Kallie Szczepanski is a historian who has spent more than five years living in Asia, and has traveled extensively in twelve Asian countries.

Experience:

Kallie first went to Asia as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Turkmenistan, in 1997-98. During her Peace Corps service, she took the opportunity to visit a number of nearby countries including Azerbaijan, Turkey, India, and Nepal.

On her return to the United States, Kallie served as a Comments Editor for the "Pacific Rim Law and Policy Journal," a professional legal quarterly. She also worked on land reform issues in Asia as an intern at the Rural Development Institute in Seattle, Washington.

Kallie lived in South Korea from 2003 to 2007, teaching English as a Foreign Language at private academies, and at Hallym University. University breaks allowed Kallie ample time to explore more of Asia, including the Philippines, Thailand, and Cambodia.

Education:

Kallie Szczepanski holds a bachelor's degree in History from Western Washington University, and a J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law.

Kallie is studying for a History PhD in Boston.

From Kallie Szczepanski:

Since my childhood, I've been fascinated by history. Some of my favorite memories include exploring western ghost-towns such as South Pass City, Wyoming, and walking in the wheel-ruts left behind by wagons on the Oregon Trail.

Growing up in the western United States, my concept of history was limited to the past century or two. As I've traveled and lived in Asia, the sheer depth of Asian history never ceases to amaze me. Some of these countries have records going back 5,000 years! It still boggles my mind.

It's such a thrill to stand on the Great Wall of China, or walk through Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and imagine what was happening on that very spot 500 or 1000 years ago. I get chills when I stand on the ruins of a city in Central Asia that was laid waste by Genghis Khan, and spot pottery shards or tiles sticking out of the sand. I hope that I can share that sense of a visceral connection to history with readers through About.com.