In the spring of 2024, I had the privilege of studying at Kookmin University in Seoul, South Korea. My experience in Korea, its culture, and language started long before my arrival. Before I was born, my dad was stationed in Busan, South Korea. He then later moved to Daegu to finish his deployment in the US Army. My father spent two years experiencing the language and culture, and out of the many countries he has traveled to, Korea still remains his favorite to this day. As a young child, I had the most incredible bedtime stories. They were filled with my dad’s experiences: beautiful culture and people he encountered, city lights, bonds that will never be broken, and a lifetime of memories. Since that young age, I knew I wanted to have my own story.

Being raised in a military family meant that my sense of belonging was shaped not by permanence, but by movement between countries, cultures, and ways of life. A portion of my life growing up was spent living abroad in Germany. During these crucial years of my childhood, I was exposed to differences in their most human form: new languages, unfamiliar routines, and the quiet awareness of being an outsider. My understanding of culture was shaped long before I ever studied it in a classroom. Over time, this experience taught me resilience and adaptability, but more importantly, it sparked a deep curiosity about how people from different backgrounds communicate, coexist, and understand one another. What began as a personal journey of adjustment has since become a purposeful academic and professional pursuit rooted in international relations and cultural diplomacy.

While studying abroad in South Korea, my interest in communication studies solidified. Living and studying alongside students from around the world forced me to confront my own cultural frameworks and develop a more nuanced understanding of international dialogue. My semester abroad challenged my assumptions about culture, communication, and global systems through rigorous coursework in culture, globalization, language, religion, and philosophy, combined with daily intercultural interaction.

As a participant in the Global Scholar Program, my study abroad experience in Korea served as the central global engagement that complemented and deepened my academic coursework. In the classroom, I explored intercultural communication theories, the impact of globalization on identity, and the role of language in shaping power and relationships. Outside of the classroom, I was immersed in an environment where these concepts were constantly being tested. Everyday interactions, whether navigating conversations in a second language, adapting to social norms, or engaging with peers from diverse cultural backgrounds, required me to actively apply what I was learning in real time. Together, my coursework and study abroad experience created a strong connection between theory and practice. My academic studies provided the framework to interpret what I was experiencing, while my time in Korea gave me the opportunity to apply, question, and refine that knowledge in meaningful ways. This integration has shaped me into a more globally aware communicator, equipped with the skills to navigate cultural complexity and contribute thoughtfully to international dialogue.