CURRENT MISSION

To enjoy the life I've been given and meet fellow humans along the way.

ABOUT ME

People who know me see me as the (aimless?) traveler with the wanderlust syndrome. Some people see me as the weirdo who moved to the Philippines at 15, chose to study a semester abroad in Macau (China) and then teach English for a year in Azerbaijan after graduation and then decided to study another for another 4 years in Germany.

Now that I've finished with my studies in Germany, the story once again remains open-ended. Who knows what happens next?

Some people find it cool/interesting/strange that I can speak English and Tagalog fluently, German quite well, and basic Spanish and rudimentary Azerbaijani. I can read and write in Korean and Cyrillic and a bit in Arabic, although I do not understand the languages assocoated with these alphabets! :D I've been told that I'm good with languages. If I could, I'd spend every living moment of my life trying to learn the languages of the people I meet.

I am usually very excited when the opportunity to be far away from home comes knocking at my door. I try my best to invite that opportunity over as much as possible, but sometimes school, work, or my pocket, just won't let it happen! :D

PHILOSOPHY

"Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

"Travel is the only thing you can buy which makes you richer." (Found on the John Lennon wall in Prague)

"No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." Steve Jobs 1955-2011

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I haven't been surfing that much and have yet to host. I hope to one day move to a place where people would want to visit - it seems no one wants to come to Deggendorf! :D

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have couchsurfed only in Germany and the Czech Republic so far.

Interests

History and culture are broad subject matters, but these are the things that interest me most, which is also why I like to travel. You get to see where history was made and, at the same time, observe how people in that part of the world live today. Also related to this love for history and culture are my hobbies: philately, numismatics, and notaphily. There's also a nostalgic part of me like to collect antiques and especially old documents. I have a steadily growing collection of old passports.

• culture
• traveling
• cycling
• kayaking
• surfing
• snorkeling
• business
• history
• languages
• philately

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

1. Got lost cycling in rice field in the middle of karst valleys somewhere in Guilin
2. Went kayaking in Ha Long Bay
3. Climbed to the highest peak of Mt. Kinabalu
4. Tried hitchhiking through the Pamir mountains - somehow managed!
5. Stood and gazed at the Grand Canyon
6. Stood next to one of the waterfalls at Niagara Falls
7. Got lost in some thick jungle at dusk in Telok Bahang
8. Visited some neon-lit stalactite and stalagmite caves in Guangxi
9. Saw a frightened chicken sprayed with water and then, after fainting, wrangled to death while traveling in a hot marshutka to Sukhumi.
10. Went snorkeling in Coron, Philippines

Teach, Learn, Share

I like to teach and learn the languages I am familiar with and to discuss historical what-ifs.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can cook some recipes I have learned while on the road (so long as the ingredients are available!). We can share a glass of wine or a cup of tea over some conversation on any topic under the sun. I like to talk about history, languages, and culture, but am very interested in hearing about other topics. It's always good to broaden your horizons.

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, England, Estonia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Macao, Macedonia, Malaysia, Montenegro, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Germany, Lithuania, Philippines, United States

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