Takao continually surprised me. He showed me videos of his gymnastics routines in college and told me about his 5 month plan to learn Spanish in Spain and South America. He is a talented and open person. On top of just being cool he was also an excellent host. He assisted me so much and made my transition from Japan to Thailand so much easier. I wish him the absolute best!
Van is currently working on her MBA in Kyoto. She is originally from Vietnam and is such a ball of joy. She is so full of life and excited to share food and time with people from other countries. I greatly enjoyed my time with her and hope to meet up with her in Vietnam in Feb.
Ko kindly took us all in on our return trip to Kyoto. He had expected just Tim, but was very welcoming to us all when our other host was busy. He just returned from his own three week trip to Thailand and Cambodia. He had interesting stories and won me over by taking us to a vegetarian restaurant.
Taitsuke and his wife hosted us for five nights. She was very friendly and joined us for the Edo Tokyo Museum. We had a few odd cultural moments. This was definitely the first time couchsurfing didn't feel very organic. Regardless, we are very appreciative.
Mizuki and her wonderful family! They have a beautiful home near Shosenkyo Gorge and were incredibly welcoming. Mizuki herself is very impressive and speaks English as if she were a native speaker. She spent a year teaching Japanese in .... Portland, Oregon! What are the odds. We had two great evenings discussing her time in Portland and traveling in general. One afternoon we came back early and her father laid out an impressive lunch of sashimi and tempura. Their family has owned the store next to their house for three generations.
Thank you so much for giving us such a wonderful cultural experience!
Thank you so much for giving us such a wonderful cultural experience!
Mercedes was a very enjoyable hostess and I wish I could have spent another few days in Kanazawa! She is from Kentucky and is now teaching through the JET program. It was fascinating learning about the JET program and hearing about her background. She is studying Japanese, Chinese, and French. I was so impressed by her drive and dedication to her dreams. I hope she is successful in landing a job with the State Department!
Please stay in touch Mercedes! Thank you so much.
Please stay in touch Mercedes! Thank you so much.
This is Miho and her beautiful daughter. Miho and her friend Midori live together with their husbands and children. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of both families together! They picked me up from the train station and cooked me dinner/breakfast. Their company was so enjoyable and I absolutely love both their son and daughter! I am impressed by how excellent these mothers are and am inspired to do as much as they do for my children in the future.
I wish you and the kids the best. Thank you for your excellent hospitality!
I wish you and the kids the best. Thank you for your excellent hospitality!
This is Shutaro. He is one of the most special hosts I have met. One day I came home to Japanese wine, beer, sake, and dried squid. He wanted me to try local products. He is a very kind soul and spends a lot of his time volunteering and helping others. I greatly respect his passions and hope that the future allows him to pursue them. Thank you for such a special experience and for your excellent company!
Yuki recently paused his studies at Doshisha University in order to assist refugees in Japan. His goal is to provide them with Japanese lessons and assistance getting jobs. Before he starts school back up he will drive a motorbike the length of South America! He kindly hosted all three of us and spent a day showing us around Kyoto.