About

A hiker wearing a red rain jacket stands on Lao Chai Bridge in Sapa, Vietnam, with misty mountains and terraced rice fields in the background.

콜로라도 사람 — Korean for “Colorado person”

I’m John. I grew up in Vail, Colorado and have been living in South Korea since 2007.

I came here on a one-year teaching contract and never left. I now work as a university English professor, which gives me the time to travel throughout the year.

Most of that time ends up outside. Skiing, trekking, and traveling across Asia, usually in places that take a bit more effort to reach.

Skier carving through deep powder at Silverton Mountain, Colorado

Why I Started Colorado Saram

I didn’t start this with a big plan.

A few years ago, I quit drinking and suddenly had a lot more time and focus. Around the same time, I was trying to get into the adventure travel industry and kept hitting the same wall. Living overseas made things complicated, and most companies weren’t open to hiring someone based outside the United States.

In one interview, the owner asked if I had a travel blog. I showed her an old online travel diary I used to keep for friends and family. Not long after, I realized what she meant and what I had were two very different things.

That stuck with me. I started looking at other travel blogs and saw what was possible, but I knew I had work to do. I taught myself how to build a website, learned the basics of SEO, and started building something from scratch.

That’s how Colorado Saram began.

I’m still figuring this out as I go.

The site is growing, the content is getting better, and I’ve started helping people plan trips, mostly around skiing and travel in Asia.

For now, I’m focused on building something solid and seeing where it leads.

Standing at the summit of Mount Hallasan, South Korea’s tallest peak, after completing the Seongpanak to Gwaneumsa trail

Need Help Planning a Trip?

If you’re planning a ski trip, trek, or something more off-the-map in Asia, I offer free one-on-one travel planning support.

It’s not a tour or a package. Just advice based on what I’ve done and what I know.

You can check out the Travel Planning page to get started.

Work With Me

I’m open to working with brands, resorts, and tourism boards that fit what I’m already doing.

If it’s a good fit, feel free to reach out via the Contact page.

Follow

If you want to follow along, you can find me here.