So far, Christine and I have had a momentum problem. Every time things seem to be going well, a random bit of bad luck comes along and knocks us on our asses. Case in point: we were due to leave…
Puerto Madryn, Argentina (Part 1)
Author: Zachary A. Marx
Zachary Marx is currently living and working in Munich, Germany. He graduated with a degree in Political Science in 2006 from the University of Tennessee, and continues to bleed orange. So far, his vagabond lifestyle has brought him to five continents, and twenty-eight countries, with extended stays in China, Japan, and Korea. He started 80couches.com in February of 2011, with the ultimate goal of using it as the premise for couchsurfing around the globe. Your feedback and suggestions are welcome. He can be reached by carrier pigeon, smoke signals, telegram, and via the Interwebs, at zachary.marx@gmail.com.
New York, New York
Though my travels have taken me far and wide–23 countries on 5 continents as of this writing–I had never been to New York. It was a strange point of interest when talking to many of my American and European friends…
The Gospel of Mark
Just over two years ago, I met my first real friend in Korea, a couchsurfer from England, Mark. We first contacted each other through the Seoul couchsurfing message board, and shortly thereafter met up in Hongdae for drinks and random shenanigans.…
There Will Be Blood: Playing Soccer on Dirt
On Saturday, the final whistle blew on my soccer career in Asia. The moment was bittersweet; the 4-1 win was one of the best results I’ve experienced here, but I hate to be leaving my Kimchi Kickers behind. One thing…
Reverse Culture Shock: You Can Never Go Back
In the 1997 comedy Grosse Pointe Blank, assassin Martin Blank (played by my boy, John Cusack) goes home after 10 years to reconnect with his long-lost love, and “delete somebody along the way.” Before returning, he asks his therapist, Dr. Oatman…
North Korea: Peering into the Darkness
For the last year, I’ve lived very comfortably on the absolute edge of Western Civilization, approximately 1.5 miles to the North Korean border. When I say, “I can see North Korea from my backyard,” this isn’t a metaphorical statement. During…
Yongsan: The Bazaar of Technology
When shopping for a new shiny gadget in Seoul, the prudent resident can forget about going to the gleaming new halls of the closest mall, and head straight for Yongsan Station instead. Yongsan has long been the de facto hub for electronics…
Religion and Politics
In all of the hoopla over the recent pick of Paul Ryan as the Republican nominee for vice president and the subsequent convention, one fact has been largely overlooked: the Romney-Ryan ticket is the first major political party ticket without…
The Last…
A little less than a year ago, I found myself watching the Brewers ill-fated playoff run online, while chatting with my cousin Danny and my uncle Robert. Well, the Brewers were getting spanked and during the lull in action (which…
Where Have All the Heroes Gone?
When a celebrity dies these days, Facebook is almost always the bearer of bad news. Today was no exception, as I learned of Neil Armstrong’s passing from a post on the social network. Unlike with other celebrities, only a handful…
The Idea Stands Alone
As the U.S. presidential election continues to heat up over the next couple of months, I’m sure I will be tempted to jump into the turbulent and bloody waters of political blogging. I am trying my best to resist the…
What are the odds?
In school, math never really interested me. It’s a shame, because if there ever existed a subject that I was “a natural” in, it was math. I just found it boring and steadfastly refused to do the work or pursue…