I can still feel my stomach knot up when someone reads my name out loud for the first time. It takes me back to being a kid, growing up in a white, working-class suburb of Detroit and hearing the teacher take a long pause upon seeing my name on the attendance list.

May is nationally recognized as Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Month.

I applied to the Peace Corps because I wanted to represent the United States, my country, in a positive light as well as explore another culture in depth.

My Peace Corps Journey began in August 2017; this being my first journey outside of the United States I had no idea what to expect. 

As an Asian-American, adopted volunteer serving in the Kyrgyz Republic I am often asked questions about my heritage. 

On Friday, October 27^th I swore in as a Peace Corps Volunteer! Our swearing in ceremony was wonderful and it included speeches made by volunteers in both English and Kyrgyz as well as volunteers dancing the Kyrgyz national dance. Overall it was an exceptional event!

If someone told me when I got to Kyrgyzstan that my biggest struggle during Pre-Service Training would be saying goodbye to my first host family, I probably would have shrugged it off.

In two days I will be 29 years old.

Although I spent nearly four years as a Peace Corps Volunteer I missed the opportunity to attend a real local wedding until this past September.