I'm an undergrad student in Washington, DC, studying healthcare policy and management. I am planning on having a career in healthcare as I am passionate about equitable access to high quality care for everyone, especially vulnerable populations! I have a budding interest in sustainable fashion and sustainable living, though for now I am just starting with being better about recycling and not shopping for clothes/accessories/homeware from anywhere besides thrift stores (and minimizing my closet by donating/selling clothes I no longer enjoy). I love, love, love indoor gardening, as I do not have any soil outdoors that I can cultivate while living on a college campus.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

All my life I have heard older people tell me to travel while I am young. I have been so focused on my studies that I did not realize time was slipping by, and with college graduation looming ahead, I woke up to the fact that I really had not gone to see different places while I am going to school on the east coast. It is so easy to take a bus or train from DC to many different places on the east coast, and I want to start taking advantage of the location and opportunities to go to new places, meet new people, and expand the horizon of my experiences so that I may become a better person.

Interests

During the spring, summer, and fall months I usually have fresh herbs on the windowsill, along with several succulents, and bunches of fresh cut flowers from the grocery store. I believe that some plants always instantly breathe life into a space, both figuratively and literally, as plants help purify and replenish the breathable air indoors as well.
I love learning about, viewing, experiencing, and making art. Since I find that I do not have too much time to sit and make art in recent months, I have been really delving into sites like Pinterest and Tumblr to pool images and words that inspire me. I really love to review my Tumblr page, as I use it as a place to compile images, videos, gifs, etc that really make me feel happy no matter what. Despite the scarcity of time that I feel in my life, I signed up for an introductory oil painting class for my Spring 2017 semester, and I love it so much. My professor is very kind and experienced, and teaches well, so my classmates and I are able to grow as painters in both intellect and skill. I am grateful.

• fashion
• gardening
• healthcare
• oil painting

Music, Movies, and Books

I typically gravitate towards indie music, instrumental stuff, or anything that is calming and soft. However, I like a wide range of genres, and typically listen to whatever is around me and enjoy it.
I love animated movies, and Howl's Moving Castle is my favorite. I love every Studio Ghibli movie except for Tales of Earthsea. That one could have been done a lot better. I have yet to watch Grave of the Fireflies since I know that one is sad and I would get my heart broken over it.
Books...I used to be a voracious reader, and I remember one book I constantly reread was Ella Enchanted. I would borrow the cassette tapes for it and listen to them at night until I fell asleep. I remember that I really enjoyed the reader's voices for the different characters, as she was able to convey their natures quite well. I also remember that, besides the obvious series like Harry Potter and the Chronicles of Narnia, I was obsessed with the mystery/thriller series that Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child co-authored/are still co-authoring, starring their fictional character Aloysius Pendergast, FBI Special Agent. I thought he was super super cool!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I managed to grow a sunflower from seed and plant it outdoors! That is a significant achievement for me, as that was my first time successfully growing anything from just a seed, and also my first time tending to an outdoor plant that was growing from a young stage and therefore needed a little extra human help. It was truly exciting to incubate the sunflower seeds and see them germinate, and then to plant them and see small leaves appear weeks later in the same spots. Several other young sunflowers were trampled, but one survived to be tall, healthy, and beautiful.

Teach, Learn, Share

I studied and played piano for 12 years and more, and violin for 8 years and more, so if you're interested in either instrument, I'd love to practice with you or talk with you about them! If you're also a plant nerd, we will have great discussion I;m sure of it. I am always looking to practice my Chinese and French as well.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can share my stories and experiences with my hosts! And recommendations on what fun things to do in Washington, DC and Cleveland, OH, and even things for Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu (Sichuan Province) China. I love to cook as well, so we can make and share meals! I typically don't use recipes, since I have learned how to cook by watching my parents and I can at least turn produce into things that I actually enjoy rather than eat purely for survival. But! Recipes are great and guarantee that I don't go off-script and experiment the heck out of the food.

Countries I’ve Visited

Bahamas, Canada, China, Japan, Puerto Rico

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, United States