Szia! (That's "Hello" in Hungarian) My name is Kyla Jernigan, and I am a monster-obsessed costume designer researching in Budapest, Hungary. I was originally born in Tallahassee, Florida, but grew up in Tennessee near Knoxville.
I went to college at East Tennessee State University, and studied Theatre and Radio/TV/Film. During college, I not only realized my love of design and storytelling, but also my love of horror movies and monsters. In particular, I like making gruesome monsters come to life through makeup and special effects while also researching pop culture monsters and what inspired them.
You see, all over the world, there are stories about different creatures and the scary things they do. I'm sure you've heard of dragons or maybe Bigfoot. And to some people, they are just silly stories with no meaning, but not to me. I believe that monsters can tell a lot of things about a place. They represent what people are afraid of.
My goal as a researcher is to understand all the monsters from Hungarian folklore, then next year I'll be running workshops with students to design and create their own monster costumes. They will be using their imaginations and experiences to create a new age of monsters. I am very excited to share my journey with you so we can learn together about Hungary and its monsters!
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!
