Hello, my name is Katharine Garrity. This past January I successfully completed an application, interview, and selection process to be accepted as a 2018 IFYE National Representative. Learning of this acceptance was a very exciting moment for me – I have been attending IFYE conferences with my Grandmother since age 6. I hold all of my IFYE experiences very close to my heart. Not only did these conferences give me the chance to spend time with my wonderful Grandmother (who was an IFYE in 1956 to Wales and England!), but these conferences are also what have allowed me to fall in love with learning more about cultures that are different than my own by actually spending time immersing myself in said culture. I have always had a deep interest in the day-to-day life of individuals that grew up in different areas. What does a typical diet of someone from another culture look like? How are their daily rituals and routines different than mine? How big of a role does religion play in their day-to-day lives? How do they travel from place to place? Everything about different cultures fascinate me. I am very excited to continue to learn about those differences. I will be living in India from September – December 2018, living in the culture on a daily basis with multiple host families. I hope to become a ‘daughter’ of new families, and experience and participate in the normal everyday activities, rather than just being a tourist and observing the culture from an outside position.

I grew up in a small town in Mid-Michigan called Bath. I was very active in Girl Scouts and athletics from Kindergarten through high school graduation in 2011. I then attended Michigan State University where I received a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics. I am now in Graduate School at Appalachian State University where I will graduate in May 2018 with a Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics. I am passionate about working with underserved populations, both domestically and internationally, to help alleviate any type of food insecurity they may be experiencing. I have no doubt that the cultural immersion I will experience during my time in India will aid me in career opportunities, and I cannot wait to continue to be a representative of the IFYE community throughout both my professional and personal life.

My experience begins on September 15, 2018. Would you be willing to help offset the $3,000 participation fee? I would be most grateful for any financial contribution, and upon my return in December, will be thrilled to share my experiences with you and other groups you may know. If you'd like to donate to my upcoming experience, please visit my GoFundMe account: https://www.gofundme.com/kate-garrity-ifye-participant

The IFYE Association of the USA, is a Premier International rural-based Exchange Program for young adults 19 years of age and older. IFYE is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The IFYE Association of the USA alumni and other donors contribute about 85% of the program costs. The $3,000 is the selected participants’ contribution for their 3 or 6-month experience with host families. Having met the requirements of the IFYE Association of the USA, Inc. Katharine Garrity is approved to create/use a GoFundMe account for fundraising.