Hi there, my name is El (short for Elaina), I use they/them pronouns, and my full name means light, wisdom, and good adventure. I hope to live out my name in this lifetime in an intentional, fun, and caring way :)

I am a second generation filipino-canadian who grew up in a small town in British Columbia, Canada.
I am the eldest child in a family of 7, a friend, and community member with chosen family across metro Vancouver.

I am energized by: cooking for/with others (vegan/vegetarian food mainly), eating, going for walks, biking, hiking, karaoke, playing music (guitar/singing), having a good chat/yap, meditating (completed a 10-day meditation), dancing, playing volleyball, going to the steam room, exploring by walking, and coming up with new designs.

I'm slowly building my business/skills as a graphic designer (since last year), and it's both chaotic and fun to organize/learn about being an entrepreneur! When I'm not doing this, I enjoy seeing where a day goes and being spontaneous (learning something new or going somewhere on transit, I love commuting for fun).

If you host me, I would love to make you my signature crackers with sesame seeds (in my baking era).

If I sound like someone you might get along with or want to learn more from, please reach out \(^-^)/

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Since high school, I've always wanted to try couch surfing, but was not confident enough / know myself enough to try it out.

Now that I have a better understanding of myself + am more social (and less introverted), I'm really keen to see how this goes!

I'm planning a trip to Japan in May this year, and I'm really excited about the idea of meeting locals in the country through couch surfing.

I'm also keen to try hosting some couch surfers at my place - I have a pretty nice hide-a-bed, that is actually way comfier than my own bed, that you can use :)

Interests

• singing
• design
• graphic design
• dancing
• cooking
• vegetarian
• vegan
• meditation
• walking
• music
• guitar
• karaoke
• hiking
• volleyball
• swimming
• nature
• relaxing
• conversations
• canada
• japan
• chatting

Music, Movies, and Books

Songs I love:
Nice to Each Other & I've Seen it (Olivia Dean), he peaceful retreat playlist on Spotify, Always (Daniel Caesar), Angel (Jack Johnson), Bakunawa (Ruby Ibarra), Love Like You (Rebecca Sugar), departure! (Masatoshi Ono), 3 Boys (Omar Apollo), For Good (Wicked Musical)

Movies I loved recently:
Everything Everywhere All At Once, Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle, Linda veut du poulet (Chicken for Linda!), Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away

Books I loved recently:
The Bullet Journal Method (Ryder Carol), Digital Minimalism (Cal Newport), When Things Fall Apart (Pema Chodron), Fruits Baskets (Natsuki Takaya), Haikyuu manga (Haruichi Furudate), hunter x hunter manga (Yoshihiro Togashi), Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (Benjamin Alire Sáenz), A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Becky Chambers)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Wrote and shared a letter to my parents about my traumas growing up, what I wished my younger self could have said, and what I feel now. Coming out of this feeling more honest with them, and it's been a relief ever since.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you how to make homemade crackers, about volleyball (some), how to learn guitar/ukulele chords (basics), how to cook, origami, bullet journaling (my method), how to embroider (basic stitches), how to offer emotional support.

I would like to learn how to cook a meal you enjoy or how to play / sing a song you love!

I'd like to share memories with you somehow!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can teach you how to make homemade crackers, about volleyball (some), how to learn guitar/ukulele chords (basics), how to cook, origami, bullet journaling (my method), how to embroider (basic stitches), how to offer emotional support.

Happy to share meals and anything I could provide insights on! Whether that's related to home life, travel, work, etc. - would love to explore what sharing means to you too.

Countries I’ve Visited

England, Italy, Mexico, Philippines, Spain

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada