1. Briefly introduce yourself

My Name is Palesa Mkhonta, and I am an MPP major at KDI. I enjoy traveling, reading books, listening to music, and watching movies. I am a major foodie, and I look forward to trying all the delicious Korean cuisine!

2. You are the first KDI School student from Eswatini! Can you tell us about your country?

Eswatini is a landlocked kingdom bordered by South Africa and Mozambique. It is Africa''s last remaining absolute monarchy. Filled with mountains, valleys, forests, and plains, our peaceful country makes for an amazing travel destination if you want to just relieve some stress and reset. Moreover, it is the perfect destination for thrill-seekers and adventurous travelers, as we have many great hiking trails, white water rafting, zip-lining, and spelunking. Eswatini also has a number of traditional festivals, ceremonies, and events throughout the year that can help tourists or locals get better acquainted with the culture and its people. For instance, there''s the Umhlanga ceremony, the Buganu festival, Bushfire, and the Luju festival. Furthermore, Eswatini is home to Africa''s "Big Five" in the 4 wildlife sanctuaries/game parks. We are also home to the biggest rock in Africa - Sibebe Rock - and the country hosts the annual Sibebe Survivor Charity hike, which is open to everyone. This hike gives visitors an opportunity to view caves, waterfalls, and swimming holes.

3. What made you decide to come to the KDI School?

The main reason I decided to come to KDI was the amazing scholarship opportunities provided by the school. I also liked the fact that KDI has a diverse student body, so I think this will really allow me to meet lots of people from all walks of life and provide me with a different perspective on a range of topics.

4. What do you want to achieve during your time at the KDI School?

While studying at KDI, I hope to learn more about policymaking. I want to know more about how to create, evaluate, and present different types of policies in order to assist in the creating, changing, and evaluating of policies in my home country. I also look forward to making friends and connections that will give me a better understanding of current global issues. I hope that by building a strong network, this will help steer me in the right direction in regards to my career after KDI School.

5. Because of COVID-19, you haven’t come to Korea yet. What do you want to experience when you come to Korea?

When I come to Korea, I hope to do a lot of sightseeing. Through my Asian Global Cities course, I learned about a number of interesting places worth visiting in Korea. I also look forward to the amazing food, some of which I have already tried and a lot more I look forward to having. I am a huge K-drama fan too, and I look forward to visiting some of the filming sites.