CURRENT MISSION

To live my passions and pay bills with it :)

ABOUT ME

There are three things I am passionate about--photography, layout design, and traveling. I work as a wedding, events and portraits photographer, I work for a newspaper publication doing design. I love being a freelancer because I get to travel more; it's sort of a balance for me. I like to backpack to provinces, cities, and look for good food, sit around, take pictures, walk. I like beaches and mountains, sunrise and sunsets. I love cultural sites, ancient cities, and contemporary ones too.

When I travel, I like to make things open and spontaneous. I plan my itinerary in pencil. I'm a bit slow paced, I want to really see the place and not be in a hurry, which is why group tours just doesn't work for me. I prefer traveling like a local, taking public transport because then I see more of the place a get a better impression of it. I like getting lost at times as I walk, and then see an alley where the only tourist is me and get immersed with locals doing everyday work or end up in a local eatery. I like going to local markets--I think you'll know a town and its character better in there, and there's an exciting feeling of trying out an unknown fruit or whatever as you see it. I love engaging with locals :)

PHILOSOPHY

Just keep everything positive.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Ever since my first surfing,I felt like I should give back to this community. Give back by hosting or touring the people visiting, or meeting them for coffee or lunch or dinner. So I try my best to host people whenever I'm free and show them a little bit of my country.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have quite a few planned and coincidental meetings with fellow CS. My first couch surfing experience was in Cebu, Philippines-I wasn't a member yet, but my friend was-our hosts and their friends were really hospitable and light to be with. They drove us around the city, ate, and relaxed at a music bar. The next day, our host woke up at 4am for us to drive us to the ferry going to a wonderful, secluded island in Cebu.

I surfed in India (my first cs overseas) and my family host were the sweetest-gave me fruits before I leave their house for the day and we drank chai at their veranda every morning. For my birthday, my hosts and I had dinner and they were really thoughtful. Then a passerby paid for my tuktuk fare (long story!) who turned out to be a couchsurfer as well. And in Khajuraho, India, I accidentally met with three CSers at an internet shop and we cooked fish curry for dinner and ate together outside over full moon.

In Chiang Mai, met with CS at a local market for street food for dinner and ate with them by the river, under a bridge, not well lit, not a really 'hang out' place, but it was fun.

In Europe I met amazing couchsurfers, did salsa crash course, went trekking, and had burping pork humba (czech style!) for dinner which I took the next day as lunch and dinner!

Interests

Photography, art, traveling, coffee, ancient, food tripping, music, nature, people.

• arts
• design
• photography
• dining
• cooking
• coffee
• shopping
• traveling
• music
• solo travel
• beaches
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Quite a few. My insomnia books would be the Little Prince and the Girl with the Pearl Earring.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I'm happy to say I've experienced quite a few really amazing things. I got to live with farmers in the northern Philippines, me and a friend ate what they ate (we had bats for dinner! Sorry vegans), and we did what their everyday work was. It was a real immersion. I went to Vietnam on solo( my very first solo travel), and went solo again in India and Myanmar for my birthday. It's that feeling of discovering, getting lost and making friends that I love about.

Teach, Learn, Share

The Philippines is one of the toughest to travel in SEA. To see the country, it's best to stay here for a month or so. :) Public transportation in Manila can be really tough (even I find it tough!) Some streets don't have street name signs, so it's really essential to ask around. Filipinos would gladly help you out. Oh and we smile a lot :)

What I Can Share with Hosts

Stories I guess. And I definitely don't mind helping my host to cook, if he/she will cook--which would be really enjoyable. I would love to help him/her with the dishes as well.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Poland, Singapore, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Philippines

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