Meet campus cutie Kate: linguistics queen and guaranteed to be one of the loveliest people you’ll ever meet. Studying three languages, Kate is not only a cutie, but a strong, intelligent woman, preparing to take the world by storm during her year abroad in France, Spain and Italy. Walk into her room and you’ll be surrounded by pink, fluffiness and glitter; look at her phone and you’ll be put to shame by her sky high Duolingo scores. So let’s see what makes her the perfect Her Campus Cutie!
Name: Kate Williams
Year: Undergraduate, second year
Degree course: Modern Foreign Languages- French, Spanish and Italian
What is your favourite language?
I always get asked this question and always find myself sitting on the fence. I love all of my languages, but I’d have to say Spanish, because I have lots of Spanish friends and I’ve had the most experience speaking it.
What is your favourite non-English word?
Popcorn in Spanish-palomitas. Translated it means little doves.
What is your favourite country to holiday in?
Fuerteventura, because it’s such a laid back lifestyle. There’re beaches and lots of shops, and everyone speaks Spanish! There are loads of Spanish brands that you can’t find in the UK too. Also there are Zaras and I think the best Zaras are in Spain.
What is your favourite country to live in?
Spain-Madrid particularly because everyone is so stylish and there’s such a buzz to the city, but at the same time it’s very safe and clean.
What travel experiences do you have?
I haven’t travelled a lot, but Paris was a really special trip, because it’s everything you’d expect it to be. I love the whole atmosphere with people drinking their espressos and eating croissants in little cafés. Obviously I love going to Spain and I went there this summer to au pair, which was an interesting experience. It was a good life lesson and I really learnt how to look after myself. I love relaxing beach holidays too, but I find cities much more exciting and there are so many more little places to explore and get a better picture of the way the locals live.
Do you have any funny travel stories?
When I was on the metro I didn’t realise that there was a fast lane and a slow lane on the escalators, I ended up just standing there with all these commuters shouting at me in Spanish. There were also some drunken fellow metro users that were rapping and dancing and annoying all of the passengers…but I enjoyed it!
Any travel tips?
Always bring your own hairdryer, even if it takes up a lot of room, because hotel hair dryers are never powerful enough. Also moisturise before you go on a plane because it’s dehydrating. And don’t fake tan if you’re going swimming, you’ll just end up with patches.
What are your favourite foods from France, Spain and Italy?
France-between a pain au chocolat and a crepe.
Spain-torrija (like a sweet fried, sweet cinnomany bread), you have to ask for them specifically, because they’re mostly an ester food in Spain.
Italy-you can’t beat a Pizza margherita with a thin base (fun fact-margherita means daisy in Italian).
What is your favourite foreign film?
Les Choristes- it’s probably the only film I like that isn’t a rom-com.
What is your favourite song best known from the Spanish, French or Italian charts?
I love my Spanish music. Quisiera by CNCO is my current favourite. I was watching a dating programme in Spanish and they always played it during the playbacks of the dates. It’s by a Spanish boyband and they’ve got some really good songs and they’re all quite good looking (hehe).
What are your plans for the future?
Next year I’d like to study in Spain and then do an internship with Armani in Italy. Then further in the future I’d like to work for a big multi-national fashion or makeup brand like Loreal, or French connection, or Zara etc.