I am originally from the US with parents from China and Canada, though I currently live in Kenya. There I work for a startup company creating technology to order and deliver supplies across Africa.

I love learning languages, tasting different foods, and immersing myself in local cultures.

I enjoy the spontaneity of life; the worst thing I can imagine is having a career that involves waking up and doing the same thing everyday for the next 40 years.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Since joining Couchsurfing back in 2012 I've had an excellent time meeting and staying with people across countries all over the world. I hope to continue these positive experiences and meet new interesting people from all over the world!

Interests

I'm really into linguistics, not just learning languages but also learning about how language is used and varies depending on social circumstances.

I also spend a lot of time doing music related activities. I was previously a pretty serious classical composer but decided against going to conservatory and a career in music. Right now in Nairobi I'm also playing in a funk band.

• books
• performing arts
• technology
• coding
• music
• jazz
• piano
• track and field
• business
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

I enjoy reading biographical adventures as well as other thought-provoking works of non-fiction. I also spend a lot of time on Wikipedia learning about the world in general.

Music ranges from jazz to classical to indie rock to old school hip hop.

Movies I enjoy (no particular order): Motorcycle Diaries, Paradise Now, Persepolis, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, most films directed by Zhang Yimou, and most films written by Charlie Kaufman.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I illicitly snuck into Tibet via a four-day bus journey from a neighboring region into the capital city of Lhasa. Probably the most harrowing and spectacularly beautiful experience of my life so far.

Teach, Learn, Share

Love teaching other people languages I know such as Chinese, and I always try to learn some of the local languages of any place I visit. Sharing different travel stories of the places visited is one of my favorite activities.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, China, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Germany, Ghana, Haiti, Honduras, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Nicaragua, Palestine, Panama, Rwanda, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Kenya, United States