CURRENT MISSION

I wake up daily trying to do my best. I try to be useful to people around me and make them happy as much as I can. Keep myself calm in a calm and peaceful abiding even in precarious times.

ABOUT ME

I lived in Dublin, Ireland, from August/2015 to July/2016. As this trip was my first experience abroad I enjoyed that land as much as I could. I had spent six months studying a General English course and finished it in the Advanced level. But even though I find myself already fluent I feel that I have just started my journey into the English culture.

Here I practice Aikido, a Japanese martial art. I have been practicing Aikido since February 2014 and I feel that this martial art is a way of living as you learn continuously moral values such as discipline, respect, patience and so on. Aikido is somehow very related to philosophical principles and spiritual commitments.

I am officially Buddhist since February 2015 although I had had some previous teachings and I used to meditate before as well. But for me being Buddhist it's much more a commitment to practice its philosophical principles than a religious "conversion". I follow the teachings from the Tibetan tradition but my main spiritual teacher is a American-born woman and she lives in her temple in Cotia, a neighborhood area around São Paulo capital in Brazil.

I am still working in Campinas, Brazil, for an state university (one of the best ones in Brazil, by the way) as an Administration Officer.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I think Couchsurfing is a very good opportunity to meet people in a safe way, to visit places and know much more than the tourist journey. Also it is a way to find new friends as you can keep in touch with them after the experience. Likewise it is also a good way to improve your language skills. As I am passioned about cooking I find Couchsurfing an unique experience to share different tastes. And I must say that I love to cook although I don't have any particular special dish. But most of the time my friends tend to like what a prepare.

Interests

Aikido as i said previously
travelling
meditation
buddhism (tibetan traditions mainly),
hebrew culture
arabic music
teaching Portuguese,
Mayan and Egyptian civilization, ancient cultures, pyramids
circus, trapezium
swimming
cooking TV shows
NETFLIX (Sense 8, OITNB, Once upon a time, House of Cards, Narcos etc)

• arts
• culture
• folklore
• environment
• dining
• cooking
• meditation
• tv
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• buddhist
• swimming
• teaching
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

Favourite music:

Animal Collective - Antony and the Johnsons - Arcade Fire - Aphex Twin - Beach House - Björk - Bon Iver - Crystal Castles - Cut Copy - Dan Deacon - Daft Punk - Dirty Projectors - Gilberto Gil - Gorillaz - Fever Ray - Flaming Lips - Flying Lotus - Gang Gang Dance - Grimes - Grizzly Bear - Hercules & Love affair - Hotchip - LCD Soundsystem - James Blake - Jamie XX - Janelle Monáe - M.I.A - MGMT - Milton Nascimento - M83 - Panda Bear - Passion Pit - PJ Harvey - Robyn - Röyksopp - St. Vincent - Sigur Rós - Shabazz Palaces - Sleigh Bells - Sufjan Stevens - The Knife - The XX - tune-yards - Vampire Weekend - Washed Out- Yeasayer

Movies
Ran, Dersu Uzala, Seven Samurai; by Kurosawa
Samurai I: Musashi Myamoto, by Inagaki
Madagascar
Matrix
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Ponyo; by Myasaki
The Seventh Seal, Persona; by Ingmar Bergman
The Bucket List
Querelle
Juliet of the Spirits, Nights of Cabiria; by Fellini
Salò, Theorem, Medea; by Pasolini
Caligula
Taxidriver, Kundun; by Scorsese

Authors (interests):

Chogyam Trunpa
Pema Chödron
Graciliano Ramos
Cecília Meirelles
Sogyal Rinpoche
Umberto Eco
Sharon Salzberg
Chagdud Rinpoche
Nagarjuna
Samuel Beckett
Jorge Luis Borges
...

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

-- starting to practice meditation provided me very good changes in my life. It really helped me! Now I can find time and space to myself when I feel that my mind is speaking loudly. This really made difference to me as I tend to be a anxious person and to be talkative sometimes;

-- my final academic work: I had to prepare a medium dissertation about problems of translation within the linguistics studies;

-- I spent 2 months in a Buddhist retreat centre doing a volunteer program.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you some Portuguese expressions or even become your Portuguese teacher via Skype as I own a degree in Teaching. I am completely open to learn different stuff and also I am available to share some instructions about sitting meditation if you want. ;-)

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can share...

my talents in the kitchen, my smile, some instructions on meditation, some commentaries about being a Buddhist, my positive mood, some tips about indie bands and so on. :-)

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Brazil, Ireland