After an uneventful upbringing in Frankfort Square, a south suburb of Chicago, Mike’s life took a dramatic turn about fifteen years ago. While vacationing in California, and still new to the Internet, Mike misbooked a flight home, wrongly assuming Chicago’s airport code was CHI. Twenty hours later, he found himself in China with no money, job, or family. Shortly after his arrival, Mike was abducted by a family of nomads living in the Himalayas, where he would spend the next several years working in rice paddies. Mike knew that he had to learn Chinese in order to trick his captors and plan his escape. Finally making his way back to civilization, Mike soon sneaked onto a cruise ship and spent months selling fortune cookies to tourists, eventually saving enough money to return home. Ever since, Mike has been living in a one-car garage and teaching Chinese to anybody who will listen.
Contact Mike at mike@chinesewithmike.com
