Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, I moved to Miami, Florida in August 2020 (during a pandemic, no less) to begin graduate school at Florida International University where I am currently a PhD candidate in International Relations.

I have been interested in other cultures from a young age, particularly East Asia and Ireland/ Great Britain. Growing up in Boston, I was surrounded by many families that, like mine, are of Irish descent. I have previously traveled to Ireland and would love to live there one day.

I do not know how my interest in East Asia began, but I have had this keen interest for as long as I can remember. As a child, I was always fascinated by China and Japan. Eventually, that interest grew to include Korea. I initially gained interest in South Korea due to K-pop (Korean pop music). This interest emerged as a result of my love of J-pop (Japanese pop music) which I have been a fan of since the 1990s. It is common for South Korean singers to release Japanese versions of their songs in Japan. This was what led me to first hear of K-pop.

Since 2013 when Psy released Gangnam Style, many Westerners have increasingly become familiar with South Korean culture. I became interested in K-pop years before Gangnam Style was released, and it has been intriguing to see how it was unknown outside of East Asia, but now fans can be found across the globe.

When I am not in school, I can be found spoiling my chihuahua, Miley. We have all heard of the stereotypical crazy cat lady. Change the word “cat” to “chihuahua,” and that would be me. If you see a car in the Miami area with chihuahua stickers on the back of it, that would be mine!

I am also interested in true crime and often watch true crime television shows or listen to true crime podcasts. Other topics I often listen to on podcasts include history, ufology, and the paranormal. If there are podcasts that you would recommend, please contact me. I am always searching for new ones to check out.

I enjoy being in school and meeting with other students. I have previously been an English language tutor for international students at the University of Massachusetts Boston. There I also worked as a Peer Advisor. This job entailed assisting freshman and transfer students in choosing what classes they would enroll in.

As someone who has struggled with learning disabilities, I am especially fond of helping other students in need. I want them to recognize that they can pursue any career they wish as long as they work hard. While I was an undergraduate, one of my professors was an immense inspiration to me. My goal is to become like her and help others.