these are a few of my favorite things...la la la~

So...

I have one week to translate a 25 page article of academic writing from Korean to English.

-_-

Life is hard.

I must also do many annotated bibs. Its the last week of my internship and my second to last week in Busan. This article has become a large dark cloud following me around. It took me a day to get through 3 pages...I am doomed.

One of the professor's daughters and a 3-week-old baby from her church.

Here's a list of stuff that makes me smile that I made a while back but never got around to posting. I shall try to be positive and focus on the things on the list to ease the suffering of translating this darn article (hm...sounds passive-aggressive haha):

• good weather
• sleeping in
• mini things!
• watching a good movie
• reading a good book
• blueberries
• oatmeal
• dark chocolate
• surprises
• thoughtful gestures
• making someone happy
• sunsets
• sunrises
• late night talks
• finally getting to sleep after being sleep deprived
• baking (and now cooking)
• getting a good deal on something
• free things hehe
  
• extensions
• getting caught in the rain & not minding it
• good hair days
• patbingsoo (i like ice)
• accomplishing something
• spontaneity
  
• brunch
• wandering around cities
• lists
  
• a good laugh :)
• and.....babies!!

I feel like a chameleon moving from place to place, but I'm ready to settle down for senior year. I will miss Busan and the people though :( Btw I shall no longer be posting my blog updates as my facebook status so visit or subscribe for updates! I shall try to blog more regularly...we shall see what happens haha. It's a mystery! So my five (give or take) loyal readers, be alert! ;)

catch me if you can...

My year thus far and beyond:

01/01 - 01/08: Home
01/09 - 04/05: London
04/06 - 04/10: Paris
04/11 - 04/14: London
04/15 - 04/18: Florence
04/18 - 04/22: Rome
04/22 - 05/18: London
05/18 - 05/25: Home :)
05/25 - 05/31: London
06/01 - 06/04: Taiwan to see Cynthiar!
06/05 - 07/??: Busan ^^
? - 08/09(ish): Seoul
08/16 - 08/20: KPCHV retreat
08/30: And senior year begins...

Man this year has been and will continue to be a whirlwind. I'm tired thinking about it already haha. Working is hard. And so is playing.

Btw does anyone else have the problem of "aeroplane" ears? I definitely get it when the plane is landing. I am not looking forward to all this flying :(

Korean Studies

Growing up Korean in America has been both enlightening and frustrating at times. I was born and raised in the U.S. and speak English fluently, but my "Americaness" has always been questioned. I wasn't sure how to feel about this when I was younger, but have come to better understand it through my studies (and more importantly through faith). While I identified as Korean growing up, it wasn't until senior year of high school that I started getting interested in Korean society (via kpop and kdramas haha). Especially after taking classes on East Asia and Asian American studies, I became interested in more important aspects of Korean culture. As part of the Korean diaspora, I wanted to better understand Korean culture so as to understand "Korean American" culture. While Korean Americans may feel that they don't fully "belong" to Korean or American culture, I am thankful for the somewhat objective or outsider perspective I am able to have on both cultures.

One of my main areas of interest is the Korean diaspora and Korean society. There's definitely a lot of stuff I love about Korea, but there are also many things that make me worried, sad, and disgusted at times. These are some of the Korea related topics I want to explore more in the future:

• gender inequality
• class disparity
  
• hierarchy (sunbae-hoobae system) & the abuse of it
• suicide (highest rates in the OECD)
  
• education & schools (high costs and crazy competition)
  
• regionalism
• the role of military in shaping culture
• sex (industry, affairs, etc.) --> 1 in 10 men in the world have purchased a prostitute, 1 in 5 Korean men pay for sex more than 4 times a month (see more stats on prostitution)
  
• intense working culture (Korean men work the longest hours in the world)
• superficiality (plastic surgery anyone?) & body image
  
• consumerism
  

I've been meaning to use this blog to write more things on my mind (and in my moleskin) and not just post pictures. Okay must go write some papers now :( I shall update with Italy pictures soon and still need to do a food post!

Btw heads up! I shall be coming home May 18-25! Honestly, I was starting to forget home, but am definitely looking forward to going back :) See y'all soon!

Some Belated February Stuff

Liberty department store

I know Valentine's day was a while ago, but I was thinking about it last week. Well, not Valentine's day specifically, but the sisters appreciation events that a lot of guys in Christian groups put together during the Valentine's season. Usually, the evening consists of the boys providing the girls with some sort of food and entertainment. Everyone dresses up and the girls relax while being catered to by the guys.

English Breakfast tea & a salmon sandwich

Btw, the pictures from this entry don't really relate to the text. The photos are from an afternoon tea at the Liberty department store hosted by the Seven College Conference of London for jya students (junior year abroad) from the Seven Sisters schools. There was also one boy there because Radcliff, a former all women's and Seven Sisters college, merged w/ Harvard, so Harvard was also invited. The tea was nice, but honestly, I think we all expected more haha the scones were good though!

scone w/ clotted cream & jam; pouring the tea

Anyway, I've been to a sisters appreciation event before, and I've seen lots of pictures and heard stories about them. Although I enjoyed the event and can appreciate the effort put into them, did you ever think about how this reinforces gender roles? (I know, I know, I'm a sociology major that analyzes everything blah blah)

• Why is it usually the boys doing stuff for the girls? Because girls are more into all that lovey dovey stuff and guys aren't? (related - VDay: An Opportunity to Remind Us That We Are Opposite Sexes)
• If we are going to adhere to socialized gender roles & behavior, why would fellow brothers in Christ be fulfilling the desire of females for romantic stuff?
• If you think about it, its kind of a like a mass date...the boys are showing the girls their potential as future boyfriends --> *cough*senior scramble*cough*
• Why doesn't everyone do an activity together instead of the guys just putting on a show and serving the girls all night? Aren't there activities that involve everyone? Or, is there a need for a special event to show appreciation, or can it simply be shown through how we treat each other everyday?
  

a lot of stuff was already gone by the time I took a picture of the tower

Most importantly, what does this have to do with faith? Isn't Valentine's day a secular, constructed holiday? It doesn't celebrate the love of God, which is not about feelings and hearts. What's the need for these events? Because we might feel too lonely on Valentines day otherwise? God is good all the time, including Valentines day. By clinging to God and living by faith, we can truly know what value is and show appreciation for our fellow brothers and sisters.

Bryn Mawr representin'; shot of the tea room

Perhaps I am over analyzing this. I'm not saying the guys are secretly trying to seduce the girls or have a hidden agenda. I just felt like something was weird about these sisters appreciation events and was thinking about what their purpose is (or the social function they perform a la Gans & poverty). Honestly, I think for most girls, they use events like this as an excuse to get dressed up haha ;)

"A Continuous Exercise in Self-Defnition"

"Who am I, who are we--is that not the chorus of the moment? Perhaps postmodernism can be defined, after all, as a continuous exercise in self-definition" (Ihab Hassan)

In my Contemporary Trends in the Study of Society class (exciting way to start off the week Mondays at 9 am...), we've been talking about globalization in the context of modern and post-modern, with global being the next stage (or are these all different words for the same thing?). What a long intro sentence. Anyway, although most of the stuff goes over my head, some of the theories have really got me thinking...

• we can't keep up with the speed of the global movement, so we try to hang on to identity (ie, national)
• irony: in post-modernity and globalization, as things come together, they become more fragmented

I've been thinking a lot about this in relation to my "identity" as a Korean American (don't I always?). 250 years ago, an American (US) identity didn't even exist, let alone a Korean American identity. However, the growth of the Korean diaspora has led to the creation of a Korean American identity. For me, the points listed above reinforce the idea that identity is socially constructed and does not have a real basis. However, although identities may be socially constructed, this does not mean that they do not have real and direct impacts.

• "As a culture we call ourselves Spanish when referring to ourselves as a linguistic group and when copping out. It is then we forget our predominant Indian genes. We are 70-80 percent Indian. We call ourselves Hispanic or Spanish-American or Latin American or Latin when linking ourselves to other Spanish-speaking peoples of the Western hemisphere and when copping out. We call ourselves Mexican-Americans to signify that we are neither Mexican nor American, but more the noun "American" than the adjective "Mexican" (and when copping out)." (Borderlands, Gloria Anzaldua)
  

Beyond the politics of a Korean American identity in America, coming to London has made me think about things on an international scale. It's interesting how I feel at home at a Korean restaurant in London but at the same time insecure about my Korean when speaking to the waiter. Meanwhile, the people I met here are often surprised to hear my American accent. Language, food, etiquette, etc...is this culture? Appearance? Blood? History? Geography? Can we choose the cultures that we are a part of? I've met a non-Koreans who are learning korean, watch dramas, and love bibimbap, but can interest in a culture make you a part of it? Or, for Korean Americans, is it more the interactions with non-Koreans and native Koreans that define the Korean American experience? I know I've posed a lot of questions (and can keep going), but what I'm trying to point out is how globalization may have increased the exchange of cultures and ideas, but this exchange has also revealed the instability of these cultures....and I ramble...

In conclusion, "Anyone who isn't confused today, simply isn't thinking straight" (Simone Weil), but if you "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:26).

This Way to Portobello Market

I finally got a chance to explore London a little and went to the Portobello Market on Saturday :)

• The masks freaked me out a little
• We found a stamp stand and they had a book of old stamps from Korea!
• Tiny elephant :)
• Tiny elephant's friends :)
  

• Antique jewelry
• Silver chains I wanted but was too po' for :(
• The ring I picked up for 5 pounds :)
  

• They had a lot of random antiques
• Cutlery (what they call utensils) used to be very fancy shamancy
• Bread stuffs
  

• Got me some banana chips and assorted gummies...picking up the essentials :)
• This way to lunch!
• Maybe not the best burrito I've ever had, but still yummy
  

• The glamorous life of a fashion blogger!
  
• Shini from Park & Cube
  
• Answers to your questions/comments: Thank you for complimenting her hat; She got it from South Korea; Yes, those are paws that are attached (All the store owners loved her hat and asked these questions. She even wrote down the website she got it from for a Starbucks worker haha)
  

London Drivers are Crazy!

Hello everyone! How is sunny America? I realized that I don't think I've seen the sun the whole time I've been here, and the forecast is basically rain for the next 10 days :( The weather hasn't really been affecting me though haha, I think Philly prepared me well for it :) It gets dark so fast! The pictures below were taken before 5, but its already pretty dark by then.


Anyway, London drivers are crazy! I'm used to Philly's grid layout, but even the major roads here change and curve all over the place, so even if you're going straight, you might end up on a different road if you're not paying attention. The street signs are located on the buildings, like the Acton Street sign, but they don't even have them on every corner! And see the striped pole with the yellow sphere on top? The drivers have to stop for pedestrians at those, but I swear, some come within a foot of me before stopping :/ If not for the "look right -->" and "<-- look left" signs (see below), I think i'd get crushed by a car....which almost happened the other day to me and my friend by a big ol' truck. I wish they would use their turn signals -_-



Things I've noticed/learned about London:

• About 80% of the population smokes -_-
• It's always pub time.
• They keep their eggs on the shelf, not the refrigerator
  
• The British are very lax. People just won't show up for work if the weather is bad! (2 cm of snow is crazy for them)
• The alarms (fire alarm, police siren) are unbearably loud!
• The city really reminds me of New York, everyone's always in a rush to get somewhere.
• South Asians are called Asians here, and East Asians are called Orientals.

I must go have some tea and biscuits now! Just kidding, but I am eating biscuits and do have tea in my cupboard. I'm finally starting to settle down and am looking forward to cooking for myself! I have other random things to share but I shall save them for later posts. Update me on life in phillydelphia via comments, emails, messages, whatever! Ahnyoung my friends :)

going crazy...in canaday...

It is 2:30.
I have 10 hours to do this 8-12 page paper.
I must outline.
There are many cracked out people in the library.
Ginger Jesus ran by me before and his hair was flowing in the wind.
I am cracked out.
K8 Lee printed out a picture of Wang Lee Hom and put it in the display thingie.
I saw her rubbing the picture against her cheek.
o.0
Erain gave us Japanese snacks!
Someone left the door open earlier and the alarm went off.
A girl started dancing to it.
It's the last night of finals week.
I very confused when I saw Jenny Kim earlier.
Obesity is socially constructed!
My paper is on obesity.

I go write now.
Bye.

"I once held a live hummingbird in my hand. I once married a Bryn Mawr girl. To a large extent they are twin experiences." E.B. White

The last week of classes is upon us. I feel pretty lax right now but I know I'll be scrambling to try to finish all my papers next week and cracked out from no sleep. Only nine more days left in the semester before we all peace out.

Here's a list of things that shaped my experience at Bryn Mawr and really made me appreciate my time here:

• my friends, who actually want to discuss issues of race, gender, class, etc. with me :)
  
• 3 hour brunches (and dinners) at Haffner
• professors who really want to get to know you and teach you to think critically
• sunsets or sunrises that make you appreciate the beauty of the campus
• Hell Week... flower day :)
• May Day, lantern night, Halloween, garden parties and all the other traditions
  
• ASA culture show 08 - CelebrASIAN of Asian American Women: "I Will NOT Love you Long Time"
• ASA board 2009
• the trust and responsibility given to the students
  
• the student run activities that show how motivated and passionate my peers are
• when i overhear conversations, students are debating theories, discussing what they learned in class, talking about current events, etc.
• the accomplishments of my peers (working in the poorest slums in India, going to Africa to make a documentary on AIDS, etc...aka "saving the world")
  
• hearing the perspectives of women from all over the country and world
• special meals that spruce up your week (candlelight holiday dinner, outdoor picnics w/ live entertainment, etc.)
  
• when we were in a car accident, a Bryn Mawr girl who happened to be passing by with her boyfriend recognized us from campus and gave us a ride even though we didn't really know each other
  
• random dance parties
• H-Mart & crazy nights at Rodeo during freshman year
• Sushiland and Jae ahjushi
• Rhoads 164 & ramyun parties
• paninis, waffle fries, and blended green tea from uncommon grounds
• Ha Long Bae...despite the bad service
• parties at Guild till the wEE hours of the morning
• spending over 24 hours in Rhoads during the snowstorm last year
• YouTube sessions
• learning how to make milk tea
  
• free laundry!
• the sense of community

These are just some my own personal experiences, I know I can't speak for everyone. I'm also not trying to say Bryn Mawr is the best school and that everyone should go here. I'm ready to go abroad next semester and will be ready to leave after senior year, but I realize more and more how I'm glad I came here. I'm gonna really miss the seniors and I wish I had more time to get to know people. I am going to really take advantage of everything Bryn Mawr offers before I leave. As my dad always says "Time goes so fast."

Healthy Suspicion

Sometimes, I feel like my mind is buzzing with thoughts. This semester, I finally got me a moleskin notebook, "the legendary notebook" of Hemingway, to furiously scribble down ideas when I'm having one of those moments. I always thought advertising moleskins as legendary was funny. The company tries to lure you in with this idealized vision of writers and artists in the olden days, but in reality its just an overpriced notebook...however, I must admit that I really like the soft cover :)

We often accept what we know to be facts and don't consider their origins, implications, or consequences. My one sociology professor was telling our class how he hopes we will develop a "healthy suspicion" towards the world around us. I think I have been plenty suspicious for a while haha, but I'm not cynical, I'm just bein realisitc :) Anyway, here's a list of some of the random things I've been thinking about that we take for granted:

• Referring to the United States as America - There is no single America, only the continents of North and South America; however, we often assume the U.S. = America.
• Asian - Who is exactly does this refer to? People usually think of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean people, but Indians, Filipinos, _, and many more groups fall under the Asian label. So what exactly do you mean when you say something is so Asian?
  
• APIA History Month - Woohoo! Let's celebrate our Asian heritage...for one month only. What if I want to embrace it all year long?
  
• Describing objects as nude, flesh tone, or skin colored - I often see clothes, shoes, nail polish, etc. described in these terms. Um, everyone's skin is not the same color, just look at one of those diversity posters with hands that are all different shades. So what skin tone are those "flesh colored" bandages referring to?
  

My goal for the rest of this semester is to not have any more life threatening events. Then, I shall hop off to London in January wahoo!

blog 1

Hello!

This is the first entry to my first blog.

Here are a few fun facts about me:

• I no longer have an appendix, which is why I'm at home starting this blog
• I am a Christian
• I was recently described as "down to earth but weird" (they made sure to emphasize the weird part)
• I like miniature or giant versions of things
• I like to bake :)
• I love babies!
  
• I'm beginning to think driving is more and more dangerous o.0
  
• I am going to study abroad in London next semester!
• I am a sociology major
• I am a list oriented person...hence the name of this blog and this list you are currently reading
• I am Korean...and here is a picture of a burger with a South Korean flag in it