Howdy! I'm Justin, an engineer in Los Angeles working in the profession of saving lives. No, I'm not a doctor of any sort (I wish... Just kidding, not really). I work in the field of structural and earthquake engineering, where I design buildings to be earthquake-resistant. Every time an earthquake happens and no one is injured, you can thank a structural engineer for that.

Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, backpacking, traveling and road trips, cooking (although I currently suck at it), building computers, hobby photography, learning about anything and everything mechanical, and the occasional video game session. I am a fan of jazz, quiet storm, soul, funk, Motown, R&B, classic rock, 80s music, and pretty much anything with synths. If I knew how to play an instrument (which, for the record, I don't), I'd choose bass guitar.

Currently, I am trying to travel more, go hiking more, catch up on some blockbuster games I missed out on, and dabble a bit in 3D printing.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I like to reference mottos and proverbs in my day-to-day life because they're like reverse-stereotypes; instead of some quasi-truth about a type of person or thing, often times negative in implication, mottos and proverbs tend to be golden nuggets of wisdom.

The one that always stuck out for me, especially for traveling, is, "Perspective is everything." Specifically, an exchange of perspective on life, culture, values, and experiences. In my humble opinion, the biggest reward when traveling is engaging with people from an entirely different part of the spectrum, and in that process, one sees and understands further that one ever could have imagined.

Allow me to rephrase it this way: "Stevie Wonder may be blind, but that does not mean he lacks vision."
I'd like to cultivate that sense of vision.

Interests

• photography
• cooking
• traveling
• hiking
• backpacking
• computers

Music, Movies, and Books

Oh man. Where do I start? In no particular order...

Music:
Sade, Earth, Wind & Fire, Michael Jackson, Toto, the Eagles, 80s Music, R&B

Movies:
Ocean's 11, Rush Hour, the Matrix, Ghost in the Shell, any Jackie Chan movie, most Studio Ghibli movies, most Pixar movies

Books:
Nothing in particular, just a whole lot of random articles about the stuff I am interested in.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I used to design and build canoes out of concrete (yes, concrete that floats!) while I was in school.

I took an improv class for kicks and giggles... I guess you could say I winged it.

What I Can Share with Hosts

If you are looking for any of the following... I got your back, Jack:
- Travel and life stories
- A good laugh
- Cooking partner
- Karaoke partner
- Building a computer
- A good time

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, China, Germany, Greece, Japan, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, United States