the world. I started with a solo trip to Australia, then did a work-away program in Taiwan. I also visited different indigenous communities and took classes to learn about their cultures. I used the world as my classroom, and through every conversation, I tried to clarify my reasons for taking a gap year and reflect on my beliefs. This helped me to gradually create a blueprint for my future.

Now, I am able to hold multiple jobs and try everything I want to do. I am still working on my dream list, which includes traveling the world through Couchsurfing.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can share stories about Taiwanese indigenous culture with you. I will give you handmade jewelry that I designed myself and tell you about the meaning of the totems.

I can cook delicious Taiwanese food for you. I often cook in Taiwan myself, and I even have experience with work-for-accommodation, where I often had to cook for a whole table of people.

I can teach you Chinese, including simple daily conversations and even a simple song!

I film travel videos on my YouTube channel. If you are willing, we can also chat on the show, for example about culture shock, small cultural experiences - tasting Taiwanese snacks or guessing what these gadgets do!

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, China, India, Taiwan, Thailand, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Taiwan