CURRENT MISSION

Exploring the potential life holds, adventuring through nature, and meeting all the wonderful smiles inbetween

ABOUT ME

I don't ever copy and paste my requests, so please don't either!

We're a married couple who have been living in Seoul for five years and traveling as much as possible! Meryl studied photography in her undergrad and is currently pursuing graduate school in psychology. Paul studied English lit and rhetoric at Berkeley and spends ever free moment on his creative writing. We are always looking to expand our views of the world and hoping to share our experiences along the way. Whether its exploring our own backyard or new frontiers, we believe you can attune your eyes and mind to the nuances that make discovery so enriching.

PHILOSOPHY

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes"
-Marcel Proust

Like Marcel Proust, I too believe there is more to traveling than just aesthetic exploration. From the moment of leaving your familiar port to the instant of arriving at a new location, the mind undergoes a brilliant transformation. Senses are heightened, imagination is elevated, and the world is at your fingertips. a unique exploration takes place when engulfed by unfamiliar cultures and modes of life. To me, this is the radiance of traveling.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Our current place in Seoul is super tiny, but we'll be relocating next year to California and would love to host in return for the lovely hospitality that other hosts have extended to us!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've hosted people from all over the world and try to share this amazing tool for connecting all the world's citizens! My first experience ten years ago, I was privileged to stay with a gentleman in Tuscany who showed me true Italian cooking and the ease of the country. In Portland, I stayed with good company and met great people for coffee and drinks. A few years ago we stayed on a floor in Kobe while en route to Naoshima art island and had an amazing meal with a local in The Philippines.

Interests

Attending art galleries and museums worldwide, spending endless hours in used bookstores, high tea, flea markets, yoga, hiking, reading, enjoying wine in the park, finding an unsurpassed perch for sunset, vegetarian dining and cooking, dancing to the kinks, the velvet underground or any other good vinyl, infinite conversations that pause for sunrise

• arts
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• coffee
• vegetarian
• yoga
• meditation
• drinking
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• minimalism
• hiking
• psychology
• mindfulness
• social psychology

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies- Je t'aime, Paris. Frida. A Bigger Splash by David Hockney
Music- Beirut, The Velvet underground, CocoRosie, Belle and Sebastian, Espers, Colleen, nuetral milk, vashti bunyan, silver mt. zion
Books- Tender is the Night F. Scott Fitzgerald, Strangeland by Tracey Emin, The Fall by Camus, short stories by Shirley Jackson, anything Anais Nin, Hugo Ball

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Got engaged at a secluded waterfall in Maui, saw blue sulfuric flames at Mount Ijen, hiked through Haleakala volcanic crater at sunrise, sat in on the filming of a Korean kids version of American Idol, and rode motorcycles through Southern Thailand!

Teach, Learn, Share

I enjoy meeting people who see their own habitat as something unique and special. Those who try to make the most out of their time. And anyone with a sense of adventure!

What I Can Share with Hosts

Paul is a kind intellectual with an abundance of interest in film, literature, and philosophy. Deep conversations are his forte and he always loves sharing his current favorite indie or foreign film. Meryl can teach you how to cook various foods. Her current obsession is baking bread! She'll teach you her favorite focaccia bread recipe or how to make yogurt from scratch! We also love giving tips on where to go and things to do in the countries we've been to!

Countries I’ve Visited

Cambodia, France, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Macao, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

South Korea, United States

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