I have always thought it'd be more courteous to at least tell people why I reject their requests, but honestly, I'm tired of doing it, especially when my inbox is flooded with impersonal requests asking a free couch to crash. THAT IS NOT THE GOAL OF COUCHSURFING, PEOPLE. Even if you want to save money, at least let me know what we have in common?
Well I just want to complain but I guess I can't change the world...
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I love doing neighborhood traveling, city traveling, camping (in car and in tent), international traveling, thrifty traveling...only have not done time traveling!

FUN FACT: I have lost both the beanie and the scarf you see in my profile picture lol. But I still have the green sweater; in fact, you might see me wear it when we meet

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I am energized by new experiences. It excites me to meet different people and learn about the world, bit by bit, through individual stories. These people and their narratives, in turn, make me introspect, reflect, and (re)evaluate what I know and believe in.

Interests

• theater
• concerts
• bouldering
• camping
• philosophy
• german
• social sciences
• stand up comedy
• healthy eating
• kajaking
• sourdough
• al pastor tacos
• quickbread

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Cantonese music and music in languages that I don't know. Plus French horn, sax, viola, cello

Books: as of recent -- The Other Significant Others, Useful Delusions, The Hidden Brain, Dopamine Nation, Salt Acid Fat Heat, Educated

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

- Got a free ride from the police because I couldn't get a taxi on the highway in the rain
- Spent an 18hr overnight layover in Kiev, Ukraine, climbing onto rooftops, staying up all night waiting for the sunrise with my amazing host @Marianna Ianovska
- Hiked Mt. Whitney (highest peak in continental USA), Rim-to-Rim in the Grand Canyon, walked from one end of Los Angeles to the other, did Camino de Santiago (Inglés)
- Recently (August 2024), I've been skinny-dipping in frigid alpine lakes on every hike in the Eastern Sierras (California), because of which I've started taking cold showers at home. It's helped me have a new, unexpectedly harmonious relationship with uncomfortable sensations and pain

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you how to tie your shoes 40% faster than the typical way

What I Can Share with Hosts

🤔 Intellectual conversations (recent interests in 2024: the psychology of self-deception, diversity within Diversity Equity Inclusion discussions, how to cook good meat)

As a guest, I'm flexibly independent: It's be great to spend some time together, but everyone has their own life, so if the host can't be with me too much, I'd happily explore on my own. The same is true when I'm a host

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Macao, Malaysia, Maldives, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, Germany, United States