My beginning...

It seemed like yesterday when I was sitting on my bed in New Jersey talking on the phone to Don Park for the first time.  It was actually in December.  I remember shooing my mom out of my room, only to follow her a few minutes later with these words typed out for her to see “HE SAYS HE CAN GET ME A JOB IN KOREA”.  I also remember her rolling her eyes at my excitement.  We both never really thought it would happen; I was just excited to learn I would have a job after my graduation.

As I entered second semester at school I did not really think I would be leaving the country in a few months for a job.  I followed up with Mr. Park, started filling out all my paperwork for him, but I searched for other, ‘local’ (in a sense), jobs.  And surprise, surprise- I found none!  That’s when the reality of this wild adventure began to set in.  I had no reason, no excuse, to not take this opportunity which was handed to me. 

So I went forward with it all.  An FBI background check, college diploma and visa application later, I was on a plane… on my way to South Korea.  I left on Tuesday, July, 19- headed to California first for a 5 hour layover.  After a quick visit with my brother, Nathan, in Cali I was on Asiana Airlines flight 201, seat 54A, ready for my 14 hour flight….

*Nathan and me at Venice Beach

* the first view I had of Korea