Chevalier goes from Little East to the Far East

KEENE, N.H., 6/10/09 - As a middle infielder for the Keene State baseball team the past four years, Jamie Chevalier was responsible for keeping his teammates on their toes, taking signs from the catcher, positioning the defense, and communicating who would take the bag on relays or steal attempts.

"Jamie possessed the instincts that you can't teach players," said KSC Coach Ken Howe. "He had a knack for knowing where the ball was going to be hit and was constantly talking to his teammates to make sure they were in the right position."

Chevalier will take his communication skills to a new level when he travels to South Korea in August. The Amherst, N.H., native will spend a year in Seoul, teaching English to Korean businessmen.

"I always wanted to travel and teach, and this is an opportunity to do both," said Chevalier, who earned his degree in English literature in May. "I've always been intrigued with the Far East."

Keene State associate head coach Marty Testo wasn't surprised to hear about Chevalier's move from the Little East to the Far East. "Jamie is a pretty outgoing guy, always willing to take on an adventure and a challenge," he said.

According to Chevalier, Korean children are taught English in school. However, older Koreans, including the businessmen he will be teaching, didn't come up under the same system, and their English needs some polish. "That's where I come in," said Chevalier. "In addition to teaching them grammar and technical aspects of the language, I will be taking them out to dinner and around town, so they can pick up slang and conversational English."

Chevalier will live in the upscale community of Gangnam, not too far from the bustling business district. But living overseas does have its drawbacks: Chevalier is keenly aware of the growing tension between North and South Korea. "You try not to think about it, but it's something in the back of your mind," he said.

As far as leaving home for the first time, Chevalier said his parents, Dave and Linda, are excited about his once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. "They'll miss me, but they've known for quite some time my passion to travel," he said. "Now that school and baseball and I are done, I don't have anything holding me back."

Chevalier, a three-time All-Little East infielder and Gold Glove winner as a junior, hopes to stay involved with the sport. "They love baseball over there and had a good showing in the World Baseball Classic," Chevalier said. "I'm hoping to hook up with a team, even if it's amateur ball just for fun."

While Chevalier's bat and glove have successfully done his talking the past four years at Keene State, he will now rely on his education and people skills to get his point across in his new position.

"I'm looking forward to meeting people from all over the world and getting my feet wet in the classroom," said Chevalier, who might be purchasing the Korean version of Rosetta Stone before his trip overseas. "I want to broaden my horizons and move one step closer to becoming a citizen of the world."