Hello, everyone! My name is Gabrielle Sarao (pronouns she/her), and I’m a senior in Global Studies with a minor in Anthropology and Japanese. I’m looking forward to hopefully travel to Japan next year and to many other countries in the future.

I have almost always been interested in Japan, especially since I hosted a Japanese student, name Chia, while I was in middle school. She was only around for a week, but I became hooked on Japanese culture and language. I took this course because my advisor mentioned that I was really close to achieving a Japanese minor, so, why not? I’m actually very excited to learn all the intricacies of Japanese language, as it allow a gateway to further understand the language, and to learn more about Japanese society. Fun fact: My knowledge is anime and K-pop is very limited, but I love Fullmetal Alchemist, and I’m very excited to try some Japanese sports and learn more about traditional culture and religion.

I tend to be a well-rounded person, so I love a lot of different hobbies. I enjoy riding my bike, hiking, listening to music, drawing, and reading fantasy novels. I am also  big Dungeons and Dragons fan, and I enjoy listening/watching D&D podcasts. My favorite bands include and lot of alternative, 80s rock, and indie music. Panic! at The Disco is my favorite band. Anyway, looking forward to having a great fall term despite all the craziness.