*** If I haven’t met you yet, please do NOT send me a friend request. Send me a message if you’d like to meet me. Thank you! :)) ***

Hello there! My name is Ying.

So far, my travels have taken me to 47 countries around the world. I’m incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people through CS, hear their stories, and share mine.

I’m here to meet genuine people, and I truly cannot express enough how much I value and enjoy spending time with open-minded people! :)

CURRENT MISSION
There are so many things I’d like to work on. I want to write, draw, and create more. I hope to listen more deeply, read more books, learn new skills, reconnect with friends I’ve met along my journey, and strive to become a better communicator. I aim to discover more about life, learn from the people around me, and continue learning about myself.

ABOUT ME

Overall, I hope to be seen as someone “reliable,” who stays true to my word. I value your time as much as I do my own.

I find labels and generalizations about people limiting and counterproductive. While it’s helpful to understand a culture, I believe it’s the uniqueness of each individual that makes the experience meaningful. I try to approach people with an open heart, learning from them rather than assuming based on where they come from. Ultimately, we are all part of the HUMAN RACE. To me, where you’re from doesn’t really matters to me, what matters more is the attitude we bring.

PHILOSOPHY

- “The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything they have.”

- “To move, to breathe, to fly, to float,
To gain all while you give,
To roam the roads of lands remote,
To travel is to live.”
– Hans Christian Andersen.

- “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” Anaïs Nin

- “To laugh often and much; to win the respect of the intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the beauty in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know that one life has breathed easier because you lived here. This is to have succeeded.”

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Have so far been able to meet some fantastic people on this site, and would like to continue my journey meeting locals on this site when I travel as well as being able to show travellers around in Vancouver :) It’s been an incredible experience with this amazing community.

Glad to be paying it forward with kindness and hospitality wherever possible!

Interests

• arts
• culture
• recipes
• movies
• drawing
• music
• hiking
• backpacking
• history
• languages
• hitchhiking
• food
• travelling
• nature
• stargazing
• healthy lifestyle
• roadtrips
• ted talks
• being open to new experiences
• exploring different ways of travelling
• meeting travellers and locals

Music, Movies, and Books

Music:
Mostly Jazz, Bossa Nova, music from the 60s - 70s, and Classical.

Movies and Books:
Too many to list!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I wouldn’t call it “amazing,” but here are a few things that really made me feel like, “Whoa, was that a bucket list item that I just did?” after I did it lol
• Stayed in a straw-built cabin in the middle of nowhere in Thailand;
• Drove across Canada from east to west, meeting kind and helpful people along the way;
• Rode in a hot air balloon in Canada and went skydiving in the Swiss Alps;
• Saw polar bears (Churchill, Canada) and penguins (Ushuaia, Argentina) in their respective natural habitats;
• Spent two weeks in the BC wilderness, camping under the stars;
• Stayed in a real treehouse in the Canadian Rockies and almost confronted a black bear outside;
• Drove solo from Vancouver to Guadalajara (a 4,500 km journey spanning three countries and two borders). I’m deeply grateful to my friend’s family, who helped me with paperwork at the Mexican border and graciously hosted me at their home for a few days.

I’m happy to share more stories if you’re up for it! :)

A Special Thank You to Couchsurfing:

I’m incredibly thankful for Couchsurfing. I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish some of these journeys without the kindness of people I met through this community. And I honestly wouldn’t be the person I am today if I hadn’t had these experiences. I feel privileged to have travelled to so many amazing places and to have met so many kind-hearted people along the way.

If you ever visit my city, please let me know—I’d love to return the favor!

Teach, Learn, Share

Cultures
Travelling
Fun conversations about travel experiences
Languages
Knowledge and intellectual conversations
Smiles and friendliness
Good vibes
I could offer English and Mandarin lessons to those who would like to learn? :) Learning a language is easy if you have the right attitude :)

I used to host a board game and karaoke night every month in Vancouver :) Always great vibes and had such a blast doing it! I'm not really sure when we will be able to resume, but I'll be sure to update my profile when my events resume :)

What I Can Share with Hosts

Cultures, languages, sharing my best dishes, exploring new places, sharing experiences, meeting and learning from locals, including their culture and traditions, sharing travel stories and tips, trekking, discovering beautiful landscapes and being in awe with nature wonders... the list goes on... :)

Also, perhaps a couch in return in Vancouver, BC, Canada or wherever I live in the world when you come for a visit! :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, China, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macao, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Argentina, Canada, China, Mexico