CURRENT MISSION

Keep going as long as possible.

ABOUT ME

Right now, myself and fiance are preparing for a period of travel. We will be on the road for a year minimum, but much longer depending on this and that. Our current goal is going from Thailand to Uganda overland and over sea, while working on farms, home projects and eco-builds along the way.

This is Leah:
(She does most of the surf and host requests)
http://www.couchsurfing.org/profile.html?id=8BG4U1P&from_search

PHILOSOPHY

Working on this one each day.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I participate as a host and a surfer pretty equally. We had the pleasure of Hosting about 8 surfers in our small town over the last 3 years. I was impressed that anyone came to the middle of nowhere Korea and had a blast showing them what our little town had to offer.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Prior to coming to Korea the vast majority of my hosting was informal, offering a place to crash for fellow travelers.

In Uganda I met and stayed with several very random people.. no internet conenction to link us, just random meeting and conversation generally on busses.

However we have had a chance to host 7-8 people in out small city here in Korea which is cool because most people don't have much reason to travel to Wonju.

Interests

You name it really. I love meeting new people, and talking on all subjects really. I am a huge food fan and love to cook.

• dining
• cooking
• traveling
• backpacking
• business
• tourism
• parks
• lakes

Music, Movies, and Books

You name it, really in the book department, always looking for suggestions.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I have seen Africa's three largest lakes, and tallest mountain. Have eaten several types of bugs. I have crapped in more holes in the ground than I want to remember.

I have had the amazing and scary experience of having a female orangutan with child take my hand and refuse to let it go in the jungle in Sumatra.

Teach, Learn, Share

How not to get cheated or robbed in Africa

Step 1 - Do not wear your wealth
When a wristwatch is worth several months or even a years salary in the nation you are traveling in... leave it at home! It is both rude and stupid to flaunt that type of item. This includes most womens jewlery chains expencive singlasses etc.

Step 2 - Have a purpose, or pretend you do.
It is very nice to wander and search and gaze around at this new place you are in, however there is a way to do it without looking like a starry eyed fresh off the plane tourist. Make trips to the market, survay as if you were a buyer. Walk with a steady pace head raised. Move like you are going from point A to point B even when you have no diea where point B is.

Step 3 - Buy a cheap camera and use it sparengly
Do not step out of the airport/hotel/resteraunt with a camera around your neck, in your hand, on your belt etc. store it safely in a good small backpack that you can keep close to you. The more you take pictures the more people notice you. The more poeple that are noticing you, the higher the chances are that one of those people are not the type of person you want to be noticed by.

Step 4 - Money
Place money in several locations that are readily accessable and enough to get you back to your hotel in a place that is not so accessable have a pocket for small bills and change and one for larger bills. your small bill pocket should have one large bill so ideally you will not have to go digging in the large billpocket. Wear an underclothing money belt (but really only when you need to like in big taxi parks or markets. If you are careful you shouldn't need it most of the time)

Step 5 - Confidence and gut feeling
No matter how out of your element you are, you must not let it show. If you feel like a business deal for a guide or a hotel etc does not feel right, pull out of it... generally if it feels very sketchy it probably is (that being said it sometimes takes a while to understand how people do things but better safe than sorry)

Step 6 - Borders and Money Changers
At many African border crossings and airport parking lots you will encounter the money changers. Keep in mind that these guys are generally not the most honest guys. You generally will find a huge group of men, they will all want to do business with you. Take one person off to the side and DO NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE untill all others are no longer part of the conversation. tel him verbally how much money you want to change, check his calculations. Get his money and count it in front of him outloud count your money to him out loud and in the open while holding the new money in your hand. If he starts bringing anything else up, put your own money back into your pocket, re calculate and count the new money again. If after the conversion he offers to change some small notes, watch like a hawk. Give him the one bill to be changed and be sure you got the specific value back. In Rwanda for instance it is easy to switch 1000 frank notes for 100 frank notes.

Step 7 - Take all of this with a grain of salt
Do not be paranoid, be aware. If you keep a good eye on what happening around you, stand your ground when being surrounded and accept a minimum of bullshit you will be fine. If you let people walk over you, guide you here or there.. touch your bags without your permission then you will just might have to replace something.

Countries I’ve Visited

Cambodia, China, France, Germany, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Qatar, Rwanda, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, South Korea, Uganda