Hello to everyone!

I’m Ester Angulo, a first-year here at the University Of Oregon. I’m currently majoring in Asian studies with a Minor in Korean Language and a thematic focus in Society & Culture. I was born and raised in Salem Oregon, which was a big reason why I decided to come to the U of O! It was the only college In-state that had a very large Asian studies department and that is what attracted me here. One of the reasons I am an Asian studies major is because in my free time (yes my free time), I love to study cultures, languages, and how people are in different countries. Because I am a multi-ethnic person, being mostly Afro-Caribbean and Italian, I wanted to explore other countries that were completely different from my ethnic roots. That led me eventually to Asia, a continent that I have absolutely no ancestral history with!

What mainly Interests me about East Asian Languages & Culture is not only that they have AMAZING food and awesome TV shows. But I really am fascinated by the language structures that differ from many global languages that generally use the Roman Alphabet. I really wanted to challenge myself and learn a new language that had an alphabet/character system! So, two years ago I started self-studying Korean at home, mostly because I love the flow and the way the language sounds, (and also I may have watched a Korean drama or two). Now that I basically speak 3 languages (English, Spanish, and Intermediate Korean), I want to add even more to my list! By taking this class, I can introduce myself to other east Asian languages as well, and possibly start learning another one if any pique my interest.

 On the top is me singing Karaoke! One thing I don’t tell many people, (except for now) is that I love to sing in different languages when I’m bored all the time, so that is also something that has made languages fun for me! On the bottom Is me and my best friends at BTS’ stadium tour in California. I also really enjoy music from different genres, so I listen to a lot of Korean ballads, r&b and oldies.

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Being in this class so far has been very fun. I really enjoy the teaching style, the readings are very interesting for me to read, complete weekly quizzes and then have a class lecture about it. That helps me remember the things I read! And because this class is about subjects that I am very passionate about, I have found myself doing better at completing my assignments on time and executing projects. The class is challenging for me in a way that is engaging, so I’m ready for any challenge that comes my way. Hopefully I will have the opportunity to take a class like this again at the University. ^.^