A brief biography

I am a New Jersey native, but I have been overseas for almost five years. While my departure was right around the time of the fall of the American Empire, aka the non-election of George W. Bush in 2000, that wasn't the main reason I left. I never found much joy working in the United States -- in fact I don't think I ever had a the combination of doing something I liked at a living wage in the states. I've always had both overseas.

The American working scene and its neon, cubicle cell, phoney enthusiasm credo, never made much sense to me. Having to beg and plead to do a lousy job beneath my intelligence and dignity never felt sensible, and overseas I never had to do any of that. No "boss" ever gave me much shit, and I enjoy being slightly removed from the mainstream of society.

There are things I miss about the states: going to a major league game, the selection of first rate restaurants, the summer concert season, but there are other things I would have to give up to get that back like easy access to cheap, cool, fun places like Koh Tao, Thailand, Boracay in the Philippines, Gili Trawangan, Indonesia, and others.

These days I am teaching Languge Arts at Saipan Southern High School, and I have been teaching for five years overall. Before joining SSHS, I taught English as a Second Language in Seoul, Korea, as well as Incheon, Korea.

In my life I have also been an editor and writer for various newspapers and book publishers in New Jersey, as well as a baseball umpire. My Bachelor’s Degree is in newspaper journalism from the University of South Carolina, and in June
I will complete a Master’s Degree in Education from Framingham State College in Framingham, Massachusetts.

My hobbies include bass guitar, scuba diving, writing and travel. I have visited twelve different countries on three
different continents.

Last year I married Cynthia Ravalo Turbitt, and I have two children via marriage, as well as a well-traveled dog.


To be continued.