I have hosted travelers in Japan, friends from foreign countries, and even a few hitchhikers and graduate students doing research in my town but I'd never signed up for couchsurfing until last year!
My 6 year old son and I love meeting new people and sharing our culture, language, and food.

In 2018 we went around the world in four months visiting 26 countries and staying with some of the most amazing people I know. Couchsurfer hosts!

I finally bought my own place about an hr north of Seattle and would love to start hosting people again! We'll be moving in mid May and I don't know exactly how much room I'll have but if you're OK with roughing it we'd love to have you. Definitely interested in hosting Japanese guests to help my son remember Japanese and people from any country with kids.

We'll also be traveling this summer to Singapore, Malaysia and the Phillipines and would love to meet more cool, local people either with kids or who love kids and in return are happy to help around the house, cook you a Japanese meal, teach English or Japanese or babysit your kids.

I am a US citizen from the Seattle area, but I lived in Japan for 11 years. I am fluent in English and Japanese. I am travelling with my 6 year old son Kaito who speaks Japanese and some English, but not fluently and my best friend Akiko (nicknamed Ako, Japanese) will be travelling with us too.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I quit my job this March 2018 (after 11 1/2yrs) and have been travelling around the Northern Hemisphere with my 5yr old son and my friend Ako ever since. We would love to meet other families with kids and stay for a night or two to break up the busy travel and sightseeing days.

Interests

• traveling
• hiking
• soccer
• japanese culture
• japanese language

Music, Movies, and Books

HY (Japanese Okinawan Band)

My favorite author is Tamora Pierce especially her Lady Knight series.

I grew up watching a lot of Ghibli movies and now my son loves watching Totoro, Kiki and Ponyo.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Climbed the Pyramids when I was 6 months pregnant.

Traveled to Hong Kong with just my son and me when he was 2yrs old.

Visited all 47 prefectures in Japan .

Teach, Learn, Share

I have been working as a Coordinator for International Exchange in Northern Japan since I graduated college in 2006. I have taught English to people aged 0 to 80, hosted Easter, Halloween, Christmas events alongside, blind wine tasting, international beer tasting, and Japanese alcohol tasting events. I host a weekly radio show, a monthly cooking class, and write monthly articles for the city newsletter. I also have experience hosting sister city exchange programs, translating and interpreting.

Ako has been working as a website designer and go-between for older generation organic farmers in Japan, helping them sell their products online and also helping develop new products.

I am an open book and willing to share anything about my life, sometimes I am told I am too honest.

What I Can Share with Hosts

We are happy to cook you a Japanese meal (niku-jyaga, torisoboro-don and gyoza are my specialties) and plan to bring a few little Japanese souvenirs for our hosts as is Japanese custom.
We are of course happy to play with your kids, (we all like playing soccer), or just sit down for a drink and a nice long chat about travelling, living in Japan, etc.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, Philippines, Russian Federation, Scotland, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Japan, United States