I started off my career in teaching ballroom dancing. After realizing that I didn't enjoy the sales aspect of teaching I headed off to South Korea to teach English in 2009. I had no knowledge of the Korean language coming over, but after being here for several months, I dedicated myself to studying the Korean language and studied around 6 hours a day during weekdays for a couple months. My supervisor saw my progression and recommended me for a HR job in the head office. I sat through two interviews in Korean and was accepted to be a coordinator over what was 1200+ teachers at the time. I worked there for 2 years and then went back to teaching my real passion. I went on to become a teacher trainer for Korean English language teachers and am now returning back to the U.S.A. with my Korean wife and children.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Since I'm moving to the area, I want to find locals in the Brownsville area who I can talk to about schools for my children and get advice on good places to live.

Interests

My wife and I met because of Latin dancing. Almost every weekend we go out to a salsa club or take dance lessons. Dancing in Korea is quite different than in the U.S.A. I look forward to dancing salsa in Brownsville too.
In Korean I'm the head of two book clubs (one in Korean and one in English). I enjoy reading books and talking about them with others.
My undergraduate major was in philosophy, so I also enjoy philosophical discussions along with cultural discussions.

• books
• dancing
• ballroom dancing
• clubbing
• reading
• traveling
• teaching

Music, Movies, and Books

I enjoy pop, rock, hip-hop and jazz music.
Some of my favorite movies include "A Beautiful Mind", "The Matrix", and "Inside Out".
I enjoy books that I can connect to the most, so in someways I am quite naturally biased towards books that connect with my own culture (Ready Player One, An People's History of the United States, etc.), but I have enjoyed the writing styles of Louis-Ferdinand Céline, Shin Kyung Sook, and Khaled Hosseini.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I got permission to marry my Korean wife after 4 years of trying. Most Koreans marry other Koreans in Korea. My wife's father was quite conservative and it took sometime to win over his heart and permission to marry his daughter.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can certainly teach you English or Korean.
I am willing and open to learn most things .
Finally if you ask, I might just be able to share it with you. :)

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can share my experiences of living and working in South Korea, marrying and living with a Korean national, and traveling to various countries around the world.

Countries I’ve Visited

China, Hong Kong, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

South Korea, United States