Assalomu alaykum! Gamarjoba! My name is Geraint (Jer-rant). I was born in Christchurch, New Zealand to a British father and an American mother. My family relocated to my mom's hometown of San Diego when I young, but my accent continues to be weird. I grew up amidst year-round perfect SoCal weather that allowed me to pursue my passions for birdwatching, hiking, and reading long sci-fi and fantasy novels outside. I went to Sage Canyon Elementary School, Carmel Valley Middle School, and finally, Canyon Crest Academy for high school. At CCA, I studied history under Mr. Stiven, taking all of his classes.
This passion for history followed me into college--I graduated from UC Berkeley with a double major in history and classics in 2020, writing my thesis on Latin Silver Age poetry. Wanting to work in education, and to find stable employment during the height of Covid, I volunteered as an AmeriCorps VISTA, serving in Manchester, New Hampshire for a year. At this point I knew I wanted to join the Peace Corps, but unfortunately they had not restarted yet due to Covid. So I decided to hone my education skills and work as a substitute teacher at Escondido Union High School District for a year. Finally I was able to join the Peace Corps in 2023!
I first worked as an English teacher in a small village near Tbilisi for two years, before extending my service an extra year to work at a community college in western Georgia. After doing Peace Corps, I wanted to keep working in education, and so decided to apply for a Fulbright ETA Scholarship in Uzbekistan. I was delighted when I won it, although now I have to learn another challenging language--Uzbek! When not found buried in my work, a history book, or a novel, I can be seen roaming the countryside with binoculars and a bird guide, or trying to visit every historical site of even minor importance.
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!
