It’s a bit long self-introduction. I would truly appreciate it If you could kindly take the time to read through.

Almost four years have passed, and I found myself reopening the Couchsurfing page once again. It’s been about four years since my last journey abroad. Before the pandemic struck, the farthest I had traveled was to Siberia. Now, war persists. In 2020, I was a student living in Beijing, dreaming of attending Ryuichi Sakamoto's concert in Tokyo during winter break cuz I was the lucky one who won the ticket through a draw. However, everything turned to ashes because of COVID. Two years later, the great musician ascended to heaven. Everything changed suddenly. For me, and for anyone trapped in mainland China, the pandemic nightmare lasted for three years—not just in 2020, 2021, or 2022, but from 2020 to 2023.

After graduation, I went to Shanghai to make a living, and experienced the darkest time I’ve ever encountered, the Shanghai lockdown. I witnessed lives and dignity being trampled upon. I remembered undergoing multiple mental breakdowns. I felt my hopes, dreams, and courage shattering. Somehow I still cannot break free from the nightmare of the pandemic, unable to heal from this trauma. I am trying to be a survivor rather than indulging in the role of a victim. But in the midst of it all, I yearn to make myself seen and heard.

I guess this is why I’m writing this at the page. If you feel uncomfortable reading this, just skip it and don’t worry. I recalled lots of wonderful memories from my travel during my hardest times. The kindred spirits I met through Couchsurfing and the moments I captured in different places offer great comfort. To be honest, I feel somewhat timid and anxious as I decide to explore the world again. People often discuss “fear” on social media. I sense that feeling through my body and language even before I step out—it's a physical response. I understand that people tend to be more closed than open by nature. A open spirit is nurtured by learning and practicing. A simple way to stay open is to go out and explore as much as possible. So, here is the reason why I’m getting started.

I am very grateful if you have read up to this point. If you would like to know me, this is the recent and authentic me, a person with complexity, contradictions, and layers of intricacy. I used to write about how energetic and easy-going I am and lots of vanilla stuffs (lol). It may seem easy (or maybe not) to showcase the capabilities as a traveler on Couchsurfing, but I would like to spotlight the genuine elements. So, I deleted my past page and rewrote it. Don’t get me wrong! I am still a easy-going person. I like smiling, or laughing. I’ll laugh loudly if I hear jokes or funny staffs lol. I enjoy discussing topics and insightful conversations, from social issues, gender subjects, pop culture to daily routines. I can be a good listener so you can tell me anything you would love to share. I’m not sure whether I’m good at comforting, but I’m a good hugger if you need a hug. I think it’s better for you to know more about me when we meet up.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

The first time I heard about Couchsurfing was on a train to Yunnan（a beautiful traveling province in China ）I met a man who came back from Japan not long ago and he introduced it to me and shared me with his stories about Couchsurfing in Japan. I grew interested in it. I was surprised and happy when another friend of mine shared her wonderful experiences with hosts in Europe. I think it is one of the best ways to communicate with locals, experience local cultures and be a part of the places I travel. I have a great passion to meet different friends in my travel and it's sooo nice to communicate with people of different backgrounds and know the cultures of different places. The kind people I've met are the most precious treasures in my traveling.

Interests

• arts
• culture
• literature
• cooking
• reading
• travel
• food
• communication

Music, Movies, and Books

Music:

Rock’n’Roll: A 20th-century rock music enthusiast; The 60s-70s resonates with me the most. Always thankful for that.

Canton Pop: A Cantonese all-time favorite HK indie band— my little airport. Their music stands as the finest footnote to Hong Kong, the era, and the young generation.

Japanese music: grew up with Millennium divas like Ayumi Hamasaki and Hikaru Utada; A big fan of Sheena Ringo and Tokyo Incident; Fuji Kaze, YMO, Akiko Yano, SAKEROCK; City Pop; Shibuya-kei music; would like to discover J Jazz and J hiphop

K-Pop: grew up with the second generation; currently stanning NewJeans

Musicals: used to watch a lots of French and German musicals

Movies:

Enjoy Asian and European films

Books:

All types of literature; Sociology;General Knowledge Primer; My current favorite writers are: Elena Ferrante, Dubravka Ugrešić, Kim Ae-ran, Chizuko Ueno, Rin Usami.

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach * Mandarin and Cantonese. I have experience in teaching foreigners Chinese（I joined in a voluntary teaching program in Greenway China）and I would love to teach you Cantonese if you're interested in it. :) * I am a good cooker, and I can cook you Chinese foods, especially Cantonese taste, and make Cantonese-style desserts.

Share* I would love to share about my life, my traveling experiences, my country and culture and my viewpoints about everything I'm interested in or you wanna know.

Learn* Cultures, languages, traditions, lifestyles and experiences! Everything you would like to share with me.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Time and company

Communication

Mandarin and Cantonese teaching

Cantonese foods and desserts

Knowledge about anything I know.

Countries I’ve Visited

China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macao, Russian Federation, Taiwan, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

China