Goal Reached

I just got word that I'm getting a free copy of Steve Pavlina's new book. When I started this blog a month ago, my first goal was to get to "a non-embarrassing level of readership" within a month, so that I could take part in Steve's offer of a free copy of the book in exchange for a review on the blog. I'd like genuinely thank all of you who have been reading and helped me reach my goal.

It has been empowering to watch readership and Google rankings for this blog grow. This blog now ranks on the first page of Google's results for many searches that include gangwon-do. As we've been (still) negotiating for an apartment closer to our school, I've felt quite confident knowing that I have this as leverage -- whichever way it turns out, every prospective teacher that does a modicum of research on the program will read about my experience. With a platform like this, I suddenly feel like the esteemed food critic sitting down at a fine restaurant while the kitchen staff goes into overdrive to get his dish just right.

More than that, I've had a long-term goal of building a stream of passive income through websites. This site isn't that, but it's reassuring to know that my writing does well over this medium, and that people will choose to visit a site that I've written. It makes that dream feel more attainable.

So it's worth repeating: thank you for reading.

I'm excited to read and review the book. I love Steve Pavlina's blog for personal development advice and inspiration. If you're not familiar with it, it's definitely worth having a look. And, no that plug was not a part of the book deal. ;^>

Who am I? And Why am I Blogging?

Hello! Anyeong hasaeyo! My name is Michael, and I just moved from Boulder, Colorado in the US to Samcheok, Gangwon-do in South Korea. I will be living here for the next year, working as an English Teacher in a public elementary school in a small town called Dogye.

I'm starting this blog as a public record of my experiences, pictures, and wonderings this year. You can expect to read plenty about the oddities (from my western perspective) of Korean culture, ranging, at least, from fascination to frustration. I imagine I'll be posting lots of pictures, as the visual difference between Korea and Colorado is vast, and hard to represent in words. If only I could offer the smells and tastes of Korea here!

But more than being about Korea, this will also be about me and my path. For quite a while I've thought it would be helpful for me to post my goals and progress in a public place (to hold myself accountable and motivate me) and now seems as good a time as any. I'll track what I'm reading, how I'm spending my time and where I think I'm going as I understand it. If it's interesting to you, great. If it only provides me a record of my consciousness and the motivation that comes from public accessibility, that's ok too.

Before this morning, I was on the fence about blogging. Teaching should keep me plenty busy, and on top of that, I'm already developing another website about the health benefits of a natural diet. And then there are hobbies, fitness, my relationship, friends, learning Korean language, learning taekwondo, and finding time to keep myself sane in the midst of all that. So what pushed me over the edge to start this blog? I've often noticed syncronicities between my life and one of my favorite blogs, written by Steve Pavlina. So when Steve offered a free, pre-release copy of his book to anyone with a blog with decent readership who would review his book, I couldn't resist.

To get the free copy of the book, I have exactly one month to get my readership up to a respectable level. So please, come back often. I'll keep it fresh and interesting. Leave comments, refer your friends and feel free to leave me feedback. Until next time, anyeonghi kasaeyo.