CURRENT MISSION

2014 - Reach 1000 subscribers for Candy Japan, get a master's degree. DONE!
2015 - Complete Japanese tax returns. Lame, but it's my mission right now :'(

ABOUT ME

Grew up in Finland with two major passions: computer programming and learning languages (I was interested in English, Russian and Japanese). In Finland every male has to do military service, but I didn't feel like learning how to shoot people, so chose civilian service instead.

Did that at a university. I had this image that only geniuses study in such places. While working there I came to realize that these are just normal people, so I also applied and got in. I studied computer science and Japanese there, just as I had always wanted!

Met wife at the university, she was an exchange student from Tokyo and I was also applying to be an exchange student to Japan at that time. Happened to get accepted as an exchange student in her university in Tokyo. Went there for 2 years and learned even more Japanese.

We lived for several years together in Finland, while she studied and I wrote some apps. Then we moved to Tokushima, Japan, and we've been here since 2010.

PHILOSOPHY

Kinda nihilistic and skeptical.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

We host surfers. Never surfed anywhere ourselves.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

We've had a ton of interesting people over. It's refreshing to hear new perspectives on life.

Interests

Programming, travel, learning Japanese, online business, blogging, swimming, diving, reading, video games, podcasts, watching movies.

Music, Movies, and Books

BOOKS

Here's every book I've ever read: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/29871091-bemmu?shelf=read

Basically biographies, anything by Hermann Hesse + tech & programming books.

MUSIC

I tend to listen to single tracks over and over again while working. They tend to be by Crystal Castles, Röyksopp and Grimes. So... electronic?

MOVIES

Here's most of the movies I've ever watched:
http://www.imdb.com/user/ur0093796/ratings?ref_=nv_usr_rt_4

TV SERIES

Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Star Trek, The Office...

VIDEO GAMES

Too many to list. I've been playing since 8-bit. Best games ever are UFO: Enemy Unknown, Civilization and nowadays the Battlefield series.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

When I first arrived to Japan I was poor and had to save up to be able to afford the plane ticket. Finally being able to take the flight and having the Japanese guy sitting next to me on the plane say "Welcome to Japan!" as we landed was amazing.

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, China, Denmark, Germany, India, Indonesia, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Russian Federation, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Finland, Japan, Sweden