About
Right now, I am interested in studying the Philippines, and/or researching gender and sexuality in a cultural context. I obtained a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies at the University of Kentucky, with a dual focus in East Asia and human rights. My senior project involved research on the cultural identity of Filipino Americans in Lexington. I attended Akita International University in a Japanese exchange program in 2011. There, I studied the local language and volunteered with a clean-up team in Sendai, after the Tohoku tsunami.
I am excited and challenged by my coursework here. My peers and my professors have been incredibly warm and welcoming. As I've completed one semester so far, I have only had three classes, and am just now beginning three more. I had a lot of fun with Dr. Burnet's class on ethnographic research methods, and trying out the tools for putting together research projects in various forms. It also gave me the chance to connect with my research teammates, and learning collaboratively gave me a lot of insight on what goes in to composing an ethnography. Dr. Markwowitz's course on community food security was also amazing, and much of our readings and fieldwork shed light on the complexities of the agro-food system on the local, national, and global levels. I've just begun taking Dr. Parkurst's class on social and cultural theory course, and his particular enthusiasm for teaching makes me look forward to an exciting semester.
Fun Facts:
While in Japan, I received my Sandan (beginning rank) in Iaido, which is a martial art involving a study in precise, controlled movements with a sword.
I have four pet rats. Two of them were adopted after they were rescued by Wolf Run Wildlife Refuge in Lexington. They’re all females, named Arya, Sansa, Lyanna, and Ygritte.
I won the BCUP Voices Challenge in 2014.
I love horror movies, rock music, and video games.