Hello there! My name is Kexin. I'm currently a PhD student in physics in the U.S. To pronounce my name in French: Quee siín; in pinyin: kě xīn.

I grew up in Ningbo, a beautiful coastal city in China with the most delicious yet the most simply-cooked seafood in the world. As a kid, my parents took me traveling a lot, and I found myself constantly in awe of the natural world. The love for travel was planted deep in me since then.

p.s. I have a sketchy YouTube travel channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo5hRJe6ArEmNq3X4bvNFaA

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I started Couchsurfing when I traveled with my amazingly cool best friend Carol in winter 2021 around the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico by nothing but hitchhiking and CouchSurfing. Thanks to 21 kindhearted drivers and 4 enthusiastic hosts who made our over 1300 km journey absolutely enjoyable and made me fall in love with this vibrant way of travel.

Later, I realized that this trip had changed my entire travel philosophy. It has become less about making detailed plans for each day and checking off various tourist spots, but more about allowing spontaneity, accepting changes, meeting people, learning about their lives, and understanding their connection to the land they live on.

I enjoy both surfing and hosting. Surfing is always an adventure, a precious opportunity to peek into someone else’s life, to experience a place and its culture through the eyes of a local. Hosting brings the world to my doorstep as travelers fill my home with stories and life.

Couchsurfing has also shown me how deeply I can connect with a complete stranger in just a few hours, how a kind host can shape my entire memory of a city, how someone from a completely different background can inspire, challenge, and connect with me, and thus how it breaks down prejudice by replacing misinformation and ignorance with real human stories and shared experiences. It’s a beautiful way to meet people, shape values, build lifelong friendships, and discover love.

These experiences have made me deeply appreciate the spirit and meaning of Couchsurfing, and this is why I am on Couchsurfing.

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How I practice Couchsurfing as a host:

First, you should read the "My Home" section before you request. The only thing I ask from my surfers is to be respectful and mindful, which includes following the house rules.

I don’t expect anything in return for hosting. Opening my home is my way of giving back to this community and to the wonderful people who hosted me while I was traveling. So you shouldn’t feel obligated to bring me anything, fruit, bread, souvenirs… nor should you feel that you have to spend a significant amount of time with me. You are a traveler, so I understand if you want to explore the city.

My calendar is always up to date, so please avoid sending requests for dates I’ve marked as unavailable. I really recommend all hosts do the same — I’ve sent plenty of requests only to find out the host was out of town :(

Interests

• arts
• waltz
• cooking
• vegan
• yoga
• running
• crafts
• painting
• bouldering
• hiking
• sailing
• swimming
• museums
• fruits
• air pistol

Music, Movies, and Books

Favorite visual artists: Henry Martisse, M. C. Escher, Núria Pompeia, Woomin Kim, Claude Monet, 徐渭, Tanaka Ryōhei, Marina Abramović, Salvador Dalí, René Magritte;

Favorite shows: La Casa de Papel, How I Met Your Mother, Friends, The Big Bang Theory, The Good Place, Clarkson’s Farm, Bref, Black Mirror, When Life Gives You Tangerines…

Favorite books: Educated (by Tara Westover), A Man Called Ove (by Fredrik Backman), The Three-Body Problem (by Liu Cixin), To Live (by Yu Hua), Big Breasts and Wide Hips (by Mo Yan), The Submarine at Night (by Chen Chuncheng), They Called Me a Lioness (by Ahed Tamimi)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I had a collection of every pebble that got stuck under my shoes while I was running. It was interesting to see how the pebbles are of the same size as they fit exactly within the spacing between the ridges.

Teach, Learn, Share

Teach
① I’ve been practicing traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy since a kid. For several summers, I volunteered to teach Chinese painting to children in rural primary schools. I’d love to share this beautiful art form with anyone who’s curious to try it.
② If you're ever in the mood to hear about the physics behind everyday phenomena — well that’s my expertise.

Learn:
① I’m really into all kinds of dance — Salsa, Samba, Waltz, etc — and would love the chance to learn or dance with someone.
② Your story, your culture, and your way of life.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Belize, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Hong Kong, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Macao, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, Oman, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, United States