I was born and grew up in Brasil to American parents so I grew up learning two languages and cultures.

I have been married to my wife Gina for 24 years and we have three grown sons.

I have lived and taught in the United States, Brasil and Thailand. I have also coached soccer and volleyball at the high school level in all three countries.

In a perfect world I would move from country to country every two years learning new cultures, tasting new food and meeting new people.

I have traveled with my high school students to Spain, England, France, Switzerland and Germany. I really enjoy sharing these cultural experiences and getting my students interested in other cultures.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I like the idea of seeing real people and having real experiences in countries I visit. I would rather get to know authentic local people, food and places instead of being in the company of other tourists and being insulated from local people.

As a host I am interested in getting to know people from other countries or even from other places in the United States. I am the Academic Dean at a small college and we have many international students as well as American students who grew up overseas. I am sure our students would be happy to interact with visiting couch surfers.

Interests

• books
• music
• world music
• hiking
• canoeing
• soccer
• volleyball
• history
• philosophy
• cultural immersion
• historic sites
• new experiences
• language learning

Music, Movies, and Books

Music - mostly music that emphasizes the skill of the musician or vocalist rather than technology. So I tend to like music with instruments and vocals that is not highly edited or manipulated by technology. Nora Jones, Andrew Peterson, Josh Garrels, Paper Kites, James Taylor, John Denver, Willie Nelson, Roberto Carlos, Tom Jobim and many more. Bossa Nova style of music is a favorite of mine from Brasil.

Movies - I like movies about real life. Movies that analyze the tension inside an individual as he/she struggles with choices, the creative tension that exists in society or between people and nature are interesting to me. I also like travel documentaries and historical biographies.

Science fiction, action films with little plot but lots of explosions and violence and movies with predictable or stereotypical story lines are not interesting to me.

I like books about history, culture, world view and philosophy. I read both fiction and non-fiction books in these categories.

Favorite authors include:
Steinbeck, Hemingway, Michener and Pearl Buck

Recently I have enjoyed reading:

"Amusing Ourselves to Death" - Neil Postman
"In Praise of Slowness" - Carl Honore
"Salt" - Mark Kurlansky
"The Sunflower" - Simon Wiesenthal
"Blink" and "The Tipping Point" - Malcolm Gladwell

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Eating tapas in Madrid at midnight
Going to a bull fight at Plaza de Las Ventas in Madrid
Snorkeling in Thailand
Playing soccer on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach English, Portuguese and some Spanish.
I would enjoy playing music with people. I can play piano, guitar, bass and am learning the mandolin.
Discussions about world view, philosophy, culture, or just life in general are interesting to me.
I can't cook to save my life but am interested in learning and am happy to clean up after the meal.
I can take couch surfers biking, canoeing or hiking. I can also take you to a baseball game, or into Milwaukee to see the lake front, architecture, concerts or museums.
If you have a motorcycle license we can do some riding in the scenic local woods and farmland.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can share my experiences of living on three different continents.
We can practice speaking in English, Portuguese or Spanish.
We can play music together.
I have owned my own painting company and would be happy to paint a wall, a room or even your whole house depending on how long I stay with you.
I don't really cook but am happy to help prepare and clean up after meals.
Good conversations.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Brazil, Canada, England, France, Germany, Honduras, Hong Kong, Paraguay, Philippines, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United States, Venezuela

Countries I’ve Lived In

Brazil, Thailand, United States