CURRENT MISSION

To spread compassion, explore curiosities, engage in cultural preservation (especially among ethnic minority groups in China).

ABOUT ME

I'm Leif Huot, a pure hearted artistic 22 year old from the beautiful mountains of Jackson, Wyoming. I enjoy playing and listening to music, the tranquility of the natural world that surrounds me, helping others, pen palling, writing poetry, and East Asian cultural traditions (in heart I consider myself to be Chinese). Show me where you live if you'd like, tell me a story, teach me something new. I consider myself a Global Citizen and I'm very interested in other cultures/lifestyles/traditions. In terms of music: I play piano, ukulele, bass, guitar, mandolin, harp, accordion, mallet percussion (marimba, bells, xylophone), drums, pump organ, appalacian dulcimer, and I sing! I'm very interested in international collaborative projects and I have one going currently in regards to music, I'd be delighted to hear from anyone who would like to contribute to this. I carry around a green journal anyone is welcome to write or draw anything in as well.

In addition to my passion for music, the environment, and helping people with english in other countries (and learning more about their languages and culture) I also enjoy spontaneous events with my friends (sledding at night, morning bike rides), cooking parties (I especially enjoy baking cookies/pies), attending dance performances/concerts/plays, cross country running, and nordic skiing.

I currently spend my time between my interesting university in Canada, freelancing in China, and visiting my hometown during the winter holiday. For curiosities you may have, I have answers!

PHILOSOPHY

Be kind to everyone (but at the same time be constructively critical), vocalise curiosities, to respectfully construct positive collaborations. Be an active listener and thoughtful responder.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I offer the couch at my University while I am studying in the adventure capital of Canada (Squamish, BC) and our guest futon or couch in nature's embrace-- Jackson, Wyoming.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I haven't had my first couchsurfing experience yet but will update this section as soon as it happens!

Interests

I am passionate about: penpalling, playing various instruments (piano, ukulele, bass, guitar, mandolin, melodica, accordion, mallet percussion--bells, marimba, xylophone, chimes-- pump organ, banjo, mountain dulcimer, bottles, kazoo, harmonica, and singing (tenor)), writing poems, tutoring English (online and in-person language exchanges in South Korea , Japan, China, Hong Kong and Thailand), 学中文 (studying Chinese language), composing/arranging/producing music, learning new things everyday, cooking, hiking, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, camping, collaborative arts projects, photography, social justice, feminism, movement discussions (especially about gender inequality), exploring the traditional music and cultural practises within China/South Korea/Indonesia/Japan/Western Africa/Brazil/Argentina/Iceland), queer studies, and making new friends of strangers.

• arts
• culture
• writing
• poetry
• singing
• photography
• concerts
• dancing
• environment
• womens rights
• cooking
• baking
• running
• partying
• drawing
• music
• guitar
• piano
• drums
• cycling
• hiking
• camping
• whitewater rafting
• skiing
• teaching
• freelancing
• languages
• language exchange
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Music introduction (to my tastes): Sigur Rós, Shugo Tokumaru, Grizzly Bear, Jonsí, Dirty Projectors, Yann Tiersen, DeVotchKa, Bibio, Sufjan Stevens, Andrew Bird, Priscilla Ahn, Múgsefjun, DeVotchKa, 올드피쉬 (oldfish), Beirut, Parenthetical Girls, Cocorosie, St. Vincent, Ben Folds, Radiohead, Kaada, My Latest Novel, Wolf Parade, The Mountain Goats, Camera Obscura, Belle & Sebastian, Tennis, Hjaltalín, Múm, Björk, Ernesto Djedje, S.E. Rogie, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Smiths, Alvin Band, Caetano Veloso, Lay Low, Miniature Tigers, Jens Lekman, Tenniscoats,Owen Pallett/Final Fantasy, Patrick Watson, Josephine Foster, Neutral Milk Hotel, Vashti Bunyan, The Beatles, The Strokes, Geert Chatrou, Phoenix, The Zombies, Arvo Pärt, Loney Dear, Miniature Tigers, Of Montreal, The Kinks, The Luyas, Rotating Superstructure, Kaizers Orchestra, Local Natives, Beach Boys, Loudon Wainwright III, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. , Starfucker, Death Cab For Cutie, Lykke Li, Amiina, Chopin, Vampire Weekend, Deerhoof, Satie, Messien, Max Richter, Joni Mitchell, Karen Dalton, Vashti Bunyan, Love Like Birds, Kings of Convenience, The Brothers Johnson,Hans Appelqvist, The Dodos, Maps & Atlases, Fleet Foxes, First Aid Kit, Slagsmålsklubben, Detektivbyrån, Moto Boy, Twin Shadow, Bob Hund, Julianna Barwick, Pong Prida, Fredo Viola, Get Well Soon, Hajime Sakita, Noahlewis' Mahlon Taits, Efterklang, Slaraffenland, Tvärvägen, Suburban Kids With Biblical Names, The Whitest Boy Alive, Everything Everything, Rupa & The April Fishes, Meklit Hadero, Charlotte Dada, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Yuck, and The Rumour Said Fire among many other things.
Also: Natalia LaFourcade (who also records as Natalia y la forquetina), Alina Orlova (from Lithuania), Lia Ices, Pepper Rabbit, Woods, Clogs, ólöf arnalds, tenniscoats (テニスコーツ), moulettes, Promise and the Monster, Rökkurró, Austra, Good Old War and the Mummers, Moulettes, CANT (the side project of Chris Taylor from GrizzlyBear), Gaby Moreno, Emily Loizeau, Carla Morrison, Active Child, The Unthanks, I Am Oak, Maher Shalal Hash Baz, Emily Jane White, Kopecky Family Band, Ah Holly Fam'ly, Other Lives, Orchestre Bipale, Eveliina Pokela, Uncle Mountain, Chris Garneau, and David Wax Museum, Phraiwan Lukphet, Antonina Nezhdanova, Elizaveta, Xu Fei (许飞), Yu Ke Wei (郁可唯), Lucite Tokki, Fanny Fink, Porcelain Raft, Milk @ Coffee (牛奶咖啡), Mother Falcon, Canon Blue, Christoph Andersson, Hayley Westenra (check out her album Paradiso that she recorded with Ennio Morricone), YAWN, Caged Animals, Savoir Adore, Kishi Bashi, Mree, Sóley, Mäbu, Saeko Suzuki, copine. , compostela, anonymass, mamamilk! asakawa maki, Gutevolk, ishidi ayuma, maaya sakamoto, SAKEROCK, Midori Hirano, nino rota, 10cm, Epik High, Yozoh, Fish Leung, Ukulele Picnic (우쿨렐레 피크닉), 유재하, 하찌와 TJ, and most everything else EXCEPT most punk, all metal, all screamo (I consider this noise), anything angry (without reason), ugly colours.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I composed a short film score (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TisWHb_qqIQ ). My life with my family was full of river trips, camping experiences, and attending various performances/concerts/ballets/cultural events. I had a chance to audition for Voice of China but I was too shy!

Teach, Learn, Share

I can help tutor English. I can teach ukulele and piano. I am an avid cook and outdoorsman. I do not do any drugs.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Love of life and the marvellous language of music. I'm also a patient listener and enjoy new experiences within reason!

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, China, Guatemala, Philippines, South Korea

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, China, United States