Yeoreobun annyeonghaseyo! (Hello everyone!) My name is Bethanie Garcia, but you can call me Beth! I am a student from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, and I live nearby in Mascoutah, IL. In school, I study linguistics (the study of how languages work) and international studies. I love to learn about other countries and their languages, then share that with others.
Growing up, my father was in the Air Force and he was once sent to South Korea. I loved hearing about all the different places he saw, the food he ate, and the new friends he made there. That is part of the reason I f have focused my studies on South Korea. I was fortunate enough to apply for and be awarded both the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship and Boren Scholarship from the U.S. government. These amazing scholarships help students go abroad and study languages that are less commonly learned but very important to maintaining relationships with other countries. So here I am learning Korean in Seoul, South Korea!
I have already discovered so many interesting places and amazing things, and I still have a long way to go! I can’t wait to share all my exciting adventures with all of you! I hope you come to love South Korea like I do!
