My name is Makela (she/her), a Filipina-American medical doctor! I enjoy meeting other folks and getting to know who they are as they are. Traveling is something I am keen on whenever I have free time during my medical training. I'm an outdoorsy curious person and am always down to groove or play. Not looking for anything romantic, just for friends to spend time with while I'm traveling! Currently in Rwanda teaching a medical course until mid-November.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Living with host families in Argentina showed me that I loved having a local connection to these cities- it fostered a more genuine appreciation of the places I was living in and learning about and falling in love with.

I Couchsurfed a lot while traveling around Southeast Asia in 2016. Because of Couchsurfing I have incredible memories and, most importantly, wonderful friends that I still keep in touch.

Interests

Lots of outdoors: backcountry skiing, hiking, trekking, climbing (sport/trad/bouldering), surfing poorly, slacklining, cycling; organized sports like basketball, coffee, cats, dogs, medicine

• concerts
• dancing
• cooking
• coffee
• running
• reading
• traveling
• music
• hiking
• surfing
• basketball
• rock climbing
• medicine
• neuroscience
• trekking
• bicycle touring

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: truly anything, most recently been listening to the new Tame Impala album, James Blake, SZA

Movies/TV: Living in LA has made me really appreciate the nuance / sociocultural implications of the entertainment industry, would love to discuss especially with folks not from the USA!! Favorites include Kill Bill vol. 1 and 2; Call Me By Your Name; Roma; Drive My Car; Y Tu Mama También; Roma; Avatar the Last Airbender/Legend of Korra; Steven Universe; Adventure Time

Books: lots, most recently: On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous; Braiding Sweetgrass; The Overstory; Crying in H Mart; The Body Keeps a Score

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Shot a game-winning basket in a basketball championship

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm dying to get better at speaking Spanish, please please please reach out if you speak or would like to converse with me!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Fun travel stories, medicine stories, a coffee or alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage, stickers, card games, Spotify playlists

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Australia, Cambodia, Canada, England, France, Germany, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Philippines, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, United States, Uruguay, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Argentina, Guatemala, Indonesia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, United States