About

My name’s Holly Hoang. 21, Asian American. I recently graduated from Oberlin College in May 2017 with a B.A. in History and have further interests in Immigration and Asian American Studies, taiko drumming, creative writing, and watching sunrises.

I am currently writing this introduction from my dorm room at 중원대학교 Jungwon University in South Korea because I will be working under the Fulbright Program as an English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Fulbright Grantee in South Korea for the next year, from 2017-2018. This is my first time traveling to South Korea and living abroad, so I hope to use this virtual space as a way to track my thoughts and experiences throughout my time here. I will grow in ways that I would not have had I stayed in the United States, and reminding myself of this is what’s motivating me to look forward to a year of humbling experiences, fond memories, and opportunities to push myself just a little more.

The name of this blog, “Reimagined Foreigner,” is what I consider myself in South Korea. It references ideas of foreignness and dynamics found in belonging/not belonging—things I’ve been reflecting on a lot lately. Here is an explanation of why I chose to use this title for my blog.

If you are here and present in this moment, thank you. Taking the time to carve out space for documenting my experiences in a virtual medium was something I chose to do for myself rather than someone else. I created this blog with the intention of chronicling my time in South Korea for my own future reference, but if you are here reading, skimming, peeking in—I have nothing but gratitude for you. It means a lot to think that my thoughts, rambling, concerns, crises, triumphs, etc. might have value to anyone other than myself. I am here learning and growing, and I hope you might be able to learn and grow with me, as well.

Please wish me luck as I embark on this journey abroad. July 2017-July 2018, I will be based in South Korea. Hopefully, I will see you all soon—in good spirits and in good health. And to those with whom I’ve left pieces of my heart for the next year, please take good care of them until I get back, okay?

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This site is not an official Fulbright Program site. The views expressed on this site are entirely mine and do not represent the views of the Fulbright Program, the U.S. Department of State, or any of its partner organizations.

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