- I was born and raised in Japan but I've lived outside Japan for more than half my lifetime-- 2.5 years in Algeria as a child and 15+ years in the U.S. as teenager and adult. So yeah I look Japanese but I may not as Japanese as you might expect, for better or for worse. I'm just putting this out there as I'd rather talk about something else than my home country that I haven't been to for along

- I have traveled to many countries in Europe while I lived in Algeria as a small kid and also as an adult, now. I love love love the Mediterranean.

- I have a dog named Shadow and we've been together for 7+ years. I absolutely love him.

- I love arts and sciences. I can be nerdy and artsy at the same time. I like going out, meeting new people, but I also need some "me" time, whether it be watching Netflix with my dog or doing painting or reading.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I've just recently created this profile so I haven't stayed with anyone from couchsurfing yet. I've stayed at many hotels and apartments, but in past I was lucky enough to stay with people either I knew or knew little about. Each time it's different but I enjoyed getting to know people who are willing to spend some time with me, meeting their friends, learning new languages and getting out of my comfort zones.

Interests

Aside from traveling and meeting new people, I love:

- painting and drawing: I love painting en plein air on nice days. It's still challenging for me to do this while traveling for many reasons but I try to do some sketching at least while traveling.

- photography: started while I was in college, went through my phase of classic camera and film obsession and now I mainly shoot digital. I'm not obsessed with equipment though.)

- music: I love EDM - deep/progressive house, trance, etc. and I enjoyed my visits to Ibiza and Mykonos :) Recently I'm listening to a lot of music on soundcloud and I love discovering new artists and my new favorites.

• dogs
• arts
• photography
• sketching
• cooking
• recipes
• shopping
• reading
• traveling
• painting
• drawing
• music
• languages

Music, Movies, and Books

Music -- As stated earlier I have a profile on soudcloud (mikatti) if you are curious what kind of music I generally like. I like uplifting music that makes me happy though I do appreciate the dark side of the arts when I'm in the mood for it.

Books - Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour bookstore, On Elegance While Sleeping, Remainder, Anna Karenina

TV shows -- Boston Legal, White Collar, 30 Rock, Engrenages

Movies -- Amelie, Melancholia, the Others

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Breaking off a long engagement to become single, so I can live and travel as I like.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I have a dog and LOVE dogs in general, so I don't mind taking care of your dog while I'm at home. I can make stews for your dogs.

I'm not an amazing cook by a long shot but I can make some basic soups, salads -- I can definitely do grocery shopping and follow recipes.

Countries I’ve Visited

Algeria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Japan, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Algeria, Japan, United States