Pedro

As I was riding the bus back to school, I heard someone behind me say, "Excuse me miss, what are you reading?" I turned around to show them the book I was reading and explained that the title is The Dwarf, that it is a Korean book translated into English, and that I am reading it for one of my Korean classes. Then he told me that he had been to South Korea before. I replied and then went back to reading.

About a minute after I continued reading, he asked me another question, "Why are you taking Korean classes?" and I said that I am planning on moving there after college. He asked me why and I told him how I'd like to get a job with Korean Air... not necessarily as a stewardess-- I didn't explain to him about my whole passion of uplifting women or about my wanting to start a tea shop and my interest in North Korean refugees. But after I simply told him that I'd like to work in Korea, he was chuckling and said, "you are the most interesting person I've ever met." I was a little suprised. I smiled and laughed as I thanked him for the compliment.

I continued to read some more, and again, after a couple minutes of reading he asked me if I had ever been to Korea before. I said no, but that I am hoping to study there next year. He told me that he had been there with the Marine Corps. When he was on tour he said he saw swaztikas used in many places as a religious symbol. He kept failing at trying to explain it. Each time as he would start trying to explain the swaztikas he would pause, at a loss for words. Which happened many times throughout our whole conversation... he smelt like insence and kept acting overwhelmed when he would try to explain things and his eyes were pretty glazed over too......... hahaha.

We chatted for a little bit longer about subjects other than Korea. I liked his name. Pedro. Haha. I was surprised when he told me his name because he does not look like a Pedro to me. As he got off the bus he wished me luck while I'm in Korea.

Good luck to you too, Pedro!

My Korean Name is Finally Chosen

After a few changes and talking to several people, I have finally decided to stick with a Korean name!!! For those of you who can't read Korean, it sounds like so-eun. All the Koreans tell me it's beautiful! My friend picked it out for me. She asked me what my name means. I told her that Julia means youthful and that my middle name is Grace. So the "so" part is a syllable in a word that means youthful and the "eun" part means grace. Finally, I have found a beautiful name with a good meaning behind it!!! I'm rather excited :]

Call me crazy...

...but I really would like to find a guy who wants to live in Korea... and be my other half. I've met several Koreans who plan to live in the U.S. And several Korean Americans who plan to go, but are already taken...

Do I really have to wait until I actually get to Korea??
I am a bit impatient. It seems like going for another year with nobody in sight will be frustrating. People call me picky. But, frankly, I'm not going to waste any time on being in a relationship that's doomed because I'm going to Korea and he's not. And even if I meet someone who wants to/is living in Korea doesn't mean I'll be attracted to him. It's not like I'm attracted to just any guy. I do have a so-called "type". And it's not like I'm picky about that either.

I will just have to wait.
And see.

More development on my future plans!!!

Lately I have noticed a passion arise in me concerning women, beauty, and being fake. It started when I noticed the way guys look at and talk about girls. Even the nice guys want girls with smokin' hot bodies and pretty faces. My heart broke as I realized how unattainable the beauty guys look for is for me. Of course, there is always plastic surgery. But, is it really worth the money, pain, and mental issues I would have to deal with? I have thought long and hard about the consequences of creating my own fake beauty.

It comes down to a vicious cycle. Many girls have become so good at putting on their beauty... but it's so fake! Makeup covers up my flaws and enhances the features I want people to notice. Push-up bras are sold anywhere underwear can be bought. I bet some of the hottest celebrities get boob jobs and nose jobs. Guys see these standards and expect them of even a typical girl! How dare we all give in to this! I do not have to go through so many hoops and spend so much to please a guy! Guys do not have to expect these standards from me! BECAUSE IT'S NOT FAIR.

I DO want to be recognized for my beauty... every girl does. But I don't want it to be a fake beauty. I want girls to be captivating because of the way they care about others.

Sooo, guess what I have learned recently????
Korean girls are obsessed with plastic surgery! And it appears to be quite rampant in their culture. I have been considering trying to become a flight attendant on Korean Air, which is known for hiring beautiful Korean girls.

Just today, I started thinking that it would be so amazing if I could land a job on Korean Air as a flight attendant amidst some of the most beautiful Korean women that have been influenced by a culture of abnormally high standards for beauty. If any of those women happen to question whether or not beauty is all they're good for, I can tell them, "No! No, it's not! You have so much more to offer!"

This is something worth pursuing.

My Korean Oral Final ^^;

This is with translation... I'm 줄 and my friend, Michelle, is 미.

줄 : 안녕하세요. Hi!

미 : 안녕하세요. Hi!

줄 : 미셸씨, 오늘 예뻐요. Michelle, you look pretty today!

미 : 감사합니다. 줄리아씨, 무슨 옷 좋아해요? Thanks! Julia, what kind of clothes do you like?

줄 : 저는 예쁜 셔츠와 청바지 좋아해요. 미셸씨는 무슨 옷 좋아해요? I like pretty shirts and jeans. Michelle, what kind of clothes do you like?

미 : 셔츠하고 치마를 좋아하지만 겨울 자켓은 싫어해요. I like shirts and skirts, but I don't like winter jackets.

줄 : 아 그래요? 여름 좋아해요? Ah, really? Do you like the summer?

미 : 네, 날씨가 따뜻해서 좋아해요. 줄리아씨는요? Yes, I like warm weather. Julia, what about you?

줄 : 네 저도 여름 좋아해요. Yes, I also like the summer.

미 : 줄리아씨, 이번 여름방학에 뭐 할거에요? Julia, what are you going to do this Summer break?

줄 : 집에 있을거에요. 그리고 일하면서 수업 들을거에요. 미셸씨는 여름방학에 뭐할거에요? I'm staying at home. I'm also working while taking classes. Michelle, what are you going to do during Summer break?

미 : 여름방학에 싱가폴에 갈 거에요. I'm going to go to Singaport this Summber break.

줄 : 싱가폴에서 금색 샌달을 사줄수 있어요? 싱가폴 샌달은 너무 예뻐요! In Singapore, can you please buy me gold sandals? Singapare sandals are very pretty!

***Sidenote: Michelle is actually going to try to bring me back some gold Havaianas!!

미 : 네. 샌달을 사올게요. Yeah, I'll buy you sandals.

줄 : 싱가폴에서 뭐하고 싶어요? What do you want to do in Singapore?

미 : 싱가폴에서 가족을 보고 친구도 만나고 잘 먹고 쇼핑하고 스쿠버다이빙하고 싶어요. I want to see my family, meet up with my friends, eat a lot of food, go shopping, and go scuba diving.

줄 : 싱가폴에서 태어나서 자랐죠? You were born and raised in Singapore, right?

미 : 네, 싱가폴에서 태어나서 자랐어요. Yeah, I was born and raised in Singapore.

줄 : 가족이 몇명이에요? How big is your family?

미 : 네명 있어요. We have four people.

줄 : 몇째에요? What's your birth order?

미 : 저는 첫째딸이에요. 줄리아씨 가족은 몇명이에요? I'm the first daughter. Julia, how big is your family?

줄 : 제 가족은 여섯명 있어요. My family has six people.

미 : 우와. 많아요. 줄리아씨는 몇쨰에요? Woah, that's a lot. Julia, what's your birth order?

줄 : 저는 셋째에요. I'm the third child.

미 : 줄리아씨 어디에서 태어나서 자랐어요? Julia, where were you born and raised?

줄 : 미네소타에서 태어나서 자랐어요. Minnesota.

미 : 줄리아씨 어머니는 미네소타 음식을 요리잘해요? Julia, does your mom cook Minnesotan food well?

줄 : 네, 미네소타 음식을 요리잘하세요. Yes, she cooks Minnesotan food well.

미 : 줄리아씨 요리하기 좋아해요? Julia, do you like cooking?

줄 : 가끔 요리 좋아해요.빵 만들기가 요리보다 더 좋아요. Sometime. I like baking bread more than cooking.

미 : 오 줄리아씨 빵 만들수 있어요? Oh, Julia, you can bake bread?

줄 : 네, 자주 만들어요. 미셸씨 어머니는 요리하기 좋아하세요? Yeah, I make it a lot. Michelle, do you like your mom's cooking?

미 : 아니요. 어머니는 요리하기 싫어해요. 하지만 할머니는 요리하기 좋아하세요. No. I dislike it. But I like my grandma's cooking.

줄 : 무슨 음식을 요리 하실 수 있어요? What kind of food can she cook?

미 : 할머니는 아시아 음식을 요리하실 수 있어요. 그리고 할머니가 요리하는 음식은 정말 맛있어요. She can cook Asian food and it's very delicious.

줄 : 미셸씨는 요리하기 좋아해요? Michelle, do you like to cook?

미 : 네. 저는 요리하기 정말 좋아해요. Yeah, I really like to cook.

줄 : 우리 같이 요리 할래요? Would you like to cook together sometime?

미 : 네, 그럼요. 줄리아씨 지금 일 하세요? Yeah. Julia, do you have a job right now?

줄 : 네, 티가든에서 일하고 있어요. Yeah, I'm working at Tea Garden.

미 : 오! 진짜요? 저도 여름방학에 티가든에서 일할거에요. Oh! Really? I'm also going to work there this summer.

줄 : 아 그래요? 언제부터 시작해요? Ah, really? When do you start?

미 : 유월 십사일부터 시작해요. 줄리아씨는 무슨 차 좋아해요? June 14th. Julia, what kind of tea do you like?

줄 : 다 좋아해요. 특히 녹차를 좋아해요. I like all tea. I particularly like green tea.

미 : 보통 차 마시면서 뭐해요? What do you usually do while you drink tea?

줄 : 숙제해요. 숙제가 많아서 차를 자주 마셔요. 미셸씨는 차 마셔요? I do homework. I have a lot of homework, so I drink a lot of tea. Michelle, do you drink tea?

미 : 네. 차는 몸에 좋아서 많이 마셔요. Yeah, tea is good for you so I drink a lot.

줄 : 무슨 차가 몸에 좋아요? What kind of tea is good for you?

미 : 녹차가 몸에 좋대요. Green tea.

줄 : 아 그래요? 저는 일본 녹차 아이스크림을 정말 좋아해요. 미셸씨는 아이스크림 좋아해요? Oh, really? I really like Japanese green tea ice cream. Michelle, do you like ice cream?

미 : 예. 너무 좋아해요. 특히 초콜렛 아이스크림을 좋아해요. Yeah, I like it very much. I particularly like chocolate ice cream.

줄 : 이번주말에 같이 아이스크림 먹을래요? Would you like to eat ice cream this weekend?

미 : 네 같이 먹으러 가요. 남자친구도 와도 돼요? Yeah, we should go together. Can I bring my boyfriend?

줄 : 그래요. 이번 주말에 봐요. 안녕히 가세요~ Ok. We should try this weekend. Bye!