Hola!
My name is Rachael, I'm 19 and I've grown up in Auckland,on the lovely green island that is New Zealand. I'm currently living and studying a BA in Wellington, at Victoria University. If you've seen the places i've visited you would guess that my family likes to travel. As a halfcast Filipino, i've been brought up valuing and displaying Asian Hospitality with all the laidback characteristics of a Kiwi. My overseas adventures have been multiple and diverse; Most within the past four years have been organised by me and my sixteen year old sister, as our parents consist of a technology-illiterate pensioner and a sweet,sweet yet oh so naive gym junkie/ 4+ star white towel-lovin' Asian mother. Daniel, our eight year old younger brother just cruises. This year will be the first year that my overseas expeditions will be entirely independent, and i would love to meet new people through a more intimate means as opposed to hotels and BnB's, as lovely as the latter can be. It would be awesome to build connections with enthusiastic adolescents such as myself who i can learn a thing or two from, and can show me experiences and places that commercial tourist methods blind travellers to.
Holla at me if you think you can handle this jandal (also known as a thong in America but means something hella different down here).

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

i feel like we all agree cheap accommodation is a good time, and im over the commercialised, bubble-wrapped experiences hotels and package accommodation has to offer. It would be lovely to stay with like-minded free thinkers who enjoy exchanging stories of well lived adventures, and create international relationships that could potentially be reciprocated.

Interests

I love music and going to gigs. I grew up in a musical household with a travelling family, so my favourite past times are playing the piano, listening to good beats (ranging from Etta James to Kimbra to Foster the People) and reminiscing past adventures across Asia, Europe and the Pacific Islands

• boating
• technology
• traveling
• music
• piano
• hiking
• international relations

Music, Movies, and Books

New Zealand films such as 'Boy' are a great laugh, although i most enjoy 1970-1980s classics such as 'My Girl' and 'Look Who's Talking'; not to mention 'The Breakfast Club' and 'Pretty woman'. However, Toy Story and Up will always have places in my heart <3

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Jumped off a two-storey high boat into the green waters of Halong Bay and befriended a nineteen year old village girl who was the same height as my seven year old brother whilst hiking through the villages of Sapa (Both in Vietnam)

Teach, Learn, Share

If you take nothing else with you on your future visits to New Zealand, please, blow on the pie. Safer communities everyone.

I am aware that i sound like the biggest douche but i think alot of it is because i'm big on kiwi banter. Problem is that half the world doesn't even think New Zealand is a thing, let alone its lingo/humour.

What I Can Share with Hosts

refer to above* GREAT KIWI YARNS AND JOKES THAT YOU PROBABLY WON'T GET FOR A SOLID THREE DAYS

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Denmark, England, Fiji, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Philippines, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Tonga, Turkey, Viet Nam, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

Denmark, New Zealand