Becca Kantor

Becca Kantor was born in Philadelphia and now lives in the Philadelphia suburbs. She received her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, graduating summa cum laude and with distinction in English. Her short stories have appeared in Peregrine and Labrys magazines. In her free time, she likes to draw, paint, and travel as much as possible. Becca was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2008, and has since been learning to manage it with the support of her brother, who is also diabetic. In the summer of 2009, she took her first overseas trip after being diagnosed, spending two weeks in Estonia on a grant from the University of Pennsylvania.

Not Quite So Brave: Living with Diabetes in Three Countries

When I mention my travels many people act surprised, and I’m never sure how to respond. To me, being “brave” means being afraid of something and doing it anyway. I’m a cautious person who avoids taking risks. The prospect of dealing with diabetes abroad didn’t seem particularly scary to me—if it had, I’m not sure I would have done it.

The Matzah Review

Standing in the kosher aisle of my local supermarket, I was confronted by more varieties of matzah than I (as a person who has attended a total of three Seders in my life) knew existed...