Introduction to Andrew Kwon: Koreans Gone Bad AKA My Journey To Financial Freedom

Hey guys, my name is Andrew. I like things short and sweet. So here's my story:

I was born in Trenton New Jersey and moved to Southern California when I was 7 years old. I grew up with a city primarily with black, white, and hispanics so I didn't really have a lot of friends that understood my culture while I was growing up. Add the fact that my dad was basically a Korean 'Al Bundy' and I suppose my childhood wasn't the most traditional Korean-American upbringing, if there is anything such as that. I remember my dad actually answering the door in full fledged underwear, smoking a cigarette. My friends would never let that down for the next 10 years.

(Not my dad... but close)

Growing up I suppose I was the quiet Asian kid who blended in the background. I remember kids calling me 'Bruce Lee' and mimicking what they saw in those 60-70 era kung fu movies yelling "Waaa!", while walking down the school corridors. I never really responded and I never really got into any scuffles. I suppose that shaped me in some way growing up that $100,000 in therapy bills would probably uncover.

Anywho I grew up and went to school in Pomona, Ca with a fine arts degree. So what is a fresh-out-of-college kid supposed to do with a fine arts degree? Well go half way around the world to the 'mother country' and teach English of course!

During those years I was there I started to see the world in a different light. I really wish I would've made a blogging journal of my time there, but as they say:

"I would rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not."
~ Lucille Ball

I traveled, met new friends that had the same mindset, got in relationships, ran a restaurant, was on a popular Korean food show because of that restaurant, and learned things about myself and the world that changed my perception in the most significant way that had impacted my life, I believe, for the better.

(Me and my fellow teachers in the middle of the countryside in Korea)

(Me and my students at the Mungyeong Apple Festival)

(Meatballism: the restaurant I ran)

(Cooking in the kitchen)

(Traveling around Korea. Good times.)

(Beautiful Hong Kong)

(Life sometimes comes full circle)

It's too bad my employers didn't feel the same way...

Near the end of my adventure in Seoul, South Korea, I realized that I was getting paid the same amount of money, and because of new laws that changed how foreigners were receiving benefits and the hagwons (private tutoring schools) being structured in a way that had a constant revolving door of new teachers, my benefits were shrinking with every passing year. Basically, I didn't have a bright future in the education industry there.

So recently, I have moved back home into my mother's house (my father passed while I was living in Seoul) and have restarted my financial future by going into entrepreneurship. I currently have a dropshipping site www.easyshopdrone.com and am currently working on opening another store. I also will have a go at "private labeling" with my friend, and partner, within this year. It has been quite a journey with me lately as I also work as a cook (which in itself has plenty of trials and tribs) and constantly battling my mother the fact that I am not 16 anymore. Though I have asked for gas money on more than on occasion.

So Steemit, this is my introduction to my world. Going forward I am thinking about going into 'Being A Digital Nomad' or 'Recipes for the Single Man', at which point I will probably rewrite this introduction so enjoy it while you can Hahahahah.

(green aliens, fart toast crunch)

But seriously I am excited to be part of this group, but more importantly, this idea of the community benefiting from their own content. And thanks to my man @neilstrauss for introducing me to this world and basically blowing my mind. Cheers!