Leaving A Trail in Korea

I’m Writing a Research Paper!

INDEED! I AM!

Why? Because I am enrolled in a graduate level course through Colgate (thanks for that, Colgate) in the Educational Studies department, and they want me to. They did not ask me nicely. They informed that this is what I will be doing, and now I am doing it. 

50 pages. Due mid-December. Murder me.

What? (Not in response to the “murder me” but as in What is your paper about.) I’M GLAD YOU ASKED. It’s about the construction of Korean identity and the West’s influence on that identity. I also really like movies, and my professor inquired, “Why aren’t you writing your paper on the national Korean identity through film?” And I was sad that I didn’t think of that. And what’s sad about that is the “academic” centered life I live and “academic” way of thinking did not even consider film to be on the table which is TRAGIC because I am LOVING the cinema class I’m in right now. (I have Song Kang-ho pics for you too!!!!) 

Anyway, I’ve been doing all the research, and it’s looking really good. I’m really pleased with it. I am excited about it (but not as excited as I would be about cinema, but that ship has sailed. Next research paper I do for fun is on that). I’m still working through the masses of articles, but I have already formulated 4, maybe 5 questions to ask the 10 people I’m asking. (maximum ten, maybe fewer. I know of 2 people for sure, and I’ll get some more from my fabulously cooperative FLC class. ^^)

The Questions: What makes a Korean a Korean? What does a powerful, influential, ideal Korean possess? Do you watch English TV shows or listen to music in English? and Are your most accessed websites in English or Korean? In what ways have Western influences had an impact on your identity?

Badass, right? I KNOW. I sound so intelligent and scholarly and so completely unlike myself that it makes me giggle. I’m going to try and do the interviews verbally and record them, and the students are going to be all kinds of composed and I’m going to be cackling maniacally the whole time, basking in the self-perceived light of my own brilliance. It’s not going to be pretty. 

So that happens. I start the interviews tomorrow and I AM SO EXCITED!!!! I will keep you updated as the magic continues to happen. ^^