ABOUT ME

I'm constantly seeking for new challenges and get fascinated by anything. I can't stay in a spot. When I've achieved what I aim for, I move on. It keeps me intrigued, growing and learning. Because of that, most people say I'm crazy. Those who know me says I'm passionate.

I'm also very independent, probably due to my upbringing. I land on my feet wherever I go instead of planning ahead because most of the time, things never go as planned! I travel to exchange stories, to inspire others and be inspired myself.

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WHAT MADE ME CHOOSE THIS PATH

A case of tonsillitis made me hit a realisation of my life in 2012. I realised having a career and climbing up to success is not what I want. I've grew tired of this structured and mundane working life. I'm even more tired of seeing people in my country fixated on the same 'standard' life path they are pursuing, manipulated by the government.

I was searching for something that I want in my life but I learnt to go with the flow of life, slow down my steps and smell the roses. If it's meant to come, it will come to you eventually, someday.

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MY COLOURFUL LIFE SO FAR

+ I was a successful marathon runner and triathlete. Once I had 3rd place (age category) in one of the Ironman 70.3 races.

+ I am a marketing professional, advertising specialist. I've done campaigns on a global scale, covering print media, TV, radio, billboards, blah! Along the way I saw the truth about advertising and left the industry because it doesn't align with my own set of work ethnics and integrity.

+ I bought a one-way ticket to Japan and hitched hiked around for 3 months, received a lot of kindness and shared my positive vibe with them as well. Then I went up to the mountains for a few weeks to clear my head.

Video of my hitch hiking journey in Japan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-vOvWqmv20

+ I fell in love with a man from South Africa and flew all the way to spend a month with him, doing road trips around the country. That was when I accepted having vegetarian diet too.

+ I went to Vietnam to learn how be an English teacher. I'm a certified CELTA trained teacher but due to my Oriental appearance, I didn't make it over there.
So I went to Hue (central Vietnam) and spent some time there, unfortunately got myself into a bad motorbike accident and completely shattered my left knee.

+ So now I'm back in Singapore, rehabilitating for a year. Might as well go back to school and get a degree while recovering!!

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FIND OUT MORE / TALK TO ME

Facebook Travel Page - Footsteps Lead Astray.
It's quiet for now since I'm back home, but my stories are recorded there.
facebook.com/Footstepsleadastray

Gaming Stream on Twitch - JazzyKnee
Come in and say hi if I'm online and playing!
twitch.tv/JazzyKnee

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PHILOSOPHY

"Take a leap of faith and embrace ambiguity."

"You can be as mad as a dog at the ways things went, you can swear and curse the fates, but when it comes to the end, you have to let go."

"Nothing is true, everything is permitted." - I learnt this from playing Assassin's Creed.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Unfortunately I'm not able to host. I'm also not working at the moment, so feel free to drop me a message if you would like to meet up and exchange stories.

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COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

People can be so kind and helpful. It's amazing and brings faith in humanity back to you. But as a female it's always wise to be cautious of certain worms in this community.

Interests

Sports - Cycling and swimming. I used to be a triathlete and participated in half-ironman distances. Someday I would like to cycle around Europe but let's wait for my knee to heal first.

Games - Final Fantasy, Assassin's Creed, God of War, Devil May Cry. Imagination is the one weapon in the war against reality. I don't just play; I studied the plot and setting to learn history, philosophy and mythology. You'll be surprised how much a game can teach you. I developed an interest in world history from playing these games.

Music - I love trance but it's hard to catch up with all these traveling. Lounge/chillout is a must in my iPhone.

Travel - As explained above!

• dogs
• beauty
• chinese new year
• vegetarian
• dieting
• marathon
• tv
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• cycling
• hiking
• sports
• rock climbing
• swimming
• communications
• teaching
• history
• hitchhiking
• road trips
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Hard to catch up with anything while traveling but can't stay sane in the plane without some lounge music.

Stopped following the news because they are no good news and it doesn't affect me. I got happier.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Celebrating Chinese New Year in Shanghai. It was a warzone filled with fireworks and firecrackers.

Traveling around South Africa. I've never seen a sky so blue and close to me. There's just so much land in this country. The beauty itself is mind blowing.

Listening to stories and receiving so much kindness from people I've met in Japan. And realised the other side of life in Japan.

Experiencing discrimination from Vietnamese when I looked for an English teaching job in Hanoi because I am an Asian despite being a native speaker and skillful teacher.

Teach, Learn, Share

I find it refreshing and challenging to travel on budget than travel lavishly. If you want a comfortable travel, its easy because all the famous and big hotel/restaurant names are out there in almost every site. Throwing the cash in is easy. Friends will be impressed by the high life you are portraying (or are you paying by credit?)

To scrimp and save is difficult. Travel on a budget forces you to research intensively and in return make you realise it is possible because there are so many hidden options - couchsurfing, wwoofing, hitchhiking to name a few. Best part is, you get to talk to people and learn that there's no one-way to live your life. Question is - are you willing to open up your mind and heart to meet people? Are you willing to take this risk? Do you believe that people generally are good? When you're all alone with a budget in a foreign country, it brings out your true side - how much are you willing to compromise your lifestyle, what are you going to do to survive? Do you really need a queen-size bed or leather in-flight seat? Do you really have to eat that steak? It makes you rethink about the necessity in life and how much we are pampered by money.

Countries I’ve Visited

Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Singapore, Viet Nam