What’s up!  Well, I’ve finally settled on a date for the Amazon Kindle release of Naked in Korea and, of course, I’m making the official announcement here.  My memoir/travelogue about my time spent in South Korea teaching English near the DMZ will be available on JULY 3RD for only $2.99, which is by far the best price you’re going to find on a Korean travel book.  It’s a fun read with loads of amusing stories, tips about traveling Korea, where to hike, what to see in Seoul, which K-Pop bands to listen to, which Korean movies to watch, and how to properly drink soju.  I’m really excited about it and I hope it will be a great resource for people who are considering teaching in Asia.

Here’s the book cover with the description below that:

“It’s a strange feeling when you realize that the majority of people who have seen you naked have passports different from yours, but that’s exactly what happened to author/traveler Sean Chandler in 2010 and 2011.  Naked in Korea is the funny and heartfelt reflection of a 25-year-old English teacher from Bagdad, Kentucky who was hired to teach English in a military town near the controversial border between North and South Korea, only to discover that even on the other side of the planet, there is still plenty that people share in common.  

Shrinkage, for example.

But Chandler’s memoir/travelogue is about more than just how he came to spend copious amounts of time sweltering in an East Asian bathhouse alongside throngs of befuddled Korean men.  It is about more than how a hairy Kentuckian learned to enjoy wearing Speedos in a country where conformity is the rule.  Naked in Korea is also the story of how a fish out of water learned to get by in a part of Korea where foreigners are seldom seen and the gorgeous mountains contain either unexploded landmines or luxurious five-star golf courses, depending on where you look.  It is the story of how he was virtually adopted by the charismatic father of a local family and the adventures that ensued.

Come join Chandler as he shares his stories about making kimchi for the first time at a prehistoric festival on Halloween and how he learned to drink soju “the proper way”.  Hear some pointers on what to bring if a group of Koreans invite you to hike a mountain at 4:00 in the morning on New Year’s Day under a blanket of darkness and knee-deep snow.  Discover how to plant fishing traps at the bottom of a frigid river and read about Chandler’s journey underneath the infamous DMZ in a secret tunnel that was once intended for a North Korean military invasion!  And, yes, we’ll talk a little about K-Pop.

Along the way, learn about Seoul and hear fun tips for exploring The Land of the Morning Calm.  Korea is a fantastic country with unique people and a happily eccentric culture you simply have to experience!  Just, um…remember that clothing is sometimes optional.”