An American in. . .America

Well hello there! I'm starting this blog because I, like so many others, have decided to travel to South Korea to teach English. I thought this would be a fun way to update my friends back home, as well as make some new ones! I'll be talking about everything from the process of obtaining a work visa to eating crazy Korean foods.

So...why Korea? Well, after spending hundreds of hours online, researching every country imaginable, Korea just seems like the best fit. The cost of living is low and wages are high, native English speakers are in HIGH demand, and from what I read, foreigners are viewed favorably, especially Americans. Plus, it's an adventure! Why not?

So who am I? Well, I'm Alan! I'm from Sugar Land, TX, a suburb of Houston. I graduated with a degree in English in 2007 and have held a variety of jobs. First, I worked as a real estate agent for a small, family-owned company. That was a nightmare and luckily only lasted a few months. Then, I worked in the world of finance/investing. I won't bore you with the details, but let's just say I made a LOT of phone calls...*cough*telemarketing*cough*

I've also been a swim team coach, substitute teacher, and bartender! Pretty diverse, huh? Aside from working, I was a competitive swimmer my whole life. I still work out a few times/week, and TRY to do the whole healthy thing. I collect DVDs like I have money to burn. I also spend far too much time online!

So where am I in the process? Well, essentially at the beginning. I received my passport in the mail yesterday, complete with an unflattering photo of myself. I've spoken to a number of recruiters and schools, and am still exploring my options and all that.

I'll leave you all now with a little vid I made of my home in Texas!