Born in Houston, Texas, John developed a thirst for surfing as a teen and a hunger for its  companion, world travel and cultural experiences.

Visiting neighboring Mexico on numerous surf trips ignited this passion for seeing the world, leading him shortly there after to the Hawaiian Islands. From Hawaii, he continued to feed his appetite for exotic travel with some extensive trips throughout the Pacific basin, including Asia.

In the mid-90’s, the seeds of change had sprung again and he found himself in tropical Brazil. So impressed with that first trip, he returned for an extended visit the following year. John fell in love with tropical Brazil and its charismatic people.      Shortly after began self-teaching himself Brazilian Portuguese, something that he proudly claims to be the stellar achievement thus far in his life.

As builder and creator of Brazilista.com and professional photographer, he delights in sharing  experiences of Brazil through his passionate interests. All photos on the site are taken by him.

John is moving forward with his dream of integrating his love for travel and Brazil with all of his other interests, like hiking and horticulture.

His motto: 'If something is worth doing, then it’s worth doing well'. It is with this determination and passion that he brings to his quest for experience and knowledge of Brazil.

Having had experienced paradise on the opposite side of the globe, it's safe to say that his roots will remain securely embraced in the tropical Brazil!