Giselle Rahimi, a freshman global affairs major, won first place at the 2023 IFEZ Korean Speech Contest, defeating 11 strong contenders. Even more impressive is the fact that Rahimi's proficiency in the Korean language is mostly self-taught.
Encouraged by her Korean language professors, Hyang Lee and Sang Mee Oh, Rahimi decided to participate in the contest, showcasing her linguistic prowess despite this fall being her first semester at university.
Rahimi had a rather unconventional path to learning Korean. Faced with a year and a half away from high school due to the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak, she turned to Korean dramas as a new hobby. Immersed in these dramas, Rahimi discovered a new language and culture, igniting her interest in the Korean language. Despite the puzzlement from family and friends, she continued learning Korean simply because she enjoyed it.
Hailing from Virginia, the home of George Mason University, Rahimi made a deliberate choice to enroll directly at Mason Korea to fully immerse herself in the Korean culture and language learning experience.
“Attending college in Korea and moving to a different country for the first time is a huge adventure,” said Rahimi. “Despite the challenges of being far from family, I’m thoroughly enjoying college life and my unique experiences in Korea,” she added.
At Mason Korea, Rahimi has made many native Korean friends, with whom she now freely converses in Korean. She is also an active participant in study group sessions in her Korean classes. Further, as a member of N-Lingual, a student organization focused on language exchange, Rahimi is even teaching Korean to a faculty member, Theresa Gielissen Bloodworth.
"I hope that all of you also do something that you like and enjoy,” says Rahimi to her fellow students. “If you don't give up and continue doing what you love, it can lead to a completely unexpected, wonderful life."
November 13, 2023