This left me a little lost. What would I study if not this thing that I had already become invested in. I got that answer during a grad school fair at the American Model UN Conference in 2019. Throughout my entire time at NKU I have participated in my schools Model UN club. Each semester we go to a conference, where we represent a specific country and debate global issues with people around the country. AMUN 2019 was my first conference. A hallmark of these conferences is their Grad School/Opportunity Fairs. Ready to start preparing for my next big life step, I eagerly attended. I noticed that, while a lot of schools didn't offer Scandinavian studies programs, many of them offered Asian studies programs. This was an eye opening experience for me.

Whilst I was getting into Scandinavia academically, in my personal life I had started getting into a little something called Kpop. Over the years, my interest had morphed into something more than just an interest in Korean music. I started to become interested in Korean culture. In fact, when I was planning my semester abroad to Norway, I was also looking into a summer program in South Korea (something I never got to in the three years that I was eligible because, again, the pandemic). Deep down, I always knew that Korean culture was an interest of mine but I never thought to turn that into more than just a personal interest. Now, with my knowledge that Scandinavian studies was not an easily achievable goal in my current position, a void had been created. A void that I decided to fill with Asian studies. And I haven't looked back.

An experience that still doesn't feel real is the semester I spent abroad in South Korea. I decided to do so at the most convenient time imaginable, in fall 2021, at the height of a pandemic. I had worked incredibly hard just for the opportunity to get abroad but considering the state of the world, things just kept getting canceled. 2021 rolled around and I was running out of time. I decided, despite all the uncertainty, to apply for a semester abroad anyway (something something you miss 100% of the shots you don't take). I went through with the process and waited until July 1, a month before I would be leaving, when my trip was finally approved. August 10 2021, I boarded a Korean Air flight in Atlanta and 16 hours later, I was in South Korea. I had a blast while I was there. I made new friends, saw amazing new places, and just generally expanded my worldview in a way I had never had the opportunity to do from my home country. If I didn't already know that I wanted to study Korea/East Asia for the rest of my life, this trip cemented that decision for me. Ever since I returned, I've wanted nothing more than to go back. I found a home away from home in Korea and I'm so grateful to everyone who helped me get there but also to myself for never giving up on my dream.

One thing that I was exposed to in Korea, that I had only had a little bit of experience with in the states, was Korean food. Needless to say, I fell in love with it. One of the first things I did upon returning to the US was take my dad to Korean restaurant. I needed him to try all the food that I had come to love in my short four month stay. Of course, that love pushed its way into my academic life and through a lot of brainstorming sessions, this website was born.

This project is only the beginning of my career as a historian. In eight days I graduate and then next fall I'm hoping to start grad school. There will be many more opportunities for me to research, interview, and write about all the world around me. That being said, I am very happy that this was the my first true foray into the world of independent research. It has been a roller-coaster ride to get here but I am genuinely proud of the final results. I hope you've enjoyed them too.

Thank You for visiting and keep an eye out for me because this is just the start.