Note: Please be sure you have filled in your own profile as completely as possible; both the "about you" and "your home" pages, EVEN IF you're not able to host at the moment. This information helps me to decide if you're the sort of person I'd enjoy spending time with at my home.

Current mission:

Build trust among people; Make myself a better human being; Help my son be a better person.
Traveling should not be the rich people's privilege! Help people out and make friends whenever I can.

Philosophy:

“If you’re twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel – as far and as widely as possible. Sleep on floors if you have to. Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them – wherever you go.” – Anthony Bourdain
Who lives sees much. Who travels sees more.
Walking ten thousand miles of world is better than reading ten thousand scrolls of books.
One time seen is better than one hundred times heard about.
He who does not travel does not know the value of men.

About me:

Born and raised in China and now living in the United States, I am a native Chinese speaker with more than 20 years of English language teaching experience. I had taught English at the university and middle/high school level in China.

Since I moved to the United States in 2009, I have been teaching English Composition as well as Elementary Chinese and Introduction to Chinese Culture online at community colleges.

In addition, I am a licensed real estate agent and currently I am affiliated with Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate at Princeton office. Please find me at http://xiaopingdu.myglorianilsonagent.com/

What's more, I have been working as an independent counselor, mainly offering consultancy to international high school students and undergraduates when they apply for American colleges and universities. From early August to early January, it's usually my BUSIEST application season!

I am also a member of the non-profit environmental organization "NJ Sierra Club Central Group": https://www.facebook.com/NJSierraClub .

About my family:

For me, practicing couchsurfing is a family decision. As a family, we use the same CS account! Steve, my husband, has also been an adjunct professor, and a licensed real estate agent ( http://steveneisenberg.myglorianilsonagent.com/). Steve was born in New Jersey, grew up here, worked here and there, finally settle down in central Jersey. I would say he has been a real local resident.

My son is a middle school student, and a great reader.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

A 20-YEAR-LONG COUCHSURFER BOTH HOSTING AND BEING HOSTED WITHOUT REALIZING THE EXISTENCE OF CS...

I am here after my friend Wenxia Cui 's couchsurfing experiences in NYC, Philly, and Washington D.C..

As the surfer (my friend Wenxia) has pointed out, I have actually practiced couchsurfing for more than twenty years, from China to America. The difference is that I have hosted friends, acquaintances, friends of friends, folks from my hometown, etc., but never hosted "real" strangers. It will take some time for me to host "real" strangers but I would like to try.

Since I moved to Princeton area, I have hosted almost fifty visiting scholars and high school students from China. During summer from late June to middle August, we are usually extremely busy hosting students from China.

I live in Greater Princeton area, central New Jersey. It's convenient to use NJ Transit to get to NYC and Philly but the train tickets are not cheap ($ 16 one-way to NYC, for example).

I would love to host both American and Chinese parents and high school students, or parents and students from other areas or countries around the world, who want to have a campus tour on Princeton University, UPENN, Columbia University, Rutgers University at New Brunswick, etc. I am very familiar with their campus tour information.

I am also a licensed real estate agent affiliated with Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate. If you want to move to New Jersey and want to find a nice place to call home, I would love to work with you and help you settle down. If you live in New Jersey but want to move to any other state in the country and need to find a home but don't know any local agents, I would love to refer you to my partners across the states and help you settle down. You can find me at http://xiaopingdu.myglorianilsonagent.com/ .

If you have to work in NJ for a few months and need a short-term rental, please feel free to contact me and I would love to give you advice, though I may not be able to help you directly because it's unusual to find short-term rentals in any professional real estate websites and database. In Princeton area you may find very nice short-term rentals at Avalon Run Apartments with the help of their property managers. Of course, you will also be able to find sub-lease or shared rooms in this area. It all depends on your budget and your need for privacy or friendship.

Interests

Hiking, Walking, Meeting new people and making new friends, Eating, Reading, etc.

Looking back at the first half of my life, I have to admit that my life is very quiet and I have spent (maybe too much) time indoors (office,home,etc.).

Looking forward to the future, I am expecting a healthier outdoor life, spending more time with my family and making more friends around the world.

• culture
• books
• beauty
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• chinese food
• running
• walking
• clubbing
• reading
• traveling
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• teaching
• law

Music, Movies, and Books

After completing my three-year-long post-doctoral research, I have decided to learn from PEOPLE - MORE PEOPLE & NEW PEOPLE- rather than books!

I do love music, classical musical, light music, but no noisy ones!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I am very good at finding amazing beauty in normal daily life: Everything, Everyday!

Climb to the top of Mt. Huashan, which is 120 kilometers (about 75 miles) from Xi'an. It is famous for natural vista of steep and narrow paths, precipitous crags and a high mountain range.
Climb to the top of Badaling Great Wall!
Standing on the top of Bowman's Hill Tower in Washington Crossing Historic Park in Bucks County, Pennsylvania: one of the best spots to see foliage in the fall (early and middle October)

Teach, Learn, Share

I believe we can always learn something from each other, teach something to each other, and share something with each other.

Here I want to share with you some proverbs:

1. The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live. ~Mortimer Adler

2. All the world is a laboratory to the inquiring mind. ~Martin H. Fischer

3. Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. ~Mahatma Gandhi

4. “Bizarre travel plans are dancing lessons from God.” – Kurt Vonnegut

5. “Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” – Maya Angelou

What I Can Share with Hosts

I have a guest room which has two bunk beds, so I can host four people - a family: parent(s) with kids - at the same time.

I also love to cook with my guests. You will be exposed to Chinese food and Chinese culture at my home.

Wifi, washer, and dryer are all available!

If you wish, I can also recommend you to my friends in China, from Shanghai, Xi'an, Chongqing, to my hometown Dunhuang (https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/gansu/dunhuang/mogao_grottoes/) / (http://www.silk-road.com/dunhuang/dhintro.html).

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, United States