Hi Everyone! My bags are fully packed and ready to depart on a riveting 16 hour flight to Seoul, South Korea. While the travel time won’t be the highlight of the trip, the destination that awaits is extremely exciting. I’m super excited to be departing to Korea in less than 24 hours! This trip promises to be a fascinating blend of cultural learning, historical immersion, and business-oriented learning.

I’m especially excited to have the opportunity to visit the Demilitarized Zone, the DMZ. This border serves as a reminder of the geopolitical tensions and many political complexities facing South Korea. Further, this will be a great opportunity to explore the fascinating history between the North and South Korea. As I’m interested in political science and learning about geopolitical relations, learning about the complex political tensions behind Korean history is extremely interesting. Beyond the DMZ, I’m excited to delve into Korean culture in many hands-on experiences throughout the trip. In country, I get to take a taekwondo class and learn the basics of the martial art from the birthplace of the form itself. I’m especially thrilled to have this opportunity because I’ve had experience in the Japanese martial art of Judo. I’m hoping that my previous experience with Judo will help fuel a fulfilling and fascinating time learning taekwondo.

Another unique experience I’m excited for is the opportunity to partake in our scheduled Hyundai site visit. As a Hyundai owner myself, I’m looking forward to seeing how these miraculous cars are constructed and learning about the complex, but meticulously constructed, manufacturing process that Hyundai uses. Although I’m knowingly partial to the car company, I’m probably the most excited for this site visit because of my interest in complex and advanced business practices.

Overall, I can’t wait to get in country. Although I’ll miss the good old Steel City and Pitt, I’m so excited to embark on this exciting South Korean journey!