A dreamer blessed with nostalgia and wanderlust

Will your path cross mine?
Instagram: @MuñecaChinita

Current Mission
Viva la vida
Pacific Crest Trail thru hike
All the Stans in Central Asia

Born and raised in the north of China, studied in England for university, travelled a fair bit in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Currently living in Canada but spending 6 months every year visiting family and exploring the planet

I admire nature and feel the most at home in mountains or by lakes
I favour autumn for the colours and winter for the snowfall
I smile at strangers, and pet every dog that passes by
I adore flowers and take pleasure in pretty little things in life

I enjoy slow train and scenic bus rides with locals
I hitchhike whenever wherever I can
I yoga. I run. I cycle
Hiking is my ultimate therapy

I strive to live healthier and more sustainable
I care about environment and hate to see polar bears go homeless
I hope to grow my own garden one day

I cook random but nutritious meals and am eager to learn new recipes
I eat local and often grab snacks from the street
I love an occasional dose of caffeine
I drink with right people at right times
I make kefir and sourdough, and sometimes travel with them

I explore a city on foot and learn about a country from its people
I embrace last-minute things and welcome adventures unfolded in unexpected ways
I buy no souvenirs but collect moments and create memories

I’m a minimalist on the road
I need a roof above my head and don’t care if it’s grass, floor, or Egyptian cotton under my back
Everything I carry stays in a 35L backpack, and I make sure it occupies the least used corner of the room I stay

My couch requests usually give a short notice.
My answer to your way-ahead-of-time request is probably Maybe. Sorry about that
I reply every message and make effort to answer every question

I choose to stay with you because something about you and your life fascinates me. Please allow me to tag along for part of your day, or at least spare me a moment for a chat. I’m grateful for your company and the temporary permission to do life together. I’m perfectly fine being independent in case you are busy. I expect no provided food, help with transport, or any kind of gifts other than your insider's tips and stories. Anything else you offer will be a generous hospitable gesture of you and a pleasant surprise for me. I’m easily impressed. I’m happy to cook and share, help with cleaning and tidying up. It would be a pleasure to house sit, pet sit, and/or plant sit if you are heading out of town during my visit

I welcome you into my home and heart because I’m touched by your words, or you have triggered my curiosity or compassion. I’m here to help, with open arms and an open mind. The accommodation is simple, definitely clean and hopefully comfortable enough for you. If I cook, I share with you half. If I attend any event, I invite you to come along. I can’t be a full time tour guide and I don’t consider myself knowledgeable enough to make a good one. You don’t have to return the favour. It’s nice to pay it forward to someone else so the community can expand. No gifts are expected; a lasting friendship is a very beautiful thing.

I want to meet you because I feel a bond and foresee a bud of connection. Common interests, common goals, common lifestyle, common friends, or completely different ones. I’m confident that we will have a good conversation and a few interesting hours wondering and wandering together

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To meet locals
To collect stories
To discover hidden gems
To experience different cultures
To see the beauty in a stranger’s eye
To offer and have a home away from home

Interests

I chase sunsets
I enjoy sun salutations at dawn
I always say yes to a hike, rain or shine
I appreciate a running partner for new trails

I can’t say no to ice cream, hot chocolate, soft cookies, or home cooked meals
I love to be in nature, camp by a lake, fall asleep to the cracking of a fire, wake up to an orange sunrise, walk on fallen leaves, and gaze at the starry sky
I’d like to go for a ride on the back of your motorbike, and visit your favourite cafe, bakery, bar, and the neighbour you grew up in
I want to learn your grandma’s best cake recipe
It’s a huge honour to meet your family

• animals
• photography
• documentaries
• baking
• yoga
• running
• motorcycles
• flowers
• hiking
• camping
• hitchhiking
• lakes
• mountains
• nature
• street food
• people watching
• campfires
• sunsets
• roadtrips
• sunrise
• ice cream
• sustainable living
• volcanoes
• walking in nature

Music, Movies, and Books

Music
Alternative Rock, Classic Rock, a bit Deep House and Techno, and Dreampop to fall asleep to

Films
Documentaries. True story based films. Oldie goodies from Hong Kong, and dramas with nice twists and an unexpected ending.
Seven
Ashes of Time
Metade Fumaca
Time and Tide
Grave of the Fireflies

Books
Classics, simple but beautiful children stories, and heart wrenching fictions.
Dream of the Red Chamber
The Little Prince
Shadow of the Wind
清醒记
Shantaram
The Witch of Portobello
The Spell of the Yukon

I’m interested in your choice of music, films and books and appreciate your recommendations

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Hiking in Tibet
Climbing Mount Ushba in Svaneti (and being rescued by Russian border patrol…)
Road trip across Canada from the Pacific to the Atlantic
Summiting Mount Musala
Hitchhiking across the Balkans
Seeing hot lava at Volcán Masaya
Hitchhiking S->N across Mexico during a migration crisis

Teach, Learn, Share

An old saying, a traditional custom, a childhood story, a family recipe, a pleasant chat, a secret...

What I Can Share with Hosts

Travel stories. Tons of silliness and laughter. Good ears for listening to whatever you would like to share. A homemade meal. Help with cleaning and organising (I’m really good at this; almost obsessed). A corner of my heart filled with gratitude

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kosovo, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Northern Ireland, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Scotland, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State, Viet Nam, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, China, England, Germany, Thailand

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