The visa issue

Why do we need a visa to live in a country? Why is it so hard to get one? Why can’t we just live where we choose to live? These…

Korea vs. Japan

Ever the naive Westerner, I had assumed that South Korea and Japan would have some sort of ”Northeastern Asia Friendship” going on after spending the last 200 million years chilling…

The Push to Be White

I faced the camera with the air of someone awaiting a root canal.  Always preferring to be behind the lens rather than in front of it, and liking to capture…

What to Know Before Coming to Korea

Even the inexperienced traveler could tell you that there are some significant differences between Asian culture and Western culture, and although I’ve lived in Seoul for over five months now,…

Thoughts from a Nation Builder

In light of President Obama’s recent State of the Union Address (which can be found here, and is well worth a viewing), I thought I would toss in my two…

Language and Our World

As an individual with a degree in linguistics, it goes without saying that I am fascinated by language use around the world.  I love exploring the field so much that…

Our Global Community

I had about seven different ideas for what to write about this week, but after a thought-provoking New Year’s Eve discussion about xenophobia (which may or may not have been…

The Foreigner’s Guide to K-Pop

For those of you who have not had the joy of being exposed to K-Pop (Korean pop music), this upbeat genre features both male and female groups which generally have…

Discovering the Beauty of Dependence

I had a revelation yesterday.  Well, actually it began last Friday.  Well, actually I’ve been piecing things together for the past several months, but didn’t begin to articulate it until…

So You Want to Teach English…

Though it may have never been a job that you’ve considered, or even have any experience in, teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), can be a great way…

How to Holiday Overseas

Sorry Anglophiles, this post is not about vacationing in a different country, but how to celebrate your cultural traditions while abroad.  This year has brought about a lot of changes…

Working Overseas – The Unexpected Complications

It probably goes without saying that I love to travel.  I love being able to slip in and out of cultures, explore new countries, and meet people with life experiences…

10 Reasons Why You Should Come to Korea

Despite being one of the world’s economic leaders, and a culturally rich society, Korea doesn’t get a ton of attention when it comes to international tourism.  If you ask the…