CURRENT MISSION

To accomplish all of these: 1) true friends/nakama, 2) loving family, 3) fun job, 4) applicable knowledge and skills, 5) healthy body and mind, 6) financial security, 7) spiritual fulfillment

ABOUT ME

Me? Introvert, geeky, nerdy, friendly, kinda eccentric, sensitive, serious, and short-tempered. If you ever watch 'Friends', you should understand this: I'm a humid, pre-possessing homosapiens with full-sized aortic pumps. And yes, I mean it.

Most of the time a loner, I am definitely not a guy with the best social skill ever. Moreover, I'm usually too shy to initiate conversation, or say something silly to initiate the conversation. So please don't get mad or upset if you found me too weird or aloof.

I'm not really the most sociable person you'll ever meet as I'm more an indoor type person, so I don't really like going out that often. I also rarely drink and I don't smoke. Still, I'm always willing to make new friends and be a good friend anywhere, but I still need to develop my interpersonal skill as time goes by.

Anyway, this whole CouchSurfing has affected me in some way. Now, I love taking picture of new places and nice people... with or without me on the frame. It might be annoying for some people, but believe me, I have no ill intention whatsoever. I am also now very interested in gastronomy and culinary tourism, so the key to befriend me well is to take me to the best place to eat in your place. I'm all in for delicious food and drink!

Or as any Indonesian who knows 'Pak Bondan' and his 'Wisata Kuliner': I want to genuinely declare 'maknyos!' while enjoying good food or drink all around the world!

PHILOSOPHY

"Do to others what you would like to be done to you. Do not do to others what you would not like to be done to you."

- Golden Rule & Silver Rule -

"Do you believe a man can change his destiny...? I think a man does what he can, until his destiny is revealed."

- the Last Samurai -

"It is better to always be bright than to always be right."

- anonymous -

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same."

- anonymous -

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

- Martin Luther King, Jr. -

"Although honesty is the best policy, don't forget that a truth that's told with bad intent... beats all the lies you can invent."

- anonymous -

"A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man."

- Jebediah Springfield -

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."

- Mark Twain -

"Excelsior!!!"

(Onward for the Greater Glory!!!)

我为什么加入 Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I've heard this program in Indonesia for the first time, but I was not really interested back then. Personally, I thought that traveling in general (especially backpacking) is physically exhausting, mentally tiring, and ridiculously expensive.

Only after I had finally came to the United States and interact with the local CS community, I realized that one does not need to become a backpacker to act like a Good Samaritan. This enlightenment has set me free and revolutionized my personal view of traveling. I am now a true believer of CouchSurfing movement!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Hosted:
1) Jennifer JLH, Kalamazoo - 4 days
2) Edmond Tan & Hoang My Pham, Kalamazoo - 2 days++
3) Stephanie Morrison, Kalamazoo - 2 days

Surfed:
1) Dylan Bailey, Detroit - 3 days
2) Thomas and Elisabeth Caissie, Montreal - 3 days
3) Annemarie, Montreal - 3 days
4) Marjolaine Cayouette, Quebec - 3 days
5) David Canuel-Gagnon, Quebec - 3 days
6) Wade P. Streeter, Detroit - 3 days

Traveled with:
1) Marlies Hagge, Washington D.C. - 6 days++
2) Andrew Koper, Detroit - 1 day
3) Phil Moran, Holland - 1 day
4) Jaclyn Beckerman, New York City - 1 day
5) Avichai Taylor, Kalamazoo & Detroit - 1 day++
6) Antoinette Burnham, Washington D.C. - 1 day
7) Agshin Jafarov, New York City - 6 days++
8) Daphne Goold, Kalamazoo - 1 day++
9) Peter Ruei, Kalamazoo - 3 days++
10) Brendan Snyder, Kalamazoo - 1 day
11) Leeor Schweitzer, Kalamazoo - 1 day++
12) Kayla Powers, Kalamazoo - 1 day
13) David Bernard, Kalamazoo - 1 day++
14) Teresa Cooper, Kalamazoo - 1 day
15) Liuba Taran, New York City - 1 day
16) Marc Asch, Kalamazoo - 1 day
17) Neric Lau, Detroit - 1 day
18) Sinan Sonmez, Kalamazoo - 1 day
19) Mark Taylor Archbold, Toronto & Niagara Falls - 3 days++
20) Hoang My Pham & Edmond Tan, Kalamazoo - 6 days++
21) Daren Wendell, Kalamazoo - 1 day
22) Rita "ANAKBETAWI", New York City - 1 day
23) Mia Mioc, Toronto - 2 days
24) Alysha and Sara, Toronto & Montreal - 1 day
25) Henri Vanderhaghen, Montreal - 2 days
26) Olivia-Anne Bouchard and Luc, Quebec - 1 day

PS: '++' means I have met them again in the near future after 'spending quality time' together. =)

兴趣

In my nonexistent free time, I like reading, cooking delicious food, eating delicious food, Zumba, breakdancing, singing, karaoke, watching movies, taking picture of new places and nice persons (with me within, even better while enjoying good food), thinking of inspirational quotes and motivational stories, playing video games (especially 'Rise of Nations'. Taking over the world is fun!), studying abroad with scholarship, learning some new practical foreign language and becoming a polyglot, space-time manipulation, world history, and discussing the zombie outbreak. I really love Fanfiction and Alternate History! Especially if it is related to Harry Potter and Left 4 Dead franchise.

I love swimming, ice-skating, playing racquetball / badminton, and bowling. I still need to practice a lot, though. And I am still currently looking for a nice place to bowl. :D

I'd also love to have superpower abilities, especially if it is related to mind power or all the 4 elements (Water, Earth, Fire, Air). Or, if it is related to mental manipulation like telepathy; mind is such terrible thing to waste.

On the more serious time, I am currently pursuing my MSc in Physics and MA in Science Education. I'd love to be a successful college professor someday. I'd be interested to meet and greet another CouchSurfers who are also teachers or educators.

• books
• singing
• photography
• documentaries
• education
• dining
• cooking
• bbq
• zumba
• drinking
• shopping
• movies
• video games
• reading
• traveling
• sudoku
• survival
• karaoke
• backpacking
• cricket
• racquetball
• track and field
• swimming
• bowling
• badminton
• teaching
• history
• physics
• science
• tourism

音乐、电影和书籍

Movies: French in Action, Merantau, Laskar Pelangi, Invictus, Pay It Forward, Kick Ass, Home Alone, Home Alone 2, Red Cliff, Harry Potter, Slumdog Millionaire, Mr. and Mrs. Smtih, Forrest Gump, The Mummy, The Mummy Returns, Indiana Jones, Saving Private Ryan, the Last Samurai, Avatar, Terminator, Rocky, Rambo, Die Hard, Godfather, Star Trek, Zombieland, Sister Act, High School Musical

Music: Jazz, Pop, Classic, Rock(?), instrumental, OST... well, almost any kind of music, as long as 'it' doesn't give me headache while hearing it.

Books: French in Action, the Bible, PhD Comics, xkcd Comics, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Harry Potter, Surely you are joking, Mr. Feynman!, World War Z, Zombie Survival Guide, All Cartoon series from Larry Gonnick, 'For Dummies' and 'Complete Idiot' series

TV Shows: Friends, The Simpsons, Family Guy, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Star Trek, Heroes, MacGyver, Mythbusters, American Idol, Amazing Race, America's Funniest Home Videos, It Only Hurts When I Laugh, 1000 Ways to Die, Who Wants to be a Millionaire

Games: Red Alert 2, Rise of Nations: Thrones & Patriots, Dynasty Warriors, GTA Vice City, Left 4 Dead, Left 4 Dead 2

Console (+ emulated): DOS, NES, SNES, SEGA Genesis, PlayStation, GBA, PS 2, X-Box 360

我做过的一件不可思议的事情

I once came on 2nd place for nationwide young Physicists' research, and became the national captain of Indonesian team to compete in 16th International Young Physicists' Tournament in Uppsala, Sweden. ( We didn't win, though.... T_T )

I have also been to Stockholm City Hall, where the Nobel Prize ceremonies are held annually. Someday, I might return there as a Nobel laureate. ^^

I have seen and experienced the rise of democracy in Indonesia in 21st century! While it was such long and painful journey, most Indonesians now believe that we are 'on the right track'. Also, it truly amazed me when the international community all united to help Indonesia when we were hit pretty hard by mega tsunami in 2004.

I am also the very first from my family to set his foot on American soil. In this Land of the Free and Home of the Brave, I am currently pursuing my American Dream! I do believe that America is indeed the land of opportunity. :D

Ever heard about Cedar Point? The Roller Coaster Capital of the World? Yup, I've been there also. And, I've tried those insane roller coasters there that heights more than 200 feet (61 m). I would never forget that I got vertigo until several days after the ride. :(

I've also experienced the Skycoaster (Ripcord) at Michigan's Adventure! I became a human pendulum basically, swinging back and forth from the initial height of 183 feet in the air. Brrrr....

I have been to Washington D.C. and the White House! I even got the picture of myself shaking hands with President Obama, albeit only from a gift shop....

While traveling to Canada, I have been to CN Tower, the tallest free-standing structure on land in the western civilization. I also have the chance to ride Maid of the Mist to Niagara Falls, the most powerful waterfall in North America!

visited 10 states (4.44%)Create your own visited map of The World

visited 18 states (36%)Create your own visited map of The United States

教，学，和分享

If you are interested to learn some practical Indonesian language or if you are planning to travel to Indonesia (especially Bali), I might be able to recommend you one or two things there. Also, I'm currently interested to learn some practical French to better prepare myself before couchsurfing to European Union.

It's been quite a while after the last time I practiced my Japanese; if you want to help reminding me some practical Japanese, I'll be delighted to learn from you. I want to go couchsurfing to Japan also someday.

Not so many people realize this, but actually you could learn a nation's history, traditions, struggles and hopes of its people by learning its national anthem! So I'll be delighted if you could teach me how to sing your national anthem, and discuss the English translation of the lyric. Wikipedia could help us a lot here. ^^

I am open to learn any kind of cooking, as long as I will get something delicious (especially for me personally) in the end!! For example, I might be able teach you how to cook Hainan rice. It's a very popular dish in Indonesia, especially among the upper middle class of Chinese Indonesian. Try eating that with BBQ pork, roast duck, brownish boiled egg and cut cucumber. Yummy!! :D

I'm also an amateur photographer, armed with my old 7 megapixel 28 mm Panasonic digital camera. If you could share me some practical tips and tricks about using this camera, I'll be delighted to learn that! BTW, my preferred genre is documentary photography.

Well, I also want to practice my Zumba and the basic of Breakdancing if I have the chances. Also, anybody here could teach me how to play Cricket and Bowling?

Can you teach me how to do Moonwalk like Michael Jackson? I always want to do Moonwalking while singing Billie Jean, but never really got it. :(

Are you interested to discuss some tips and tricks of solving Sudoku? Sometimes I play Sudoku to waste my productive time. ;)

What else I could share...? What about some knowledge of all the 7 books of Harry Potter? Yup, I am completely enchanted with the magical world of Harry Potter!

Some interesting discussion about how to better prepare for Zombie apocalypse maybe? World War Z and Zombie Survival Guide could be our references. Personally, I also enjoy playing Left 4 Dead so much, so we might up to something interesting if you love L4D!

Okay, I'm also a retro gamer. I still enjoy playing old console (either physically or emulated) like NES, SNES, and Sega Genesis. If you want to talk about the good ol' time, or even want to know how to play that console in your computer, then believe me that I'm the right man at the right time and the right place. ;)

Last but not least, I could show you how to laugh diabolically (cannot do that so often though, not good for one's throat)! You know, if someday I truly conquer the world....

我游览过的国家

Canada, Indonesia, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, United States

我居住过的国家

Indonesia, United States

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