A Malaysian guy making his way around the world, one country and one culture at a time. I enjoy good books, good vibes and most of all, good company.

I'm taking a short break from my desk job (I work for an education non-profit) to educate myself a bit more about South East Asia. I've just travelled Laos & will be in Bangkok for a week. Then it's back to Kuala Lumpur and work.

Here's some things I won't do:
- leave dishes in the sink
- leave hair in the shower
- stumble in at 5am and puke on the floor.

Here's some things I will do:
- make the bed/couch
- share stories about myself & my travels
- buy you a beer (if you want)
- behave like a responsible adult.

My favourite beverage is tea (made any way you like) and I geek out easily over anything medieval or remotely arcane. I love all curries of the world but I don't enjoy celery, cooked or raw.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I think it's a great way to forge new friendships with a community of wildly interesting people. It's also the best way to "live like a local", which is how I like to travel.

Interests

What is life like in another country? What values unite us, or divide us as people? What personal stories give our lives and our identity meaning?

I'm a curious mind interested in meeting other curious minds. Or, y'know, we could talk about the latest episode of Queer Eye and the divine being that is JVN.

• arts
• yoga
• anime
• board games
• opera
• hiking
• tennis
• philosophy
• religion
• bars
• foodie
• local culture
• tabletop rpgs
• musical theatre
• digital marketing
• geeky stuff

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Tame Impala, Marina and the Diamonds, Joni Mitchell, Florence + the Machine, Joyce DiDonato, Handel, Wagner, Puccini, Lily Allen, Beatles, King Charles, Scissor Sisters, the Smiths, Pink Floyd, Montserrat Caballé, Queen (I prefer to listen to whole albums)

Musicals/opera: Sunday in the Park with George, Sweeney Todd, Wicked, Hairspray, Into The Woods, Company, Sunset Boulevard, Carousel, Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, Les Misérables, The Producers, Kiss Me Kate, La Bohème, Ring Cycle, Acis & Galatea, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Halka

Books: Catcher in the Rye, Jane Austen, Fighting Fantasy/Lone Wolf series, David Eddings, Harry Potter series, Inheritance cycle, Perks of Being a Wallflower, Garth Nix, Agnes Grey, A Theory of Justice, Seeing Dark Things (mainly fantasy and classics)

Movies: Scott Pilgrim vs the World, Superbad, Kickass, The Breakfast Club, Bridesmaids, Rocky Horror Picture Show (not a big movies person sorry)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Wagner's Ring Cycle, Nottingham, UK.
- I attended a 15-hour-long operatic tetralogy presented over 4 sittings. Highly recommended.

7-day solo hike across the Alps, Switzerland.
- I started in Meiringen, and survived on cheese, bread and breathtaking scenery.

Midnight sun on the Kungsleden, Sweden.
- I hiked through the "night" in a land where the sun doesn't set for 2 weeks.

Teach, Learn, Share

I love cooking and can cook some Malaysian dishes (subject to ingredient availability) and would be happy to talk about cuisines all day -- I am a huge foodie! I'm also deeply interested in languages, cultural philosophies and music and am game to discuss any of these for any duration of time.

I could tell you all about the political problems Malaysia is facing right now but that'd probably bore you; so I'd recommend you ask me about Malaysian card games instead (cards come included!).

I've also got some basic Photoshop and digital marketing know-how which I'd be happy to pass on. Ask me more about this if you're interested!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Incisive insight into Malaysian card games/culture/sociopolitical power structures, warm company and lots of laughter :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Cambodia, China, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Laos, Latvia, Morocco, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand

Countries I’ve Lived In

Malaysia, United Kingdom