I'm currently studying for my master's in biotechnology in Madrid. I want to one day work in renewable energy or bioremediation.

I was born in the Philippines, but my family moved to New Jersey in the US when I was 10. At 24, I decided to try my luck and move to one of the most expensive cities in the world--San Francisco, California--where I learned a lot about how to be independent and resilient. But that wasn't enough, so I decided to move again to Madrid to pursue a master's in biotechnology with the hopes of one day working in sustainable energy.

As a twentysomething, I often find myself stressing out because of all the Buzzfeed articles telling me how to be a good twentysomething. Traveling and being single are almost always among the things I've read, and I'm doing pretty well with those two.

I'm a cheerful dude with lots of energy. I tend to be really shy at first, but once you give me food, I'm good! I love hearing stories as much as sharing mine. What you get out of life is just as much as what you give it.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I love to meet people and get a glimpse of their lives wherever they may be in the world and however similar or different their lives could be from mine. It helps me become more open-minded.

Interests

I love anything that fuels my creativity--whether it be drawing, playing the piano, or photography.

I love to learn languages and talk about linguistics as well. I can talk for hours when it comes to those two things.

• singing
• photography
• beauty
• dancing
• traveling
• drawing
• origami
• piano
• tennis
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

I love many different genres of music--pop, rock, R&B, jazz, Japanese city pop, salsa, traditional pop, etc.

Movies: Interstellar, Indiana Jones, horror movies

TV shows I've watched: American Horror Story, How to Get Away with Murder, RuPaul's Drag Race, Black Mirror, One Day at a Time, The Good Place, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, etc.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Performed in a dance and music festival in Hakodate, Japan with a Filipino folk dance group. We got to showcase various Filipino cultures while at the same time getting to know the local Japanese people. It was cultural exchange at its finest—you can't go wrong with singing and dancing (and food!). I even made it on the front page of the local paper!

Teach, Learn, Share

I know how to speak Tagalog--one of the main languages of the Philippines. It's not a popular language, but I can definitely teach you some basic words, phrases, and grammar. Also some Filipino folk dance.

I also love to play the piano. If you sing, we can jam!

I also love to do illustrations. I draw everywhere!

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Canada, Colombia, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Philippines, Spain, United States