CURRENT MISSION

Travel to every country!

ABOUT ME

My passion of learning about, and emerging myself in other cultures began when my parents sent me to Japan, to study abroad for my fall third grade semester. Going to school in a different country was opposite of everything, that I, as a 7-year-old who had never left the US midwest, had ever experienced. But instead of feeling culture shock, or homesickness, like my parents were concerned about, I fell in love! The people, the different language, the new foods, the giant toy shops (especially one with a roller coaster on top), all enchanted me. I didn’t want to leave and come home, when my Japanese school semester was over.

Ever since that semester abroad, as a child, I have dreamed of even more countries that I had never visited, and cultures I hadn’t yet experienced, and wondered how other people in every different part of the world lived and how they thought, and had longed to visit, and meet people from every place on the planet.

Now, I am 26-years old, and have visited 24 countries so far. I have met so many interesting people, and had so many adventures that I will remember my whole life. Spain, Portugal and Morocco, I toured one summer with a group from my university, and the other countries I have backpacked, by myself, sleeping in a tent and in hostels or people’s houses I would meet along the way. Hello! My name is Yoshimi Diana, and one of my BIGGEST goals in life is to visit every country, and meet it's people, learn their culture, and do it ho-bo style! Who needs nice clothes, expensive food and a bed? Not me...give me a small, safe spot on your floor to sleep on, and I will be just as happy as a clam! I'm used to sleeping on roofs, or just finding a spot on the side of a building to sleep, when I can't pitch a tent, so any living condition is luxury!

PHILOSOPHY

I believe that if all of society would live by the golden rule, the world would be a waaay better place...I love God and try my best to honor him with my actions...God meant for life to be enjoyed, so I try to have as much fun as possible!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I hosted a really nice Canadian once. We went out in OKC and had a great time with some of my friends. We still keep up with each other on Facebook.
When I was in Naples, Italy, a really cool guy my dad's age was going to host me.
When I got off the train station in Naples I almost turned around and went straight back to Rome. Naples is a tough city! Tons and tons of men were in front of the train station. Rough Italian guys. Grabbing my backpack, yelling bad stuff at me, laughing. Only time in my travels alone that I have ever felt seriously threatened. I was so scared, (but couldn't afford a hostel), that I went to the nearest internet cafe, logged onto Couchsurfer, and begged some Naples residents to let me stay. A man immediately responded, and told me which train stop to get off at.

The trains went on strike a few stops before the stop where I was supposed to meet my host at. We all got out, and I didn't know what was going on or what to do, because none of the Italians on my train spoke English, and I didn't speak any Italian. My host found out that the strike had stopped the trains, and he came to my stop, and picked me and my giant backpack up on his motorcycle! Brought me to his beautiful house on a hill, fed me and gave me my own room with a fantastic view of Naples. Fed me breakfast and dropped me back off at the train station the next morning!

Interests

Travel, working out, bars and clubs, shopping, other people and cultures! Reading <3

• culture
• dining
• breakfast
• working out
• walking
• clubbing
• shopping
• clothing
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• backpacking
• study abroad

Music, Movies, and Books

I love to read books about travel...travel guides and historical biographies. I like funny movies! Favorites are Wedding Crashers, The Hangover, Taledega Nights...and all other movies like those!
Music: depends on my mood...I like Indie a lot, techno and 90's, and sometimes rap when I'm feelin ganster 8)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

-My solo backpacking trip through 19 countries the summer of 2011 was life changing!...Living in a tent and eating dried oatmeal and once found my own escargot in the ocean.
-Overcoming cancer! #survivor
-Walking the streets in the ancient city of Fez in Morocco was amazing! Like walking back in time two-hundred years. Jumping out of the way every time a turban clad man ran a dead pelt carrying donkey past me, yelling "Balak balak!!!!", was definitely an experience I will always remember...I can still vividly remember the horrible smell of that city, from the leather making areas there. It is almost the same smell of a sewer storage processing plant that I visited in the US one time.

Teach, Learn, Share

Whenever I get into my own little world where the sun rises and sets around Yoshimi...I remember how I am in a small city, in a state, on a continent, in an ocean, in a world, in a galaxy, in a universe with tons of other galaxies and countless other planets, and then I remember time, and how it exists in my world, and I remember how small I am, and how short my life is, and how great and BIG God is, and I am so amazed that he is in my little insignificant life, and it blows my mind to realize that this same God who created it all, loved me enough to die for me! And the two greatest things he asks of me is to love him back, and love others? Done Lord! #Perspective

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States