My name is Dude. It's my real name and all I go by! (As in, I was born with this name and it is on my birth certificate.)

While I do love many things about my country, I consider myself a global citizen. There is nothing better to me than meeting people from different places and having the opportunity to learn more about our world from their perspective.

I recently received my Bachelor's degree in the field of tourism because I feel travel is the wave of the future. And I've learned to say "thank you" in more than 40 languages as a way to build bridges from one culture to another. Let's meet and share our diverse ideas about the way we see Planet Earth and the way this global experience has, in turn, shaped who we are.

My main focus in life is music; I'm a singer / songwriter / producer / performer with 17 releases (14 albums and three singles) available worldwide. You can listen to them at https://store.cdbaby.com/artist/DudeMusicGlobal

P.S. I am 420 friendly, and would be glad to support any cannabis tourism by sharing my experiences as a Chicagoan and serving as a guide.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I love to meet new people, and travel is my favourite activity!

Interests

• architecture
• festivals
• nightlife
• reading
• opera
• sports
• beaches
• museums
• restaurants
• walking tours
• symphonic music
• dance companies
• live jazz & blues

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: Prince, Daft Punk, Lady Gaga, Chainsmokers, Brian McKnight, Lizzo, David Byrne, Chaka Khan

Books: One Hundred Years of Solitude, The Tao of Pooh, A Brief History of Time, The Accidental Tourist

Movies: Marvin's Room, Shawshank Redemption, The Color Purple, Casablanca, Koyaanisqatsi, Purple Rain

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I had the rare, once-in-a-lifetime experience of dancing onstage with the virtuosic musical artist, Prince.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can tutor in Spanish, along with English as a second language.

I want a tutor in Portuguese and American Sign Language.

I can teach (and also want to learn more of) Chicago's best kept secrets.

I have stayed in the HI hostels of most of the 11 countries I've visited; I'd love to share my hosteling experiences with other travelers.

I want to learn about travel writing from all experts, beginners, and anyone in between.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Canada, England, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain

Countries I’ve Lived In

Brazil, Mexico, United States