Working Women

I think this must be a very very very Asian phenomenon. Refer here for a wikipedia article on them in Japan.

Anyway, in this professional firm that I work for in Korea (not sure why I'm shy about writing the name down, possibly unwise to write down the name though online)  there is a large population of women who work here who are not lawyers. My conservative guess is that they represent at least 30-40% of the population here. I am only a clerk (intern) but I don't belong in that class. I'm treated as a member of the professionals and thus, treated as part of the "others" --- the ones they work for.

Anyhow, the culture is fascinating. They're all young; no one over 35 methinks. They're all very very very skinny. I haven't met a single one of them who has a thicker waist than me (not saying my waist is thin). They're so skinny though that I feel fat every single day. They all own a brand name bag or two. Their makeup is perfect. They're the OLs! Office ladies! The secretaries! A class of their own. They speak great English. They take pride in their work. They can solve most logistical problems; they really go out of their way to make your life better.

Yet, we all know that they won't stay here past age thirty-five. So where do they go after their stint here? I guess they're all gonna get married. Maybe they're here to scope out the males in the profession. Or maybe they're here to kill time, get a decent salary, and get married to their high school sweethearts. I don't know. I wonder if I would have ended up as an OL...if I had been raised here. Maybe not. But cute thought to ponder.

irrelevance

No matter how relevant a person was in your life once upon a time, once s/he becomes irrelevant, there's no turning back. You can't turn back the clock. Tick tock, tick tock.

I LOVE Korea

So I needed to get Korea out of my system. And I can finally say that I think I got it out of my system. (And my English is going down the toilet...or I haven't blogged in so long that I lost my "touch".) Maybe some of you have heard some of my complaints. Actually, I'm a habitual complainer so you might have disregarded the seriousness of this fall out. But I will tell you for sure that I am no longer enthralled by this country and what it has to offer.

(Right now, I'm eavesdropping on a conversation where the lawyer is talking about how a client asked her to set his daughter up with a lawyer...and they're talking about a prospect who is not single and is short! Awesome. She's scanning the picture of the girl to send to the lawyer. This is ridiculous. I LOVE KOREA.)

I think a lot of Korean-Americans (I might be wrong) have this unresolved nostalgia for the motherland. I think this condition (yes, it's a condition) gets exacerbated when one goes for short and sweet visits that are a gross misrepresentation of the country and its people.

List of my grievances (I feel my blood pressure rising as I type them.)

1. When you're in this country to spend money, everyone will treat you like a prince(ss). But when there is anything that you need from anyone in this country, you will have to scream for it. They will never provide what you need unless you specifically and repeatedly ask for it (them). Nothing is free in this country and those things that are "free," you will have to SCREAM for. I love Korea.

2. A minority...but a very large one...will never follow the rules and thus make it that much harder for the majority to follow the rules. 30% of the people will always walk on the wrong side of the street/subway/road/whatever causing the rest of us to bump into them and get annoyed. I love Korea.

3. People on the streets will try to scam you...and even when you seem disinterested continue to stalk you (even if you have your headphones on and didn't give a single glance their way). I love Korea.

4. It is very very very hard to eat alone in this country. Everyone including the waiting staff will judge you for even thinking about eating alone. WTF. I love Korea.

5. People do not respect private space. They will not apologize if they bump into you. They do not react at all when you glare at them. Men always stand a little too close to you on the train and they will blow smoke your way on the streets. I love Korea.

6. People have no problem asking how much you make and have no qualms about commenting on your weight. I really love Korea.

7. Taxi drivers always tell you what they think. Ummm...I never asked and do not care? (Solution: talk to someone on the phone for the entire ride...in English.) Love Korea.



Ok, I have a lot of good stuff too...but getting the bad stuff out of my system. Good list tomorrow.  I do like being in Korea but I do not love it here. It's a good experience but it has been more educational than enjoyable. But I do love this country...in a sick sort of way. In no way was this entry supposed to be insulting or racist. I am as Korean as a Korean-American can get, afterall.

English going down the toilet.

No August entry?

Remedying the situation. For some reason, doesn't sound like English. Maybe it's not. English going down the toilet. Maybe.

two more weeks!

two more weeks and then I'm off home to pack for Asia. I leave for Asia on the 12th of August.

3 more Mondays at EY. One weekend in DC. One weekend in Orlando. And the third weekend, I'm already in Seoul!

birthday week

I guess I'm gonna celebrate this entire week! Had my first birthday dinner with Liz Yoon.

Happy birthday week!

new hobby!

making mud pies

"Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

C.S. Lewis

I love how this man wrote; he made so much sense. He made (and makes) Christianity seem so logical. But at the same time, he had so much conviction for us mere mortals to relate completely (at least for me). It's hard to find comfort when I am stuck in the slum making mud pies...and cannot trust that I can go off to a holiday at the sea. C.S. Lewis makes perfect sense but I cannot make sense out of it.

last night in buffalo

I've been brain-dead for awhile. It was relaxing but at the same time, v. boring.

Last night in the buff. Kind of surreal. I will be back in August for two days before I leave for Asia.

I will now live out of luggage bags, eat terrible food, and be a nomad.

Tomorrow is an errands day in the city. Must go to Japan's Consulate, Korea's Consulate...etc.

Soccer today really depressed me. I had predicted a 2:1 loss...but a 4:1 loss was devastating. I felt ill after the game and went straight to bed after taking medicine for indigestion.

makeup

My roommate from junior year (college) gave this to me as a Christmas gift in 2005. The brick shattered after some good use. I finally opened my purse and replaced it. Took 4.5 years!

Also bought a dress for Liz's cousin's wedding. Ugh, weddings. Sort of like graduations...except it makes me feel sort of behind in life. But everyone tells me...no need to rush. I'm not even ready, but still...the "behind in life" feeling remains.

last week in the buff!

twitter

I started twitter (had an account for awhile but first tweet!) mainly to read famous people's tweets.

I wonder how long I'll last on Twitter.

My posts here are strangely becoming tweet-like.

I forgot

1) to lose weight

2) to learn Japanese

summer goal(s) FAIL.

so bad at accomplishing things

I used to have goals. I even had goals for this summer. I have yet to accomplish a single one of my very specific goals. Boo.

skull scarf

I want a skull scarf. Maybe, I'll buy it for myself on my birthday. Ohmygosh, I'm so bored!

no stalker

I privatized my blog. Tina just privatized her after hearing from her partner about online flops. I'm privatizing until further notice because my blog has become uninteresting. Well, that's because my life is really uninteresting at the moment. Another reason is...I don't have anyone at the moment who should (?) be stalking me. I'll open it up when I have someone who I feel should stalk me.

new discovery: kim kang woo

This blog is to keep track of my life for myself, right? Sorry for boring you with my new discovery. I just finished watching a twenty-series drama in a span of three days (each episode was more than an hour and ten minutes...yes this is the only thing I can brag about these days). I really don't like the main actor (used to like him) because he is not fit to act in 2010. Too short. Too girly. But I hit jackpot with this drama and discovered Kim Kang Woo (pictured right) and Philip Lee. And discovered a liking for Park Shi Yeon.

He was a total psychopath in this series but was pretty amazing. Now, I must watch everything he's ever been in...and maintain this obsession until I find another one. Then, I will abandon him or keep him in my closet full of past obsessions.

He acted with Park Shi Yeon twice. I must go watch the movie Marine Boy and see if I can maintain this appreciation.  They look good together. I guess there exists some special chemistry between specific actors...that make them do more performances together. Like Kate and Leo. They were even better in Revolutionary Road than in Titanic.

(Update: umm..just finished the music video that I posted before watching...it's cute until it gets a little inappropriate at the end...-_-)




My life update: not much is going on. Life is still on hold until I emerge from my house and quit staring at my laptop screen. How are you doing?

Day update: I spent an amount of money on an item of casual clothing that I consider unacceptable (actually it's not that much..I'm just cheap when it comes to spending money on casual clothes). I must wear it at least once a week in order to feel that the purchase was justified.

it's been a week

I think in weeks. I remember episodes in my life referencing it as a specific weekday. For example, I would think...the last time I saw that person was on a Wednesday around 4pm. And then for weeks, I would just keep track in that manner...two weeks ago today...three weeks ago today...etc. Seven is after all, a perfect number.

It's been a week since I left my Ann Arbor apartment...and Ann Arbor for Buffalo. I haven't done much at all. I've been a waste of space for the past week. Am I entitled (?) to continue this lifestyle for another week, you think?

new york, ny (yesterday)

I came back from NYC. Got my hair done. Went to the Korean Consulate only to be turned away. I have to go back next month. Had breakfast and lunch and dinner at various joints. Liz was our chauffeur -- driving us from and to the airport and in between! Awesomeness.

Saw Suah. Always a pleasure. Went to Ippudo. Crazy place. Wait was crazy. I would recommend going to anyone out in NYC -- the ramen was great -- but go with someone you lovee-- you have to do a lot of chatting during the wait. The pork buns were really good too...but I keep forgetting that I'm allergic to pork. Fail.

I'm having second thoughts as to whether I can really live in New York, NY. I realized that while I love getting things done in the city -- I don't like the mood of the city...maybe it's tainted with a feeling of dread and familiarity. I love the people in NYC -- but the sinking feeling ain't so hot. I don't know. I need to think about this but I realize that I will go wherever there are opportunities. In times like these, I can't be too picky! I will enter any (or most) doors that open my way,

I forgot to take my camera. I took some pictures with my I-phone but the battery died by the time I was sipping tea at my favorite tea place...Cha-an. I will definitely spend many days at that place during my seven weeks working in the city. If I'm nowhere to be found, surprise me there! (A challenge to any of my readers...who are curious/clever/charismatic/crazy enough to chase me.)

Topshop was a disappointment. I asked Sally and Liz whether I should purchase these shoes...they said no. Boo. Regrets. I should have just bought them and regretted buying them...rather than regretting not buying them...

Cupcake stand. So weird.

One of my favorite things to do in NYC -- sipping tea at Cha-an.

Have fun in NYC Tina Hoang!

buffalo goals

I'm in Buffalo..lounging until I start work on June 21. My life can't start until I know my grades from last semester. That's just how it works. My life is on pause. Yesterday, Prof. West sent the class an e-mail saying he had posted the grades and told us to e-mail him if we were impatient and curious. I am both but I think it'll be better for me to wait it out and see it posted online rather than hear it from him via an e-mail. But it hasn't posted!! My pride(?) doesn't allow me to ask him now. Should have done it when he first offered. Ughs. I'm really worried about one of my grades (not Japanese Law). Grades technically shouldn't matter anymore but I still have to write an application...and though I'm not sure what their threshold is, I don't want to worry about not getting in. Ugh, I'm almost 25! Grades really should be a non-factor in life. Period. Why does it still matter, why? Woes.

Buffalo goals:

1) lose weight?
2) finish 1Q84 volumes 1 and 2
3) start and finish Anna Karenina
4) practice my Japanese
5) make packing list for Japan/Korea
6) master the art of taking pictures of myself

jetblue blow-out sale event

For their 10th anniversary, JetBlue had a blow-out sale. They were selling one-way tickets for $10. So, without thinking twice, I purchased tickets to NYC this Wednesday. I will be in the city for a little more than twelve hours. I will get my hair done and go to the Korean embassy. And eat ramen with Suah. And drink tea at Cha-an. And possibly just roam around the city for a day! Yay!