Hello CS!

I am Vietnamese-American, culture-seeking traveler, nature-lover, optimist, and a happy easygoing person with great ambition make a difference in this world. I was born and raised in San Diego, CA, USA and am always striving to meet new people. I recently graduated with a B.S. in Child and Family Development and pursuing a career that works with children/families in under-resourced areas.

My passion in life is to help others. Listening to people's stories has inspired me to reach out to people to listen and share; it is through other people that we are better able to learn about ourselves and others. Because of this, I am a very open person who is not afraid to be vulnerable by sharing my story and listening to others. My parents and friends have inspired me to always give even if you have little to nothing. I live life trying to be the best person I can be and do my best to fulfill my passions (why not give life your all?)

I was born in the United States, but my parents are immigrants from Vietnam so I grew up with a blend of Vietnamese and American culture. It's been quite an interesting dynamic because I am surrounded by American culture (Western) but have grown up with a Vietnamese culture (Eastern). I would be more than happy to share my cultural experiences with you!

Recent Goals:
-Go on a solo backpacking trip throughout Europe after my study abroad program in Netherlands (Completed: Summer 2015)
-Backpack through SE Asia (Completed: Summer 2016)
-Travel through the U.S. East Coast
-Travel to Canada
-Teach English in Vietnam
-Improve Vietnamese (reading/writing)
-Learn Spanish

The quote I live by is: "Give from the goodness of your heart and expect nothing in return"

I have a few short video compilations on my Instagram/Youtube from my travels, feel free to check them out! https://instagram.com/freshminh/
Most Recent Video: https://youtu.be/IynRm7Nfh1s

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

CS has truly opened my eyes to the beauty of this community. CS provides potential connections with new people from different backgrounds that may create life-changing experiences. It's an opportunity to meet someone you may not necessarily meet otherwise, and have a shared experience together. I love to experience new cultures, and feel it is best through the eyes of a local instead of a tourist. CS serves as a unique way to experience new cultures through people.

Interests

I love to learn new things and pick up new hobbies. I enjoy cooking and eating (especially new foods), hiking/exploring, urban culture, meditating, relaxing outside in nature/parks, yoga, dance, videography, and enjoying the simple things in life.

• culture
• dancing
• cooking
• hiking
• backpacking
• languages
• volunteering
• parks
• videography
• learning

Music, Movies, and Books

I listen to broad ranges of music, but my core genres are Hip-Hop, Acoustic, and EDM (future house, deep-house, trance, tropical house, etc.). Some of my favorites are: Louis the Child, Jason Mraz, Porter Robinson, J Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Logic, Nujabes, Chance The Rapper, Us The Duo, Jack Johnson, Yiruma, Jhene Aiko and others

Current Favorite Read: Search Inside Yourself

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Meditating on a 250+ meter high sand dune underneath the stars in the Sahara Desert; one of the most profound moments in my life

What I Can Share with Hosts

I am a very open person, and greatly enjoy conversations about life (I love to hear where people come from, hardships, personal experiences, travels, life philosophy, funny stories, etc). One of the traits I value most is empathy. Taking time to listen and being open-minded to others allows for the ability to truly understand another person.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Belize, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Thailand, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Netherlands, United States