Getting to Know Me: Verena Im
Salaam! My name is Verena Im. I’m studying abroad in Rabat this semester, and I’m excited to take you along on my journey and offer a glimpse into daily life over the next four months. This first post is a brief introduction to help you get to know the voice you’ll be reading throughout the semester.
Photo Credit: Maawad, 2025.
If you know me, you know my sisters. I have two wonderful sisters who mean the world to me. Imani, my older sister, is pictured on the left and Kairos, my younger sister, is on the right. They are my best friends and the foundation of who I am.
Photo Credit: Im, 2025.
I was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri - not Kansas! The city uniquely spans the Missouri/Kansas state line, though the most well known parts of Kansas City are on the Missouri side. You might recognize my hometown as the home of the Kansas City Chiefs, our three-time consecutive Super Bowl winning football team.
Photo Credit: Im, 2025.
I currently live in Los Angeles, California, where I attend the University of Southern California. I’m a junior majoring in Law, History, and Culture (one major, not three!). The past three years at USC have been the most meaningful and rewarding college experience, and I already miss my friends and campus so much.
Photo Credit: Im, 2025.
This is my mama. She’s Egyptian and immigrated to the United States in her childhood. She came with me to Rabat a few days early, partly to help me settle in, and partly because she loves Morocco.
Photo Credit: Im, 2026.
This is my dad. He is Cambodian and also immigrated to the U.S. in his childhood. He plans to come visit Rabat in May because he speaks French!
Photo Credit: Im, 2025.
One of my favorite hobbies is baking, and lately I’ve been especially into making cakes. The cake pictured is a pistachio olive oil cake with blackberry buttercream frosting. Some other recent creations of mine include a berry chantilly cake, carrot cake, pistachio cardamom, and lemon blueberry.
Photo Credit: Im, 2025.
I also love traveling, which is a big part of why I chose to study abroad. This photo was taken in Barcelona in summer 2025 at the Basílica de la Sagrada Família, one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Fun fact: I unexpectedly ended up speaking during a mass there, in front of nearly 1,000 people.
Photo Credit: Im, 2025.
This photo captures two of my favorite things: matcha and books. I love making myself a matcha in the mornings, and reading is one of my favorite hobbies. Recently, I’ve been especially drawn to memoirs, and the book pictured on the right is probably one of my favorite reads of all time.
Photo Credit: Im, 2025.
Verena is a student at University of Southern California, and studying abroad in Spring 2026 on Amideast’s Area and Arabic Language Study Program in Rabat, Morocco.
