I feel nurtured when I am out in nature, biking, walking/hiking, roller blading, kayaking, and floating in lakes and rivers. I am not a graceful swimmer, nor am I strong swimmer, but I AM a strong floater!

I have had the travel bug for as long as I can remember, hence I have been a member of couchsurfing since 2010, but I was not brave enough to venture out of the country until 2017- all thanks to an amazing friend, Yumiko, I have known her since I was 17, she is one of my soul sisters, and the only friend that I have on this site.

I think that I was Asian in a past life. :=D I am in LOVE with East Asia. I have felt at home in the countries that I have visited, and I hope to be able to continue visiting.

I have been a pet and house-sitter for the past 6 years. I only extend this service to close friends and co-workers. I love sitting for dog pals as they make the best companions on hiking trips.

My favorite kind of shopping is grocery shopping! I love farmers' markets the most!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I hope to use this source to meet other people who are traveling, or to meet local people in the countries that I visit. Meeting people from different walks of life has helped to shatter fears and prejudices, and it is my most important task in this life to chisel through every bit of that fear + prejudice nonsense from the person that I am becoming.

Interests

.manually operated kitchen appliances (like blenders) that make self-prepared meals on the road extra spectacular

.I like rewiring table lamps.

.yoga- I can't get past only doing the sun salutation though- 12 rounds plus leg exercises is good enough right now

.traveling the United States of America: I have been to Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, Washington, New York

• traveling
• origami
• hiking
• kayaking
• road trips
• rollerblading
• hula hooping
• bicycling
• vegan baking
• upcycling
• vipassana
• foreign cultures
• ayurveda
• vegan cooking
• foraging
• medicinal plants
• non-formal education
• vipassana meditation
• beach combing

Music, Movies, and Books

Books:
I am currently into books by Carlos Castañeda.
The most impactful book that I have read: The Autobiography of Malcolm X.
A book from childhood that I still love and read to my nieces: Kisses and Fishes
A book that I could read over and over: A Sorcerer's Crossing: A Woman's Journey (at least for now)
Books that I used to like when I was a teenager, but no longer like: anything by Dean Koontz. I found his style of writing similar to Stephen King, but not as dark or twisted
The only book by Stephen King that I enjoyed reading: The Green Mile
Books that kept me crying for days after reading: The Diary of Anne Frank, "Night" by Elie Wiesel, Chinese Cinderella, A Child Called It
A book that I refused to finish reading: The Lord of the Flies (much too disturbing for me)
A book that kept me away from watching television because it was that good: Rain of Gold
The most boring book that I forced myself to finish reading: The Old Man and the Sea
Books that brought a lot of calm into my life: Minding Mind, Training the Mind
Books that shifted my thinking: Siddhartha, Ishmael, Mutant Message Down Under, Way of the Peaceful Warrior
Books that inspired me: Nine Women: Portraits from the American Radical Tradition, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Gifted Hands, The Glass Castle
A book that made me laugh out loud throughout: The Rosie Project
A book that took my imagination for a ride: The Book of Merlyn

Music: I did not grow up listening to music, as a result, there isn't much musical influence in my life. I listen to the radio on the way to work, and occasionally at home, but the sound is mostly used as a buffer for my anxiety. I do think Tash Sultana is an amazing vocalist/musician.

Movies: My Life As a Turkey, Touching the Void, Unmistaken Child
Movie confession: I went through a phase where I continuously watched certain singing / dancing clips of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, yet I do not like musicals.
Favorite movie when I was a child: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

One Amazing Thing that I DO: Straighten out, and purge my space of unnecessary items. I feel amazing, and accomplished, every time!

Teach, Learn, Share

I can quickly teach an amazing trick to learn the multiplications tables with (only) the number 9.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can share my remarkable cleaning abilities!

Countries I’ve Visited

Bahamas, Japan, Laos, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States