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No More SeoulSteves

January 27, 2010

I figured it was about time for me to come make it official, if you haven’t guessed already, that SeoulSteves is now defunct.

At the time we started, we were filling a much-needed gap in the world of expat blogs, but as more and more blogs, magazines, etc, came on the scene (a very good thing overall, in our opinion. No grudges!), and we got distracted by other projects ourselves, it was harder and harder to keep SeoulSteves alive with competitive content. We had a lot of fun running SeoulSteves, we met people from all walks of life, and made friends and connections that have paved the way to ventures we find ourselves exploring right now. We don’t regret any of it, but we made the conscious decision that it was time to let SeoulSteves go.

The site itself and the information contained within is still live and viewable… for now. But it will not be updated. The Steves are still great friends and continue to work together on other ventures. You can support us by:
Playing a game of Golden tee
Eating the best burrito in Seoul.
Getting your TESOL certificate
Checking out Skinny’s personal blog (where he still sometimes posts tips and resources for expats), or follow him on Twitter
If you’re American, please remember that you’re still a citizen of one of the few countries that allows those abroad to take part in the political process, so do it.

For our parting words, we’d just like to tell everyone that Korea can be a great place to call home, if even for a short time. The most important thing to determining your experience in Korea is how much of your own heart and soul you put into having a great time and living life to it’s fullest. Life is too short to be pessimistic.

Top Ten Ways to Survive a Korean Company

February 4, 2009

Originally published on Hub of Sparkle

My time working in a Korean company has been a roller coaster. Some days are great, and others are miserable. However, every single one of them has been educational.

I’ve been working at a desk in a field of cubicles for about two years now and, though I’m far from an expert, I do believe I’ve learned a few things about the life of a foreigner working in the lower levels of a Korean company, so I thought I’d share by offering my ten principles of working in/with a Korean corporation without going insane (in no particular order): Read more

Expat Personal Finance 101

December 18, 2008

The DOW had its biggest one-day drop in history. Banks are being nationalized to prevent their outright failure. Worldwide economies are in tatters. What does it all mean?

Well… I have no idea. All I know is that when I sent money home to pay my student loan bills last week I sent 150,000 won more than usual and it still wasn’t enough to cover my minimum payments. To be honest, though, my personal finances in general need a serious makeover. Am I making intelligent decisions in regards to my debt? How do I save money as an Expat in Korea? Should I try investing?

I didn’t know where to even start on these questions, and I was sure that if I didn’t know, then there are probably a lot of other expats in Korea in a similar boat. Thankfully the blog Investing Won recently came on the scene and when I wrote Sungwon asking if he’d be interested in doing a joint posting project, he didn’t hesitate to take me up on it.

In the following segment, I will layout some details of my financial situation that are probably fairly common to a lot of people. I’ll mention some of the strategies I’ve taken up to date. I’m going to put it all out there, and then Sungwon’s going to pick it apart. Read more

Expat 2.0; Social Networking for Expats

December 2, 2008

It used to be that being transferred to Korea or coming here to teach English, although adventurous, also meant hardship and cultural alienation. Now that Korea’s one of the most wired countries in the world (last I heard it got knocked off the top spot) and pretty much any creature comfort you could think of can be found at costco, department stores, or ebay, the lifestyle you lived back home may not be so different from your lifestyle here. Still, staying connected with family and friends from the homeland is a challenge, but there are certain Internet companies and websites out there that are blurring even these lines, and I’ve created the following list of social networking sites that ease the life of an expat. Read more

Tomatillo Grill

November 4, 2008

A *NEW* Mexican restaurant is taking Seoul by storm. With food that can please any lover of mexican food (not, “New Mexican”), visitors to Seoul’s newest international eatery won’t be disappointed. 

Located next to Au Bon Pain, right outside of exit 6 of Jongak Station (Seoul) line #1, it’s not too hard to miss.  Step inside the modern chic interior and be amazed at the scents coming from the kitchen–this ain’t your daddy’s typical tex-mex diner with sombreros and panchos hanging on the walls.  Read more

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