Hi, my name is Dat. I am 20 this year, which, I think, is the prime time to travel and to try out new things before the worries of career and relationship start to kick in. I was born and raised in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, but moved to Singapore since I turned 14. I am currently studying Economics and Computer Science in Macalester College, a liberal art college in St. Paul, Minnesota (freezing, I know!). In general, I am fun-loving, optimistic and upbeat, mature if need be. Spending my teenage years with international friends from all walks of life, I also have an affinity for diversity. That explains why I love traveling - to see different cultures and admire natural beauty of the lands. When I'm not occupied by work, I normally hang out with friends or entertain myself with different hobbies - guitar, kayaking, trekking, tennis, the list goes on.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

A perk of traveling solo is meeting different people on the go. For most of the places I have been to, I primarily stayed in hostels, and have made friends with a lot of cool travelers. It is always exciting to listen to their traveling stories and tell them my own. Nevertheless I realize I am missing out a group of amazing people - the locals! Obviously the locals will have better understanding of the culture and the people and great advices on places to visit. The desire to connect with locals in places I go urges me to join Couchsurfing. I would definitely host fellow Couchsurfers when I am back in Hanoi (mostly during summer) and would love to show them around with my scooter!

Interests

I have a wide spectrum of interests, ranging from outdoor activities (kayaking is my all time favorite), to sports (badminton and tennis are great sports), to playing musical instrument. I mostly picked up those hobbies from friends who would teach me, or professional trainings for hobbies that require certain skills such as kayaking or golf. This summer I decided to try something different, so ballroom dancing, or Dancesport, as they call it. Otherwise, I am a semi-professional photographer who loves taking portraits. Some of my works can be found here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/90350309@N08/albums

• ballroom dancing
• bodybuilding
• guitar
• kayaking
• rock climbing
• tennis
• table tennis
• golf
• badminton
• trekking
• mountain climbing
• portrait photography

Music, Movies, and Books

I love tropical house and EDM in general. Kygo and Calvin Harris are among my favorites (I mean, who doesn't love them!). I also like Il Divo, they have unbeatable vocals of pop-opera songs. Il Divo's music makes me feel mature too (:
I watch a lot of movies, and my favorite genres include culinary movies (Yes, I am thinking of Rattatouille and Burnt), action (Mission Impossible ftw!), and war movies (Saving Private Ryan, Enemy at the gates, Fury, you name it). I also like watching series, especially those with a big plot over the whole season. Some of the best I have watched include House of Cards, The Americans and Game of Thrones.
I love non-fiction (well, Harry Potter and Lords of the Rings really make me think otherwise, but still). There are two types of non-fiction that I can't really resist: economics (I think I have a thing for economics) and insider's accounts (life in North Korea, life in an Indian slum, life of a worker in a Chinese factory, made in China products, blah blah blah)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Well, I can't just write about it in a paragraph. I will definitely tell you when I see you!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Amazing stories of places that I have been to and countless misfortunes that happened to me on the go. Also, incredible things I have tried, photos of mesmerizing scenery all around the world, adorable people that I met on the go. What else, cooking Vietnamese food, beer (I'll definitely come with beer when I'm over 21)

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, China, Cuba, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Singapore, Switzerland, Thailand, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Singapore, United States, Viet Nam