Lauren Bullock
KCI Volunteer
PROFILE:
Lauren has lived in the Bay Area for 30 years. She became interested in learning Korean after attending a BTS concert in 2017 with her daughter. Since then, she has enjoyed watching Korean dramas and listening to K-pop music. She lives in Pleasanton with her two daughters. Lauren loves animals and has two dogs, two cats and three horses. When she is not studying Korean, she enjoys helping her daughter take care of their horses.
How and when did your interest in Korea and Korean culture get started?
I can pinpoint exactly when my interest in Korean culture started. It was the first week of April in 2017. That week my daughter asked me to go to a BTS concert with her, since one of her friends couldn’t make it. I didn’t have any expectations, but the concert changed the course of my life, and that is the reason I’m involved with KCI today. I was so mesmerized by BTS’s performance. After the concert, I started looking up their performance videos on YouTube. I felt that the way BTS interacted with their fans was different from other singers — it felt very intimate and made me feel a part of the whole family of BTS. That was the starting point for my interest in Korea and Korean culture. I started looking up Korean language programs in the Bay Area and that’s how I found KCI. I have been taking Korean classes at KCI for about 3 years and volunteering for KCI’s programs ever since.
What has your experience been with the Korean Language Program, especially since the start of the COVID pandemic?
I love the Korean classes and being with other students makes me feel like we are a part of a family. I didn’t even mind commuting into SF every week from far out in the East Bay. The classes are always enjoyable for me although I still get nervous before every class. Even though classes are challenging for me, the teachers have always been so encouraging and positive that they give me confidence to keep going. With COVID and classes going online, I was really worried at first, but it went so much better that I thought. I think it helps that I had already met many of the students as well as teachers in person. I wouldn’t have had the same connection with them if I had started my first classes during the pandemic. It’s been really nice to see other students, teachers and the staff, even if on Zoom.
What motivated you to volunteer with KCI? Were there any memorable volunteering experiences?
Ever since I started taking Korean language classes at KCI and became familiar with the staff and their programs, I wanted to support KCI’s work in whatever way I could. The first time I volunteered at KCI was for a Kids Holiday Party in 2018. I helped set up and manage the Korean lantern and gingerbread house making table. I had a lot of fun helping the staff and interacting with the children.
I have also volunteered for 2 years in a row with KCI’s Chuseok Festival. It was a way for me to learn more about Korean culture, including the importance of Chuseok as a holiday when family members get together and share food and games. At the inaugural festival in 2019, I was just amazed by the number of people that came out to enjoy the event! It was fun learning traditional Korean games & foods as well as getting to know other volunteers.
In 2020, I was afraid that due to COVID-19, the legacy of the festival might not be continued. But I was very happy that KCI went ahead with a virtual event. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to help this year since I’m not very tech-savvy. But I was able to help in other ways, including using my K-pop connections, so I was happy I could be involved again. Overall, I thought the transition to a virtual platform was excellent and I was proud to be part of such a successful event!
Will you be willing to volunteer for next year’s festival?
Yes of course! You are gonna have to kick me out of the KCI team to get rid of me!
Do you have any advice for future Chuseok Festival volunteers?
If you are interested, please go for it! Everyone is so amazing and great to work with. If you have anything that you would like to offer or contribute, just speak up. You will have so much fun! I really enjoyed the learning part of it.
Have you visited Korea? If so, what are your favorite memories?
I visited Korea in 2019 with my daughter. We stayed in Insadong, one of the districts in Seoul. My favorite part of the trip was the food! All the food we had was amazing. I love eating Korean street food such as tteokbokki, Isaac Toast, etc. Even the food courts in the shopping malls were impressive. Next time I visit Korea, I would love to be more adventurous by visiting small towns or cities in the southern part of Korea, as well as Jeju Island.