Hi, I'm Yasmin.

Before moving to Beijing, I worked at a financial institution in London and now I am working in the field of sustainable mobility and help governments make cities and transportation more sustainable.

I speak German, Mandarin Chinese, and English fluently and have worked and studied in six different countries across three continents (UK, Netherlands, USA, Germany, China, and Thailand) amongst others also at Peking University.

My friends would describe me as a curious, open-minded, optimistic and inquisitive person.
I like to wander around, get lost in familiar places and discover hidden gems and passages. Love trying out new things, finding that cozy looking café or restaurant that cooks amazing food, visiting museums, being intellectually challenged and having thought-provoking conversations.
In my free time, I like to do different kinds of sport, especially badminton, running, skiing and yoga, trying out new foods and exploring the hidden gems of Beijing. I love reading books, whether it is economics related or just fiction book such as Harry Potter.

One of the most interesting aspects of meeting new people from different cultural and academic backgrounds is that I am able to discuss various questions and topics with them and learn about their way of thinking and how they see the world.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To meet people from all around the world and to travel not from the perspective of a tourist, but from a local's point of view. I'd like to see how other people live and get some inspiration for my own place.

Guess I just wanted to know what all the hype is about.

Interests

• books
• photography
• dancing
• cooking
• movies
• traveling
• socializing
• piano
• karaoke
• swimming
• badminton
• eating
• ballet
• adventures
• salsa

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

- Backpacking and couchsurfing through Europe for a whole summer (2017)
- My high school exchange year in the US
- Exchange semester at PKU in Beijing
- Working as an English teacher in rural Thailand

Summer in Thailand:
Initially, my friends and I just wanted to go swimming in a lake that was supposed to be 15min walking distance from the camping grounds. But instead of finding that lake, we ended up hiking in flipflops for 3 hours in the Thai jungle and coming across several places with crocodile warning signs. Luckily, we survived our jungle trip and didn't become the main dish or dessert of the jungle inhabitants. We even found a breathtaking waterfall at the end of our exhausting but unforgettable journey.
Even if we didn't know what we would encounter and where we would end up, it was still worth it in the end!

Teach, Learn, Share

I can definitely teach you some German or Chinese.
I'm interested in getting to know the people around me and the world we are living in. I believe that everyone has a certain skills, knowledge or just stories he/she can share with others and I'm always willing to learn new things. If you ever need someone to talk to, I'll have an open ear for you!

What I Can Share with Hosts

My time and personal space :D I know you'll probably sacrifice some of yours too and I'm incredibly grateful for that. My Michelin-worthy cooking skills. Just kidding but I can feed myself and occasionally some friends so we can definitely cook something together. My willingness to try out everything ranging from eating fried frogs to swimming at the beach at 3 am. Just hanging out together, chilling at your home, my home or some other place in town, doing spontaneous things and talking about life.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, Germany, Netherlands, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States