CURRENT MISSION

See as much as the world as I can while meeting new friends in new places, with the ultimate goal of having lived a fulfilled life.

ABOUT ME

I've done the hostel route while traveling time and time again, but I'm looking to try out Couchsurfing and meet even more locals than fellow tourists. After this trip summer 2015, I plan to return the favor to the CS community and offer my own couch once I move out to Seattle.

I'm a soon-to-be-23-year-old guy, originally from Chicago. I lived in Taipei for 8 months, during which I traveled and fell in love with East and Southeast Asia, food, culture, language, and people alike. I became decently fluent in Chinese, but the longer I'm away from it, the worse it becomes. A lingering hope of fluency remains, but with translation technology's progress, it becomes harder and harder to justify the time required. Then again, I've never felt the reward that fluency promises. I went to school at University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, soon to be doing the corporate grind at Microsoft in Seattle as a Program Manager. I've got time now for one last hoorah while I come to the close of my 22-year-long vacation, and I'm looking to spend it with travelers and locals alike.

I'm a pretty extroverted, open-minded guy, willing to try just about anything anywhere. I'm fairly sarcastic and I like to joke around a lot. Love meeting new people and traveling. I've met people along the way that have blew me in new directions, and I hope to keep going until I can create my own wind. Learning a lot, or so I think, and experiencing more than I can comprehend. Other than that, feel free to ask!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I have a couple months to travel before I start working full-time. I predict this is the last time for a while for me to have another go at seeing the world and I hope you can join me.

Interests

Food, yes please.

Traveling, obviously.

Technology, #nerdlife.

Stories, you can only be in one place at a time, but I'd like to be as close to as many places at once.

• culture
• dining
• technology
• traveling
• scuba diving

Music, Movies, and Books

Music, more recently Jazzy/Hip-Hop, but more often than not it depends on the mood, you know?

Movies, I prefer mindfucks like Inception and Interstellar. Recommendations appreciated.

Books I'm reading more of, I want to finish the Game of Thrones serious before the final series comes out.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

How about several as of recent?

Teetered over edges of the Cliffs of Moher, Ireland.

Became Scuba Open Water PADI certified.

Found a hidden gem of a view of the Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur.

Summited the 2nd tallest volcano in Indonesia, Mount Rinjani at 3700m.

Dived in Cambodia and the Gilli Islands.

Rocked blackjack in Singapore.

Received a haircut opposite to that which I asked from a Chinese barber.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can offer insight to the Chinese language, nerd out on some technology, and tell as much of my experience travelling and living as you are wanting to hear.

Countries I’ve Visited

Aruba, Cambodia, China, England, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Mongolia, Netherlands, Saint Lucia, Scotland, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Taiwan, United States