CURRENT MISSION

To eat well and live well - To grow my heart and soul through traveling and meeting different people

ABOUT ME

I am Hmong-American from California, USA. Pronounced "Mong" with a silent H. (No, I'm not Mongolian though I'm pretty sure our roots started from China.) My parents are refugees from Southeast Asia (specifically Laos/Thailand). They flee to the United States after the Vietnam War. I grew up in California with 6 sisters and 3 brothers. I am the youngest/the baby of the family. I know, I have a BIG family! And if you're wondering, yes, our family gatherings are big and very very fun!

I went to a 4-year university (UC Berkeley! ROLL on you BEARS) in the Bay Area right across the bridge from San Francisco. After graduating, I moved to Sacramento and worked for a couple of years. I decided to take a break to travel because 1) I'm young! 2) I started to be really cynical about the community work I was doing (the change I wanted to see in my community was slow and the impact I wanted to make wasn't what I imagined) so I needed a change of environment and 3) I really wanted to expand my horizon through good food and people I would meet through my travels. I knew that traveling would give me the opportunity to challenge myself and go out of my comfort zones.

This is my first time traveling in Europe. So far I've visited France and Italy. I'm looking forward to more trips in Europe before I leave back to the states.

PHILOSOPHY

I live by these two quotes. "Live for the moments you cannot put into words" and "Know History, Know self. No History, No self." I grew up in the states so I'm always constantly exploring my identity as a Hmong woman and as an American. To really build a solid and strong foundation, I believe you must learn about the past and explore your roots, to fully understand how it has shaped you as an individual today.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Right now, I can't host anyone in Sacramento but when I get back to the states, I would love to hang out if you're ever in town.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

This is my first time couch surfing. Once I have more exciting stories to tell, I will share them!

Interests

I enjoy: Traveling, photography (I named my camera Darwin), cooking (esp. Southeast Asian dishes), baking, eating good food, wine/beer/whiskey sipping, exploring the different neighborhoods of different cities, spending time with family/friends and my partner, arts&crafts, the outdoors, hiking, sightseeing, meeting new people of different backgrounds, and eating (did I say that already?!).

• arts
• culture
• photography
• environment
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• beer
• baking
• drinking
• crafts
• traveling
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• surfing
• history
• sightseeing

Music, Movies, and Books

Favorite movie of all time: The Wizard of Oz (which means I also love the musical, Wicked). I enjoy sci-fi/fiction/fantasy/scary/romantic comedies. Favorite music: anything and everything (can't really do heavy metal, bad college experience) and lately I've been really into Ra Ra Riot and Justin Timberlake. Favorite books: The Giver, The Alchemist, books about social justice/class/race/gender, and I'm open to suggestions!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I am an auntie to 13 nieces and nephews (and counting). I have watched them grow in their little diapers to the young adults they are today. They never stop amazing me. I have grown to be more humble because of them. I feel very blessed.

Teach, Learn, Share

I want to learn a few words in your language and learn about local cuisines/drinks. I will share with you my culture and my experiences so far from growing up in the states to traveling to Europe.

Countries I’ve Visited

France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Italy