“Who am I?” as you know is the famous quote and movie title from the 1998 Hong Kong action comedy film starring one of my favorites Jackie Chan (for those who haven’t seen it you can pause here or not). Similar to Jackie Chan I too, as most of us are trying to figure out who we are. I think I have a pretty good idea but things are always changing and so are we. But enough psychosocial jibber jabber, “Please allow me to re-introduce myself.”

Never Start an Introduction With Your Name

Everyone knows who you are so why do it, well until later. Hi all I am Teagan, born and raised in the great state of Pennsylvania. I went to PSU and got my undergrad there in Elementary Ed. and Special Ed. There wasn’t much work in the area after college and things weren’t the best and I was swimming in debt. I wasn’t sure what to do.

I then saw a job ad on Craigslist for a job teaching in South Korea (I know seems legit eh). I applied, got the job and within a few months, I moved to Korea. The plan was one year to pay off some debt and head back to The States, but that didn’t happen.

4 Years of Debauchery: South Korea

One turned to two, two to three and then I had to go. But during that time I met a lot of amazing people, grew a lot, and traveled a bit. China, Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan, and Thailand (but that last one is a whole different story). I loved it there and Koreans are some of my favorite people on Earth.

Teaching was always my passion, but I found out I loved a few other things. I fell in love with running and learned I could work in Alaska (thanks Patty O). I learned to SCUBA dive in the Philippines (cheers SCUBA Steve). I also had a buddy Travis (trail name Nugs of Knowledge) who told me tales about his thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail. His brother came Stephen (Tron) and I heard more and the seed was planted and never left.

Cross-Country Travel and Alaska

I got back to The States, got a car, and drove from Massachusetts to Michigan to Texas, then the short trip to Skagway Alaska. Stayed with friends along the way slept in my car and hiked, ran, and imbibed. It was glorious. I then spent a summer in Skagway being a cycle guide before departing back to Asia, Taiwan this time.

Mountains in Alaska

Taiwan and The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

I wanted to move to Taiwan before this and had a lady I was dating living in Kaohsiung, so I moved there. Loved my time there and the Taiwanese are the kindest people on Earth. The mountains there are also stellar over 100 mts over 10,000ft (3,000 meters). I hiked, ran, and was happy till I wasn’t. Things didn’t work out with the missus at the time and I still had tons of student debt. So the logical next step, move to Saudi to pay that off and reset.

I had a friend there and got a good job teaching at a Uni. Spent a while there traveled all over the Middle East and spent another summer in Alaska. The debt was paid off, got a Master’s Degree so left and went back to Taiwan to teach again, this time in Taipei.

Taiwan Again, The Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand

I upgraded my SCUBA certs in Taiwan, pretty decent diving there. I then moved to South East Asia teaching online and was a SCUBA instructor. Worked in all these places traveled around and became a freedive instructor as well. Again hiking, Mountainbeering, running, meeting people, and just doing epic things.

The Finland Incident and Dahab, Egypt

Again I fell in love with a Finnish lass and moved there. She proceeded to dump me a day after I arrived for a reason that is still not known to me. So I moved to Egypt, the South Sinai.

A quaint little town called Dahab. I became a freedive instructor there and again met a lot of epic people and did more cool stuff.

How Did I End up Hiking the Trail Now

I was most recently in Bali, Indonesia, a village called Amed (a second home of mine). I have been living there and in the Gilis (small island chain) for over 9 years among other places off and on. I was planning on coming back in March to hike the trail and my pops died so I came back early to sort things out and prepare for the trail.

I have been hiking weekly, running, and lifting to prepare and ready as ever.

If you have read this far awesome sauce. There is a lot more and happy to speak more about it as I write more and meet you all on the trail. Feel free to shoot me a message on Instagram and I be happy to chat more or help you with hiking or teaching, living diving, hiking, running overseas, and becoming a man of leisure.

Teagan Out