Who Is Mr. Liston, The Travel Fiend?

English and science teacher Mr. Liston has traveled to many different parts of the world

LHS Publications

Mr. Liston in August of 2015 in front of Gullfoss Falls in Iceland.

Chloe Stenger, Reporter

Mr. Sean Liston sarcastically claims to be 110 years-old. He is an English major who is teaching English and science, but he is also teaching a learning strategies class.

Mr. Liston lives with his girlfriend, Libby, and his adorable American Bully, Seamus. His dog likes to play in the yard and watch TV. His girlfriend enjoys reading and traveling.

When Mr. Liston isn’t working, he bartends, paints cabinets, does Krav Maga, and travels. He also owns an Oculus VR headset. With it, he plays Warplanes: WW1 Fighters (his favorite), Until You Fall, and Pistol Whip.

“While bartending, I meet people from all different types; it’s like being a psychologist without a degree,” Mr. Liston says. “In a year, I’ll be a black belt in Krav Maga.”

Mr. Liston’s favorite movie is “The Shawshank Redemption.” It was originally a novella first published in Stephen King’s collection “Different Seasons.” The drama film was written and directed by Frank Darabont.

“It’s well-acted, well written and Morgan Freeman was in it,” Liston commented on the film.

Mr. Liston’s favorite TV show is “Peacemaker.” The American superhero television series was created by filmmaker James Gunn for the streaming service HBO Max, and it is based on the DC Comics character Peacemaker.

“It’s funny and kind of snarky, and I like snarky things,” Liston remarked on the series.

Mr. Liston obtained his major in English literature, received his undergraduate degree at Fontbonne, and received his master’s degree at Lindenwood. He chose his degree in English because he wanted something with flexibility and didn’t want to be stuck in a cubicle.

He stated, “When I went to Fontbonne, I met a bunch of cool international people from all around the world and their point of views. I went to Lindenwood to get trained in education.”

Mr. Liston’s greatest joy of teaching is seeing the individual personalities of each student on a personal level. He said that he does a lot of interactive activities where they get to work together as a class.

Mr. Liston in July of 2021 scuba diving in the Red Sea near Egypt.

Ashley Murray, an 18-year-old senior, is one of the students in his fifth hour class. She thinks that Mr. Liston is a good teacher.

“He is always there for me and always pushes me to get my work done, and when I need help with school work he is always helpful,” Murray said. “He always keeps me on my toes and keeps me entertained, I’m never bored in his class.”

Murray said she finds it fun “whenever he has a topic that he is obsessed with; he gives out all kinds of information, it’s intriguing.”

Mr. Liston’s favorite hobby is traveling. He likes to travel with his dog and sometimes his girlfriend. He has been to the following countries/territories: Japan, South Korea, South Africa, England, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Cuba, Jamaica, Saint Martin, Anguilla, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, Egypt, Mexico, and Iceland.

“Japan is cool, I climbed Mount Fuji and went to the virtual art museum,” he said.

Mr. Liston has also gone to a safari in Africa, swam with sharks near the Galápagos Islands, went skydiving, and has been scuba certified in the Red Sea.