Asia might be cool. Maybe I should move there?

The idea crept into my head without much forethought. One of my best ideas to date.

The summer months of 2018 were a tumultuous time, to say the least. I graduated from Northern Arizona University in May and yet here I was, 147 days later, still sitting in the same coffee shop, still looking for jobs.

147 days! Enough time for summer to leave, wisping away the sun, lightning, and rain.

147 days, enough time to usher in the sporadic weather that is a Flagstaff winter and the trappings that come with it, snow-covered ponderosas, iced-over streets, and ill-prepared drivers from Phoenix.

I was deadset on finding a job in Europe.

I got pretty close to landing a few too, but none of them panned out and continuous rejections had me feeling a little… dejected.

Beanie on my head, coffee in hand, and laptop on… the table, I found myself wondering where I went wrong. Was 147 days enough time to let ambitions plummet back to reality?

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Move to South Korea!

The thought, although unprovoked was not uninvited. Teach English abroad? What the heck, it at least warranted a quick Google search.

An hour-long phone call. That’s all it took to convince me I should move to South Korea.

If you’ve been following along on my journey to date, you likely know I landed a job as a Guest English Teacher for the Gyeongsangnam-do Province of South Korea.

Divided into eight cities and ten counties, the province has a decidedly rural feel to it as the capital city, Changwon is home to just over 1 million people.

A lot was up in the air upon my arrival. I was completely unaware of where I would be placed within the province, including whether I would be an elementary, middle, or high school teacher. 

To be perfectly honest, that suited me just fine. I wanted to change, and what better way than leave everything I’ve ever known and move across the planet?

Rather than see the unknowns as a crap-shoot, I decided to go in as open-minded as possible. I recorded no preferences for a location or school. Turns out pursuing a new life in a foreign country is a unique opportunity for the potter to mold his clay.

What happened next?

I lived in Samcheonpo, South Korea and I taight English to Korean rugrats in the fifth and sixth grade. It’s a far cry from writing novels, creating short stories, and acting in films. Yet, dear reader, it has led me to this blog and to you.

I want to share my journey with you, the good and the bad. Tag along for the ride! It’s not always smooth. My journey is filled with traveling miscues, and more than a few misplaced articles of baggage. I can’t always promise you sunshine and rainbows, but I promise you it’s anything but dull.