Sadness
Very shocking and sad news has shaken me up, along with pretty much the entire ex-pat community in Korea. The author of Korea Life Blog, probably the most famous blog about teaching in Korea, has taken his life. I read his entire archives one weekend before coming to Korea and have been reading his newest blog about teaching in China ever since. I know he has been a source of many good things for everyone who is here, has been here, or thinks about coming here.
It's unbelievable.
Read this.
posted by Jessica @ 12:07 p.m.
3 Comments
3 Comments:
This is very unfortunate news. Who was he and where was he from? Did he also go to Korea to teach?
He was Shawn Matthews, originally from the states (I think New York.) He work in the States at some job that left him tired and unhappy so when he came here he raved about how much better life is, how he took the road less traveled by and changed his life for the better. His father committed suicide and Shawn had mentioned that in his posts. He had been blogging for quite some time and used a personal writing style about his everyday life that drew many readers. Most of his readers were fans but he sometimes complained on his blog about rude commenters.
He taught in Korea for a few years (I think from 2000 to 2005) and in the process he blogged, later publishing two books of his material. One is called "Island of Fantasy" and one is called "Korea Life Blog". They may be the same thing, I'm not sure.
Last year he left Korean and moved to Beijing where it seems like he liked it even more than Korea. Obviously blogs don't reveal all there is that's going on with a person.
Since the news of his death became public in the blogging community (around May 31st) there has been an incredible reaction on message boards, forums, and blogs. He made a real impact and many people are touched by his death besides his family and friends.
That's sad. I didn't even know who he was. One of my co-workers tried to commit suicide by jumping out of the fifth floor of our dorm a few weeks back because his wife wanted a divorce. He lived, but broke four ribs and slightly fractured his spine. People do some dumb things sometimes over women.
--Dan
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