IGR (Intrepid Girl Reporter) is me, a 23-year-old living in a small college town in Appalachian Tennessee (or, as they like to call it around here, “the Mountain South”). After graduating from Centre College in 2007, I taught English in Jeju, Korea, for a year on a grant from a Government Program. (Hence the absence of my actual name.) As of right now, I’m bringing what I’ve learned of Korean food back to the US while simultaneously embracing, lovingly, the plethora of foods that America has to offer. When Korea starts hosting decent Mexican restaurants, I’ll consider moving back.

I was raised by an American mother (Miguk Momma – it means American…uh, Momma in Korean) and a Vietnamese father who immigrated to the US at the age of nine (Miguk Apa, which means American Dad). Everyone in my family loves to cook and eat, which means that from my time as a baby, I have been fed curries and Chinese buffets, cornbread and crawfish and even some other foods that didn’t start with C. I also have a brother, Tyler, and a sister, Candace, who often serve as road testers for whatever I make. During my time in Korea, I lived with a host family, comprised of a Host Mom, Host Dad, Host Brother, and Host Sister, and they got to eat what I made them, too. I’m sure they were thrilled.

My other interests and hobbies include journalism, reading, education, and making stuff. For my teaching/personal blog, look here.