The World's Richest Busboy

-Featured in Islands Magazine, February 2014

Southern California native J.J. Brito takes an exciting ride of freedom in this fun, cleverly written and inspiring account of youthful discovery. Starting at age seventeen, J.J. saves his modest tips from delivering pizzas and bussing tables so he could travel to find the perfect waves he once doodled on his high school notebooks. Stretching every dollar to its limit, he lives out of a station wagon in South Africa, island hops through Indonesia, hitches across Australia, sails the Caribbean, and rides an old motorcycle (rigged with surfboard racks) from California to Costa Rica. Throughout his travels he endures tricky border crossings, a desert sandstorm, punishing surf, and being thrown into a Central American jail. However, the perks of paradise are never far away, J.J. finds himself gliding through a glass-like tunnel inside an emerald green wave in Nicaragua, sharing an incredible session with thousands of dolphins churning the waters in the Indian Ocean, and being welcomed into the homes of people on every corner of the earth. Through his diverse experiences he learns about the overwhelming beauty of nature, the generosity of the human spirit, and the unpredictability of life on the road. Along the way he realizes he is indeed "The World's Richest Busboy."

Born and raised in Southern California, J.J. Brito began riding the waves of Huntington Beach at age 13. The day after high school graduation he set out for Indonesia, mixing his love of surfing with travel. Returning home a few months later, he rejected the average societal expectations of college/career and instead used his modest restaurant earnings to fund far-flung adventures. From that time until the present day JJ has traveled the seven seas and journeyed to the four corners of the earth. In his late 20's he purchased land in the Fijian Islands and self-built a bungalow overlooking the South Pacific. These days he still enjoys riding waves, especially with his wife, Susan, and daughter, Melita, and believes that whatever your passions are, they're worth pursuing.
As a Writer
J.J.'s writing career evolved from the detailed journals and letters he sent home from abroad. His book "The World's Richest Busboy" chronicles his early years on the road. J.J. has appeared in Islands Magazine, The Florida Times-Union, Eastern Surf Magazine, Newport Beach Independent, H.B. Culture Magazine, The St. Augustine Record, Malibu Surfside News, Surf City News, Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot, on Solspot, and has been mentioned on many travel blogs and websites. He has been a guest of the Malibu Surfing Association, the Association of Surfing Lawyers, and the International Surfing Museum. J.J. is a regular contributor for Toti Media.