My name is Karen Gonzalez, and I am an immigrant from Guatemala. I grew up in a suburb of Tampa, Florida and went to the University of South Florida where I studied English Education. After teaching in the Tampa public school system for a few years, I worked as an English teacher in central Kazakhstan. Upon returning from this life-changing experience, I went to Fuller Theological Seminary to pursue an MA in Cross-Cultural Studies. I now live and work in Baltimore in church engagement for immigration advocacy.

I moved into the International House in August 2016. I love the community here, especially learning to cook international dishes from my wonderful housemates. I also love movies, writing, going to baseball games, and playing with our house kitty, Scully.