I did my undergrad at the University of Hong Kong in Japanese Studies, but I was also interested in Russia as well. An encounter during my undergrad with a lecturer who specialised in Central Asia led to me becoming interested in its Soviet and Russian pasts, and in the pre-Imperial history of the region. Some time after graduating I decided that I wanted to do a Masters to learn more about the history of Central Asia, and the Global History approach, with its emphasis on global connections, seemed quite fitting for a region as contested and as connected as Central Asia was. I am keen to learn more about methods of conducting historical research, as well as acquiring competence in the requisite languages here at the FU and the HU.