I. Love. Traveling. I love all the places that I've been to, but the Philippines holds special meaning for me. I'm US born but of Filipino descent. Just went to the Philippines for the first time in June 2014 to meet family that I've never met before and to learn about my roots. January 2016 went back again, and hopefully every other year for the foreseeable future.

Currently learning about photography. Photos in my profile all shot with my iPhone 5S. I'm proud of those shots, but I wish I could more consistently produce stuff like that. Right now I feel like those are the exception rather than the norm, hence the learning. Any tips appreciated =).

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To meet new people. To make new friends. To facilitate cultural exchange. For adventure. To hopefully see places through the eyes of a local. To gain a global perspective.

Interests

Hiking, yoga, tennis, swimming, kayaking, biking, anything that gets me outdoors and active.

I also love to read, specifically books that help me learn about other parts of the world, other cultures, world events I'm not knowledgeable about. This often ends up a mix of travel, history, culture, sometimes even politics. Lately I've read a lot of books about Asia, Southeast Asia in particular.

As stated above, currently learning about photography.

• culture
• books
• photography
• education
• cooking
• yoga
• politics
• traveling
• eating out
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• hiking
• kayaking
• tennis
• swimming
• business
• teaching
• history
• tourism

Music, Movies, and Books

Favorite music genre: Folk/Indie
Favorite artists: Lord Huron, Balmorhea
While those are my favorite, I like most music. Anything from oldies, classical and jazz, to rap, rock, EDM, even symphonic metal (okay maybe the only group I know is Nightwish, but I'm open to suggestions).

Favorite authors: James Clavell, Bill Bryson, Andrew X. Pham, Paul Theroux, Mitch Albom, Eckhart Tolle
Favorite books: Shogun, Tai-Pan, The Lost Continent, A Walk in the Woods, Catfish and Mandala, Eaves of Heaven,The Power of Now, Stillness Speaks, Light on Life, The Great Railway Bazaar, Ghost Train to the Eastern Star, The Four Loves, Into Thin Air, Tuesdays with Morrie... and many more. I love to read.
Favorite book genre: some sort of combination of travel, history, culture, memoir... not really sure what to call it

Favorite movies: I like a lot of movies. It's hard to narrow it down. Lord of the Rings, Batman Begins, most of Pixar, The Way, Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Blood Diamond, Motorcycle Diaries... among others

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Trekked through the Banaue Rice Terraces in the Philippines.

Explored the amazing Angkor Wat and surrounding temples in Cambodia.

A 6 week train trip from San Francisco up to Vancouver and across Canada all the way to Halifax.

A 15 month working holiday visa in New Zealand.

Teach, Learn, Share

TEFL 120 hour certificate - I have a 120 hour Teaching English as a Foreign Language certificate. I plan to use this to teach English in Southeast Asia and beyond. English is the language of globalization, international business, tourism, etc, and learning has the power to change lives for generations to come. It can be something as simple as using English to earn tourism dollars to something as important as using English fluency to gain access to higher education. I don't hold the illusion that I'm going to change the world. But everyone has the power to positively change someone's world.

What I Can Share with Hosts

My love of travel and the great outdoors. Yoga if interested. Opportunities to practice English. My positive energy and love of life.

I'm not so great at cooking... but I am good at cleaning and other household chores =D.

Countries I’ve Visited

Cambodia, Canada, England, France, New Zealand, Philippines, Samoa, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

New Zealand, United States