Hi! My name is Jonathan and I'm a designer & maker with the soul of an artist and explorer. My parents are from the Philippines but I grew up in the USA and went to university in Canada. I last lived in Brooklyn, NY for 3 years and for the past year have been living a nomadic lifestyle. I'm currently based in Vancouver, Canada living from a self-built/converted camper van and loving the adventure, new perspective, and freedom it has given me along the way.

Philosophy

"A person who is a master in the art of living makes little distinction between their work and their play, their labor and their leisure, their mind and their body, their education and their recreation, their love and their religion. They hardly know which is which and simply pursue their vision of excellence and grace, whatever they do, leaving others to decide whether they are working or playing. To them, they are always doing both."

- Zen Poet

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I signed up for Couchsurfing in 2009 and have Couchsurfed only a handful of times since then. However, my past roommates and I have hosted many Couchsurfers (close to 20-30 a year) so that keeps me feeling connected to the traveling community.

I have nothing but positive things to say about my Couchsurfing experiences. The philosophy behind it aligns with my values, gives me hope and reminds me that no matter where you are in the world we all have the ability to connect with and learn something from one another. I continually look forward to meeting fellow travelers, creating memorable experiences, and developing new friendships - it makes the world feel smaller :)

Interests

I'm interested in anything that has to do with creative culture. Blurring the boundaries between art, design & craft, traveling to diverse places such as the Philippines, my ancestral homeland, to research and learn about traditional crafts & artisan communities, experimenting with new technologies, materials & processes, and experiencing music in all its forms - inspires my creative practice. Music is an important aspect of my life. I enjoy DJing and spend hours exploring, listening, and playing new and old music of all genres. I've recently rediscovered my passion for bicycles and worldwide cycling culture and have begun to design & build custom bicycles by hand.

• architecture
• design
• photography
• music festivals
• music
• live music
• adventure travel
• art
• sustainability
• bike riding
• tiny houses
• djing
• bicycles
• vanlife

Music, Movies, and Books

Currently reading: Decolonial design themed research papers.

Music says a lot about my personality so here's a shortlist of what I've been into:

Frank Ocean, Yaeiji, Majid Jordan, Jessy Lanza, Lion Babe, Ibeyi, Jai Paul, Jamie XX, Drake, Kaytranada, Chrome Sparks, Nicolas Jarr, M83, Bonobo, LCD Soundsystem, Sohn, Arcade Fire, Ta-Ku, Chet Faker, Kendrick Lamar, James Blake, Shabazz Palaces, Chromatics, Disclosure, Glass Animals, Grimes, Little Dragon, A Tribe Called Red, CFCF, John Talabot, Todd Terje, ASAP Rocky, XXYYXX, Sango, SBTRK, Kaytranada, Radiohead, Air, Thievery Corporation, Diplo, Boards of Canada, Jurassic 5, Royksopp, Paul Simon, The Knife, Nightmares on Wax, Massive Attack, Junior Boys, Daft Punk, A Tribe Called Quest, Electrelane, Santigold, Jose Gonzalez, M.I.A., DJ Shadow, The Cure, Sigur Ros, Buena Vista Social Club, Portishead, Mos Def, Kings of Convenience, The Roots, Talib Kweli...

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Connected with my ancestral roots by living, studying and traveling / island hopping around the archipelago country of the Philippines for 5 months.

Teach, Learn, Share

I believe there is something you can learn from everyone.

What I Can Share with Hosts

My passion for art, design, music, and the Philippines.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, Netherlands, Philippines, United States

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