CURRENT MISSION

To make the most of this little time I have on earth. To get one freakin' kid to think for himself.

ABOUT ME

My mission is to discover as much of this mysterious thing called life as I can before I expire. Of course I won't discover it all, but I can die trying. I teach, which to some is a dead-end job with no money, no respect, and even less hope. They're right. But I still get up and do it, because I love it. My job is to make them think and question the world, not memorize. I was born in Brazil, raised in the states (CA, FLA, CT), and have spent the last 3.5 years in the Middle East (Lebanon, now Bahrain). And I feel I haven't even begun scratching the surface of the planet. Hopefully, Couchsurfing will help!

PHILOSOPHY

"I wasn't born to follow..." The Byrds, from Easy Rider.
"History teaches mankind everything, including the future." Alphonse Lamartine (French, 19th century)
"Provoke change through intelligent debate."
"The most dangerous crime in all of history is the ability to think for yourself." That is my motto in my classroom.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

How I wish I could say I could host one, two, three, even four people. But not yet. I'm still settling in and getting used to it all. For now, my aim is to meet other CS people and forge connections across the globe. Soon, I will host. For now, I want to taste.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Yet to come...Help me out, guys!

Interests

As a teacher who inspires his students to think, question, and self-reflect, it is natural that I enjoy debates, discussions, and philosophy. As a historian, I am most at home with any theme- politics, art, culture, etc. I love music (my Ipod is my wife, even the kids know that), cooking (Italian, Thai, Chinese). I love movies (watching, dissecting, discussing them). As for traveling, well, take me anywhere, and I'll find beauty in it, because it's easy to find it if you truly look and listen.

• arts
• culture
• beauty
• cooking
• clothing
• politics
• movies
• traveling
• music
• teaching
• history

Music, Movies, and Books

Music- singer/songwriters like Nick Drake, Vashti Bunyan, Elliott Smith, and Tracy CHapman. Also love '60s and 70s stuff. Fav band: Mamas and the Papas. Also love jazz and soft crooners like Sinatra, Ella Fitz, Sarah Vaughan. Also Classical.
Books- I can't even begin. Just ask me. Movies: Interview w/ the Vampire, Age of Innocence, Godfather, Dangerous Liaisons, and many others.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

The sun setting over the horizon of Egypt's White Desert.
A school of "Finding Nemos" disperse all around me as I snorkeled in Thailand.
The silent, yet thundering, unspoken majesty of the Forum in Rome.
Coconut water in its shell in Rio.
Anne Boleyn's execution site in the Tower of London.
A child washing his clothes in a sewer in the favelas of Rio.
Men cutting their own heads with swords to honor God during Ashura in Bahrain. (seriously freaky)
A black man sitting in the President's chair.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Canada, Dominican Republic, Egypt, France, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, United Kingdom, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Bahrain, Brazil, Lebanon, Senegal, United States