#73 Teaching English Abroad and Becoming an International Man of Mystery with Tommy Joiner

In episode #73 of the OpenWorld podcast I'm joined by my new friend and fellow author, Tommy Joiner. Tommy has just published his new Amazon book, "Teaching in East Asia" (full disclosure: we worked on the project together). The book shares his story (and the stories of many others) of teaching English abroad, a wonderful experience which helped him get out of debt, save a lot of money, travel, and start an entrepreneurial career. We talk a little bit about why teaching English is such a great opportunity (hint: second language speakers outnumber native speakers by 3 to 1), and how it can provide a stable runway to a very successful entrepreneurial career and digital nomad lifestyle. Tommy grew up, like many of us, in a sheltered upbringing in suburban America. Everything was taken care of; it seemed as if his whole life was set to run on autopilot. But he wanted to experience "rock bottom." He wanted to learn how to survive on his own, and develop himself and his life from square one. So he hit the "Reset" switch. He packed up everything, said goodbye to his boss at his dead-end job in Chicago, and left for South Korea, where he became an English teacher. In a year and a half, he was able to save $20,000, start his entrepreneurial career (he's now the founder of Gingerbread Marketing and Freelance Hustler), and begin a life of complete location independence and travel (he's currently based in Colombia). During our call we talk about his journey and he shares a bunch of great insights for anyone seeking to break free and discover their own location independent path. Be sure to check out the book we've create together as well, "Teaching in East Asia" includes several real stories and is available for just 99 cents on Amazon, Friday - Sunday (Feb 26 - 28 2016).