Kristina Schulman has been flying under the radar so far in Nick Viall's The Bachelor journey, but in the latest episode, she shined.
ADVERTISEMENT
"Kristina is a woman I've been intrigued by from the start of this journey," Viall wrote in his People blog.
Schulman, a 24-year-old dental hygienist from Lexington, KY, is a beautiful 5'2" brunette with a Russian accent.
"The first night we met, we never actually spoke after our introduction," Viall revealed.
Viewers didn't see much of Schulman in the first few episodes, but on the latest group date in Viall's hometown of Waukesha, WI, Schulman "lit up" while doing unpleasant chores on a dairy farm.
ADVERTISEMENT
"I felt an immediate spark," Viall noted. "There is a quiet confidence that Kristina possesses."
Later that day, Schulman sat down with Viall and alluded to the fact she has a lot to share about her difficult past.
Schulman seemed open and willing to be vulnerable, but she just needed more alone time with Viall -- without other bachelorette interruptions -- to share her full story, which he understood and ultimately granted by giving her the group-date rose so she could stick around for another week.
"When I'm around her, I feel like our connection is authentic and exciting," Viall explained.
As shown in her intro package that played in the Countdown to Nick special that aired on ABC the night prior to The Bachelor's Season 21 premiere, Schulman was born in Russia and grew up in an orphanage before being adopted and moving to America. She apparently hasn't had a chance yet to reveal all of this to Viall.
ADVERTISEMENT
"I walked away from our conversation knowing I needed more time to hear about her life, especially what she specifically wanted to share," Viall said. "I wanted to make sure Kristina knew how serious I was about our potential, and so that is why I wanted to give her the rose."
Not only did Schulman receive a rose, but she also confronted the season's villain Corinne Olympios about her inappropriate behavior, including napping through a previous Rose Ceremony. Schulman made it clear that she's ready to get married all the while questioning Olympios' motives for pursuing Viall so passionately.
"I walked away from that evening feeling really great about what was starting to blossom between us," Viall noted of Schulman.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski