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About

          Hi, I'm Austin, welcome to my blog. Here's a little background info, in case you don't already know...I'm 22 years old (Korean age 24) and was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California. I graduated from the University of San Francisco in May 2012, and have been teaching English in Yeongtong-dong, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea since August. How did I come to be living on the other side of the globe, and 16 hours in the future?
          I had always planned to travel after graduation, and teaching in Korea seemed like a good way to have a post-college adventure, while simultaneously saving money for additional travel. Long story short, I contacted a recruating company that my friend had found on our University job-board, interviewed with a few schools, obtained a myriad of documents, and flew to South Korea in August.
          While I admit that I didn’t have much previous knowledge about South Korea, I was excited about the prospect of immersing myself in a very foreign culture. Also, once I began looking into it, everything I discovered about South Korea intrigued me. It is noted for having a very traditional Asian culture, steeped in history and tradition. At the same time South Korea is rapidly modernizing as a result of it's booming economy, resulting in an interesting interplay between new and ancient ideals. The people are known for their love of kimchee and soju, and their honesty.
          This blog was primarily created in order for me to share stories and photos with friends and family back home (or whoever else happens to stumble across it). It is my own personal take on the Teaching in South Korea Experience. I will try to keep my posts as honest (and hopefully unoffensive) as possible, to reflect the Korean spirit. I hope you enjoy it!