Annyeonghaseyo! My name is Carsyn Brilee Stipp, and I come from the small rural town of Streator, Illinois, in the United States. I attended Woodland School from the age of three until I graduated at eighteen. After high school, I moved across the country to Portland, Oregon, where I’m now a third-year student at Lewis & Clark College. I will graduate this spring with a degree in International Affairs.
Last year, I made the exciting decision to apply for a study abroad program. I wanted my first experience living outside the U.S. to be both challenging and transformative, so I chose South Korea. I was drawn to its vibrant city life, its language, and the opportunity to fully immerse myself in a culture so different from my own.
I want to inspire others who, like me, grew up in a place where travel and experiencing the world felt like a distant dream. There’s an entire world waiting to be explored. The feeling of standing before a Korean temple for the first time, or visiting a site where a devastating war was fought, is indescribable. It’s eye-opening to experience a country where history and culture are so deeply valued and woven into everyday life. I can’t wait to continue traveling and see how these expressions of history and culture vary across the globe.
Want to learn how you could be a Fulbright Scholar like me? The Fulbright Program is the United States government's flagship international exchange program. Fulbrighters foster mutual understanding between the United States and partner nations, share knowledge across communities, and improve lives around the world. Learn more by clicking here!
