My name is John Lee and I'm currently working in the finance industry. I hail from Malaysia, a country in South East Asia. I enjoy being a single backpacker but when the opportunity arises, I love to travel with my family. In summer 2013, I went backpacking around Europe with my friends, hitting several countries from France all the way to the Czech Rep. . In 2014, I traveled to Cambodia where my friend and I witnessed the sun rise over the majestic Angkor Wat. In 2015, I was blessed enough to be able to travel to Taiwan with my sister. From the hustle and bustle of Taipei to the gorges of Taroko, I only have good things to say about the view, people and culture there. Myanmar in late 2015, just before the country marched towards a functioning democracy was a sight to behold.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I am deeply influenced by this quote.
“Please be a traveler, not a tourist. Try new things, meet new people, and look beyond what’s right in front of you. Those are the keys to understanding this amazing world we live in.”

I want to live among the locals, take the busses they take to commute around, eat the food they eat. I believe Couchsurfing is that avenue to meet with travellrs/potential travelers.

Interests

Economics, Politics, History. I took classes on medieval history at Oxford on a exchange program.
Basketball. I am a fan of the San Antonio Spurs. #21 forever. I play pickup for fun.
Weightlifting. A recent passion of mine.

• culture
• dining
• cooking
• politics
• traveling
• backpacking
• basketball
• economics
• history
• sign language

Music, Movies, and Books

Orchestral music. Helps me focus at work.
Imagine Dragon. "Demons" (the song) spoke to me.
Christopher Nolan movies. The depth and subtleties he weaves into his narration of a story is amazing. Ask me more if we meet.
The Bible. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." God=Love.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I gotten myself lost on the outskirts of Rome once as my friends and I wanted to get to Justiania and not Gustiania. We landed smack in the middle of nowhere and had no means of communicating in Italy. By sheer force of sign language, we convinced 2 girls (not one!) to lend us their phones and make a call to the embassy to save us. We never talked about it again.

Teach, Learn, Share

Malay language. I have near native proficiency.
Why Tim Duncan is the GOATPUFF.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Malaysian culture, politics and history. I'll always bring a memorabilia from home for my host.
I can cook some simple Malaysian dishes.
Warmth, humor and intellectual conversations.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Myanmar, Netherlands, Scotland, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

England, United States