ABOUT ME
For an introvert (INFJ's my type) I am surprisingly comfortable with melding into new environments and meeting new people (in small groups!), especially when travelling....possibly because they remind me of all the alternatives and possibilities that exist in this world, and possibly because we all have common experiences of travel / being out of place to share. Will be pleased to hear more about your culture, history, background, and to learn your language.

I'm personally drawn to countries with colonial history, or just discussions on colonialism in general. I'm currently studying Public Policy for a Masters' because I'll like to figure out why things like education and healthcare can be so different across countries, but my undergraduate education in English and Related Lit has given me an appreciation of how interconnected things like history/culture/literature are despite initial barriers.

PHILOSOPHY
I don't really like it when people try to impose their ideas on me (or vice versa), but I do think that karma sort of works : try to be nice to people and they'll be nice to you, that sort of thing.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

What works for me when it comes to travelling : not just to tick off major attractions from a list, or rush through multiple cities in a couple of days, but really try to understand the pace of life, cultural attitudes, sense of humour etc.

I've yet to couchsurf, but my best travelling experiences came from when I did a Workaway stints on an organic date farm in Indio, California as well as two more Workaway programmes in Morocco, including one in a Berber cultural center where I lived with a wonderful family, visited an olive oil press, learnt to cook tangines, and tentatively practised my Arabic language skills. I've also had good experiences on Airbnb where I've met people that I've stayed friends with.

Interests

Travel, cultural studies, literature, countries with a history of colonialism. Photography, creative writing. Urban walks / exploration.

• culture
• writing
• literature
• photography
• education
• cooking
• traveling
• hunting
• cultural studies
• teaching
• history
• languages
• public policy
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Books/Critics:
David Foster Wallace, Haruki Murakami, Banana Yoshimoto, Seamus Heaney, Adam Zagajewski, Italo Calvino, Susan Sontag, Jeanette Winterson, Jean Baudrillard

Films:
Wong Kar Wai, The Squid and the Whale, Blue is the Warmest Colour, A La Folie Pas de Tout, La Herrison

Music:
Belle and Sebastian, Saint Etienne, Paloma Faith, Yo La Tengo, Bombay Bicycle Club, Slowdive, Sugar Plant

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Travelling solo in Morocco for two and a half weeks, where I saw the milky way and shooting stars in a friendly Berber village nestled at the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, and cluelessly negotiated my way through a local hammam experience

Teach, Learn, Share

Languages: I'm fluent in English and Mandarin Chinese, and can hesistantly speak some Arabic. I can tell you how to say/write your name in Chinese! Or Arabic! I'm an okay cook so I can whip something Singaporean/Chinese up for you if you like.

Countries I’ve Visited

Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Jordan, Malaysia, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Singapore, United Kingdom, United States