The Global Explorer

Summary In this short and concise writing on American foreign policy from the turn of the twentieth century until the mid-way point, George Kennan delivers an enjoyable read about past events and how they are still relevant today. Starting from the Spanish-American War, Kennan delves into the perceptions of American citizens and policy makers alike … Continue reading »

Yesterday I visited Seorak Mountain National Park along the east coast of Korea for the first time. The scenery was magnificent as the peaks of the mountains were surrounded by an almost mystic fog. During my time in Seorak National Park, I went to the Osaek Valley and Baekdamsa Temple. In the Osaek Valley, I … Continue reading »

First of all, I would like to thank all of my friends at the Royal Asiatic Society for putting together a wonderful Garden Party. For those of you who don’t know about the Royal Asiatic Society, I encourage you to read my post about it and sign up to be a member. One of the … Continue reading »

All too often important historical figures are painted as larger than life. Few, if any, mistakes were made. They were passionately devoted to the cause and never thought about anything else. And, unlike like us, they were nearly flawless in all aspects of life and career. George Kennan, in John Lewis Gaddis’s amazingly written biography, … Continue reading »

Every day we are bombarded with the latest trade deficit statistics while political and economic analysts on TV predict economic ruin and collapse. However, do we–or the people reporting the information–even understand what it means? Mostly likely the answer is no. For example, do most people reading or reporting about international trade realize that the … Continue reading »

An organization I am pleased to recommend to anyone living in or interested in Korea is the Royal Asiatic Society. This organization was founded in 1900 and survived the Japanese occupation, World War Two, and the Korean War. The Royal Asiatic Society hosts bimonthly lectures, guided tours around, and sends out a monthly newsletter to … Continue reading »