An Asian American and New Yorker, I have worked in 5 countries and traveled to 30+. Currently, I live in Rabat, Morocco as a digital nomad. Before, I spent 2 years in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, в котором я изучал русский язык, and I also picked up horseback riding :-D

I am an economist by training and work in a field so-called international development. I have done micro-finance, M&E, a bit of fundraising, conflict resolution, and now political rights. Yup yup, we save the world, hmm, one frustrating document at a time.

I like to travel slow and to travel deep. And IMO, one of the best ways to do so is to meet, hang out with, and talk to locals. I also like to make new friends everywhere I go. I am like a sponge that likes to absorb things -- culture, customs, friends, laughs, discussions, sharing a glass of wine or cup of tea.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

When it comes to individual travellers, here is how I think about it:

If you still live in the 20th century and still hold on to the outdated belief of ownership society, then go ahead, travel in a bubble in hotels / hostels / motels...

If you live in the 21th century and realize the value of sharing, of reciprocality, of communal experience, then you are a user of CS.

(Rest assured my potential hosts, my concept of sharing does not mean that I got to *co-own* your space or your stuff :-)

Interests

I am a bit crazy about all things mechanical, like B&W film photography. Sure, when traveling, I go to museums and historical sites and all that touristy stuff, but I also like to take long walks to suck in the air the smell and the feel of the place that I happen to be in. Other things I enjoy -- good conversations over a glass of wine or a cup of tea, live performances of jazz and musicals (I will dabble with opera and ballet as a spectator); and lately, I picked up tango dancing. I like to talk about politics, economics, viewpoints, and the simple and complex stuff in life.

• culture
• photography
• dancing
• tango
• ballet dancing
• wine
• politics
• traveling
• jazz
• opera
• equestrian
• economics
• medicine
• historic sites
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Jazz and latin music, but essentially anything that sounds good.

Movies -- good writing is a must. I dislike most hollywood big productions. Lately, Russian and Soviet classics.

Books -- lately, I've been reading about Russia. I also read a lot about current affairs.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

My CS highlights:

** Much less CS traveling since 2017, and then the pandemic hit. I am now doing CS full throttle again.

In Aug 2016: A six-day solo motorcycle trip that had me go from Cincinnati northbound to Cleveland, eastward along the Lake Erie, and then across the great expanse of PA along historic Route 6 back to NYC.

In Dec 2015: A solo 16-day motorcycle road trip, that took me over 2228 miles, four ferry rides, from NY to NJ to DE to MD to VA to NC to SC to GA, and then back north again, in December, the temperature of which ranged from 34 to 79 F, braving wind gusts from zip to 24 mph, and riding by the gorgeous Carolina Coast, and as high as at 3500 meters overlooking the beautiful hills of Virginia.

Fall of 2015: A five-day backpacking loop, around the Pearl River Delta in China.

Teach, Learn, Share

Life experiences; travel experiences; philosophical ideas.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Conversations. Hospitality. Local knowledge.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Canada, China, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Russian Federation, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates

Countries I’ve Lived In

Hong Kong, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, United States