At UIC, we’re famous for having a student body that represents all walks of life. However, it’s a little rarer to find a student that represents the opposite: born and raised in the Midwest, but seeking to go out into the farther reaches of the world to immerse herself in new cultures and walks of life where they originate. Meet Kjerstin Berg, a devoted Minnesotan, host of UIC Radio’s Culture Pop, and world traveler.
While Kjerstin has vacationed to or lived in over 35 countries, her latest adventure this semester is as a student studying abroad in India. We got the chance to talk to Kjerstin about her travel stories, her radio show, and how traveling has shaped who she is as a person.
HC: What’s your favorite place that you’ve traveled to?
That is a hard question, because each place that I have travelled to has been so brilliantly unique. In recent memory, I really enjoyed traveling to Greece, especially Santorini because the scenery is SO beautiful, and the people that I encountered were so lively. However, I have had amazing experiences with different people and immersing myself in cultures all around the world.
HC: When did you start traveling?
When I was eight years old I had the privilege of living overseas in Ireland with my family for four years. While we lived there, I got to travel all over Europe, as well as Japan and Morocco. However, previous to that, my family traveled around the United States.
HC: What’s your favorite thing about traveling?
I think it is fascinating and refreshing to see how people live all around the world. It is refreshing to see that American ideology is not the only successful (I use the word successful loosely) and valuable ideology in the world, and I think it is incredible to see the different things that people value around the world. Plus, seeing all of the beautiful places in the world isn’t bad either.
HC: Do you have any kind of adventure horror story/interesting tidbit?
When my family travels, we usually never have a set itinerary. That being said, that usually means that we do not know where we will be sleeping until the late hours of the day. This may sound terrifying to a lot of people, and I understand why, but I HIGHLY recommend traveling without set plans. It leaves you with the freedom to travel where ever you want to, and make connections with people and places that you might not have before. Also, you might end up saving money, for example, when I traveled to Greece we had a connection flight from Rome to Athens, and the flight from Chicago to Rome was delayed due to weather, which ended up being such a blessing. Because the flight was delayed, we ended up staying a night in Rome for free, which was amazing. We saw an extra city for virtually no money!
HC: What’s your radio show about? Was it inspired by your travels?
My radio show Culture Pop showcases music and fun facts/stories/tidbits from a new location! It’s super cool and you should listen to it because you’re basically traveling for free. Plus, I have a bit every show called the ‘Steve Buscemi Fact of the Week’, which showcases a fact about Fargo and Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams actor, Steve Buscemi pertaining to the location. It was hard to find a fact about Buscemi and Korea, but the internet is amazing and I (okay, my mom) found one! The show is sometimes inspired by my travels, for example, if I showcase a location that I have been to, I will tell some fun stories about that location, but I really wanted to do the show because I wanted to learn more about places and what they have to offer!
HC: How do you think studying abroad is going to differ from traveling for pleasure?
I think that studying abroad will differ from traveling for pleasure in the sense that there will be a fuller cultural immersion. I assume I will learn extensively about the culture, and not just get a brief glimpse of the country and its people. I think that will be enlightening for me because I often idolize other places and cultures, and it will be important to look at a place more in depth and examine both the positive and negative aspects of a place. Also, I think it is important to note that ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ is suggestive and differs from person to person.
HC: What are you most excited about for studying abroad?
I would like to start to answer this question with a quote from the beloved Parks and Recreation character, Ron Swanson: “He’s a tourist. He vacations in people’s lives, takes pictures, puts them in his scrapbook, and moves on. All he’s interested in are stories. Basically, Leslie, he’s selfish.” Let me explain, I DO NOT want to be the person that Swanson is describing. I think that it is such an honor to form connections with people, so I am looking forward to meeting new people and hopefully forming lifelong friendships, instead of just being a tourist in someone else’s life.
HC: Do you have a good bit to end on?
As I was typing this and answering question number five, I was talking about not setting plans and how rewarding it is, and I started to realize where my fear of commitment might stem from. Such a good bit!
Thank you for your insights, Kjerstin! Her Campus UIC wishes you good luck and happy trails on your adventures this semester!