Hello everyone! My name is Kate, which is short for Katerina. I am currently 22 years old and I am from Warwick, New York. It is a rural town about two hours outside of New York City, where we hold an annual Apple Festival and have pumpkin cannons! I have always been interested in learning about other cultures and spent six years in middle and high school learning Spanish, but this interest blossomed in my sophomore year of high school when I saw a recipe video on Instagram about Korean street food. It looked so delicious, but I couldn't read the recipe because it was written in Korean.
The only solution that I saw was to learn Korean, and it has been almost seven years since that day. I have since gotten two degrees in Korean studies, one from the University at Albany and one from the University of Cambridge in the UK, and have discovered that I do not particularly like the street food that led to my interest in Korean culture. Luckily, Korean food is now one of my favorite cuisines and I have found millions of other things to like about Korean culture that I would love to share! I will be in South Korea starting in January of 2025, where I will help teach English to local students in a rural area. I love teaching, speaking Korean, and meeting new people, so I know I am going to have a great time and learn so many new things! I look forward to sharing this journey with you all!
Want to learn how you could be a Fulbrighter 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!
