“funny, for some reason i thought the orthodox frowned on converts”
Nope.
A Jew-by-choice is no less of a Jew than someone born Jewish.
It’s actually expressly forbidden to treat a Jew-by-choice any different than any other Jew.
Now, is being Jewish a hard road? Do people hate you randomly? Is it sometimes lonely? Yes. And so conversion is discouraged because there is seldom any reason for a good gentile to convert to Judaism. But if one is persistent, he (or she) is welcome.
I seem to remember hearing once that a would-be convert has to be turned away something like four times, but that when they return the fifth time, the rabbi begins instructing them.