CURRENT MISSION

To MAKE the changes that I desire to happen in life and in the World! :-)

ABOUT ME

April 2012 (until October 2012)
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I am just back to Hangzhou, China (after having spent 3 months here in late 2011 & 3 months in Rome, Italy prior to that).

I have been on the road since June 2011. But Hangzhou is starting to feel like another home for now :-)
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March 2011 (until April 2012)
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After 3 months in Hangzhou, China, I am back in Rome to stay a few weeks and then back to Toronto, Canada for a short 10-day stop, before I head back to China.

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December 2011 (until March 2012)
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After 3 months in Rome, I cut my Italian Working Holiday short and moved to HangZhou, China to stay here for 3 months (till March 2012) and check things out.

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Sept 2011 (until February 2012)
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After a short stop in Modica, I am in Rome now. I will live here for 5 months and do a "Working Holiday".

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June 2011
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After a short stop in London, Koln, and Hamburg, I am traveling to China... and then after a visit to Berlin and Prague on the way back, I am going to Italy in August for a 6-months "Working Holiday"

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September 2010
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I am traveling through north US (Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, Minneapolis) (+Montana?) and then through Alberta (Calgary? Jasper?) to Vancouver.

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August 2009
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I didn't think I would come to write what I had seen on many other profiles, but after a good series of disappointing connections through CS, I see the reason for it now. So:

I am interested in people who take an interest in ME!... so much so, that they would like to hang out with me during their visit. I am NOT interested in providing accommodation for you! I am interested in offering my couch if I relate to you and if it's the start of a friendship.

So, here is a good test to see if it's a good idea for you to contact me or not:

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If I don't offer you my couch, will you still be interested in hanging out with me and will you make the effort to connect with me while you're here or not?
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If the answer is no, and that there are many others that you can connect with, and that you won't have the time, then move on to another profile (you don't have an interest in ME! just in my couch)

on the other hand, if the answer is yes and you would like to hang out, even if I don't offer you my place, contact me by all means! I love meeting new and interesting people! :D

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December 2008
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"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And THAT has made all the difference!"

well, I finished my Uni at UofT (Univ. of Toronto) and worked for 3 years at Nortel Networks in Ottawa as a software designer, where I enjoyed the outdoorsy lifestyle and enjoyed a lot of Beach Volleyball, Dragonboating, Softball, and White Water Rafting...

Then, in Sept 2002, I picked up traveling around the world (back-packing)... I bar-tended in London, England for a while and then kept going East through Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, and Bulgaria... I stopped in Istanbul, Turkey to teach English... Then did a trip to Egypt and now, I am back in Toronto, Canada. I am hoping to leave again soon...

So far, have explored my way through France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, England, Spain, Italy, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, and Egypt (and Mexico on a separate occasion)...

There is still so much more to see! :)

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September 2007
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I just signed up for this site (Sept. 12 '07)... It seems really interesting! I have not finished uploading all my info and photos etc... you can find more info, meanwhile, on my Facebook account (Alee Aslani)....

cheers,
alee ;D

PHILOSOPHY

I like to make a difference in peoples lives and on this earth... that's why I am not doing a "typical" engineering job and looking for creative ways to combine my expertise with a real need!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I am a frequent participant in Toronto's weekly meetings (on Tuesdays, at Rivoli), I can host, but my place is not ideal, since it is a bit far from the city centre.

I just started my surfing experience, as I started traveling again this December (2008) after a long time of not traveling. Last time I that I was traveling, I don't think this CS was around! :) (or at least wasn't this popular and I didn't know about it!)

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I will soon let you know! :D

Interests

Traveling & Seeing new places & meeting new people, Beach Volleyball, White Water Rafting, Skydiving, Scuba-diving, Film-making, Film Festivals

Music, Movies, and Books

Books: (non-fiction), Blink, The Tipping Point, (fiction), The Alchemist, The Zahir, Tuesdays with Morries, ...

Music: Lounge (St. Germaine, Morcheeba), House, Trance (Paul Oakenfold, Euphoria), Jazz, Pop, Classical

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Speaking with a munk on top of a mountain in a Monastery in Romania; a feluca ride on the Nile in Egypt; skydiving in Ottawa Valley; White-water rafting in Ottawa River

Teach, Learn, Share

maybe this won't be new in this community, but the concept that I question a lot these days, is the phrase "Where are you from?"... and more on a very practical sense of questioning... How can one define where something is from? (Specially if that something is traced back to 2 other somethings, that are traced back, in turn, to 2 other somethings, etc...)

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, China, Germany, Iran, Turkey, United Kingdom

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