My name is Justin, and I am actually your teacher's cousin! I grew up in Irvine, California, about 7 hours drive away from Mrs. Beardsley, who lived further north. I was very active in and out of school growing up. I loved playing handball, soccer and flag football during recess and lunch. Outside of school, I played third base in baseball. I spent my weekends and breaks hiking, hunting, camping, and fishing with my dad. The beach was also one of my favorite places to go so I could swim in the waves and soak up the sun on the soft sand beaches. In high school, I began playing football. I was an offensive lineman and enjoyed competing in powerlifting outside of football season.
After high school, I joined the Marine Corps and served for 4 1/2 years. My favorite job was as a Marine Security Guard at U.S. Embassies in different countries. I had never left the United States before, then suddenly, I spent three years living in Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, and South Korea! I also traveled to over 20 other countries for work or vacation during that time. I realized, then, that I wanted to become a diplomat and work at U.S. Embassies for my career. Embassies do many great things for the local communities in which they are situated, work constructively with other countries, and necessitate a lot of travel!
