CouchSurfing Story: Phuoc & Family in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Perhaps Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, wouldn't rank high on our list if it hadn’t been for CouchSurfing. The city is chaotic, noisy, and overwhelming. But staying with Phuoc and his family for four nights made our stay in HCMC memorable. We got along well and spent a lot of time together touring the city, eating local delights, playing card games, cooking together, practicing English, and even doing exercise videos! We wish we lived in the same city as Phuoc because we loved spending time with him.

First Week in Australia – HelpX with Jenna & Brenton in Cairns

We finally made it down under to start our working holiday year in Australia! We started in the tropical north in the city of Cairns, famous for the jumpoff point of the Great Barrier Reef. The week was spent looking for a car and helping out with new friends via HelpX.

I’m Leaving Korea

Announcement! After three years of teaching and living in South Korea and fostering a relationship with my birth family, I'll leave with a backpack and a boyfriend, both of which I've acquired in the lovely SK. What's next?

A Taiwanese Chinese New Year – CouchSurfing with a Family

During Chinese New Year, Adam and I were fortunate enough to spend it with a Taiwanese family in Taichung, which literally means the center of Taiwan. The third largest city boasts plenty of green parks and sunny, mild winters. After sending a detailed CouchSurfing request, Cindy accepted it immediately. She was sweet enough to give …

Traveling in Taiwan for Chinese New Year: 7 Tips

Worried about the crowds and closed shops in Chinese New Year in Taiwan? Don't be discouraged! Here are 7 tips to survive your trip.

Nara Prefecture and Kumano Fireworks, Japan

This is an account from Japan, August 2014. We arrived in Nara, Japan after a few days of gallivanting around Osaka and Kyoto. With stuffed backpacks, we squeezed through the exit at the subway to be greeted by a smiling Lukas, our CouchSurfing host. We got connected from my high school gymnastics friend who was also …

72 Hours in China

I didn’t know anything about Guangzhou before it popped up as a layover while booking our winter vacation tickets to Indonesia. It costs a few hundred dollars for Americans to obtain a month-long tourist visa to explore the gigantic land that is China, but it is free to those stopping through for up to 72 …

CouchSurfing with a Mongolian Family

CouchSurfing with a Mongolian family of six in their ger