Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Soyon Choi.
Hi Michelle Soyon, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I am Soyon from Korea, I also go by Michelle. It’s been about 20 days since I moved to Austin from Seoul, Korea. I came here with my husband who just started his Ph.D. program at UT. We are actually a newly married couple – registered just before moving here in June! With my husband’s acceptance to UT, we decided to move specifically to Austin. We chose Austin because it’s one of the biggest cities in this area. My hometown, Seoul, is also a big city, and I’ve been living in Seoul my entire life. One thing I really wanted was to live in a big city in the States to allow myself to expose to as many opportunities and experiences as possible. And also, I’ve heard that ATX is an emerging city in the States in recent years and is also called a city of music. Furthermore, the most exciting fact about the city to me is that Austin has been ranked America’s 10th fittest city by the Huffington Post and 7th best city for runners by Forbes. I am a sports enthusiast, and I’ve had so many people telling me about how Austin is a great city for someone like me who loves running and basically any sports/outdoor-related activities. With my husband attending UT and considering our lifestyle, Austin couldn’t have been a better place to start our new journey.
I also just finished my Master’s at Seoul National University in Korea. Right before moving here, I was busy with my graduation, marriage, and moving. I think marriage is a big step in everyone’s life. And for me, it was another challenge to leave my beloved family and move all the way across the globe. It was definitely not easy and I miss them dearly, but with my husband by my side, I am accepting my new life and enjoying every moment of it! I am also planning to apply for a Moody College of Communication Ph.D program at UT next year. So, while I’m here with my husband, I am taking my time to study and workout and most importantly, being a great supporter of my husband and in his Ph.D. journey.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As mentioned earlier, getting married and moving to another country were the two biggest decisions in my life. If it weren’t for the support from my family and the help of friends who have lived in the U.S. and are currently living here, I couldn’t have worked through it.
One of the most difficult things was getting our housing settled. With the time difference, communication with the property management was so difficult. And to sign our lease contract without even personally seeing the house was very stressful. Luckily, we’ve had some friends who are currently residing in the U.S. who helped us with communication and other logistical things. Without them who knows for how long we would’ve stayed at a hotel.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a Korean who is preparing for a Ph.D. program after graduating with a master’s degree in Korea. Now I am in Austin with my husband who started his Ph.D. program!
Currently, I am managing my own and daddy’s YouTube channels, and I also edit the videos. In my videos, there are diet stories, workout videos, study Vlogs, and live-in Seoul Vlogs, and I am going to upload Austin Vlogs.
To explain my characteristics in more detail, I am a very passionate person about sports. I am known as a person who is serious about sports! The slogan that made me who I am today is ‘Healthy body with healthy mind’.
Any big plans?
I also completed my master’s degree in Korea, and I am currently preparing to apply for the Moody College of Communication Ph.D. Program in UT to become an expert in the field of Sports Communication.
While in my master’s program, I was preparing for my master’s graduation, getting ready for my marriage, managing two YouTube channels (mine ‘Michelle 헬시또또’ and my father’s ‘회생TV’), and also was coaching TRX classes. I didn’t think I would be able to catch all of them, so I decided to finish TRX class until May. I think preparing for graduation was the most important thing because I would come to the States with my husband only if I graduated with a master’s degree safely! It was too much to prepare to apply for a doctorate while doing these things.
And first of all, I didn’t want to study as a doctor right after finishing my master’s degree, and I wanted to do everything I could do. When I go to the U.S., I don’t have any parents or friends and I have only my husband next to me, when burnout comes, I don’t know how I can handle it. So I said, “I’m not applying this time, I am going to do everything I want to do, and I think I’ll be able to focus on my research well If I start my Ph.D.” We said let’s go at each other’s pace.
So I’m not applying for this year’s course, and I’m preparing for the 23-24 season.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nameis_soyon/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100072174255082
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMBJ96LJMJ360WT0bQDwnSA
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/healthyyon925/
Image Credits
The blue picture was the main photo of the marathon called RunOn when I was an ambassador of New Balance Korea. IMG-9567 is also the picture of the RunOn shoot held in October this year. A picture named ’29th’ was taken at the end of the 29th year. IMG-1340 was taken at my friend’s photo studio located in Jeju Island in Korea.
