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| Haha Ya’ll know this is fake, but it’s CUTE! |
Wow I suppose so much has been going on in my life right now that I’m totally going bonkers. How could I miss the pinkfashionninja.com 1 Year Anniversary in February? I knew it was coming but somehow the most obvious things get past me.
Take for example me missing the Saturday show for the YG Family Concert because I didn’t check correctly check the date on my ticket. OR How about now, where I MISSED Junsu’s musical Elisabeth because I wasn’t paying attention to the date (again). Either way with the YG concert I ended up getting front row standing seats to see Big Bang and 2NE1 up close and got included in a picture on the YG Facebook page. Now I doubt anything great will happen like that this weekend when I finally get to go to the Elisabeth musical but I think this just shows I have a ditsy side. 🙂
I can’t believe it’s been a year already! I graduated from college last June and feel so old! I’ve been in Korea almost 7 months now. Time flies by. I can’t believe I accomplished something as large as moving overseas. It was VERY tumultuous but golly by gosh I made it. I don’t regret a thing. I feel God leads us in the direction we should go and we should learn and grow from every step taken. One things for certain, I do love and want to stay living in Korea but I do NOT want to teach anymore. 1 year is enough for me. A last resort will be just going for my Masters out here. That has two positive things acquainted with it, I get to stay in Korea and I STILL won’t have to pay back my loans. Ha! Win Win!
My goal though is to work for a fashion company out here. I’ve applied for a VMD position at H&M along with other places so I’m crossing my fingers. International fashion is where I want to be so I hope everything works out somehow I will get back to my real passion: VISUAL MERCHANDISING. Oh how I miss it, but we must make sacrifices in life to get to where we want to be. I could have easily still been in the US working for the horrible hell hole Forever 21, dealing with the worst customers ever, unhappy with 2 broke down busted cars, still living at home with a horrible step dad in the house. I love my mother and brothers to death but it was just time for me to make a DRASTIC mature decision in MY life as a WOMAN. That decision was to figure out what I wanted. I could spin a globe and place my finger in any spot and say “Guatemala here I come!” Being an American is definitely a blessing. So many countries are welcoming to us since America is known as the #1 country. Especially being out here in Korea. It’s nearly impossible for folks from the Philippians, Africa, or South America to get a visa to work in Korea, so I definitely understand the privilege that I have.
I’ve been able to enjoy so many things here in Korea. I’ve been on TV more times than I can count. When my KBS Sponge episode aired all my students watched and they know think I’m rich because I was on TV. HA! I wish. I’ve seen about every single Kpop artist I like and could probably write a book about the many places I’ve visited in Korea. Of course it hasn’t been all peaches, my hagwon has REPEATELDY broken my contract and I have to deal living in a country where I can’t understand what people are saying around me. It urkes me to death! But I am studying Hangul daily and now I can atleast pick out enough words to say “Hey you just said Waygook and Crazy! Are you talking about me?” lol
Korea has allowed me to mature and has opened my eyes up to the world. I see and understand different, cultures and belief’s. I might not agree with them but I now know they exist and it’s people’s way of life. Probably the worst thing I’ve had to deal with here is just standing my ground. Being absolutely confident in my decisions and not caring what others think of me. Being a female single foreigner in Korea is far from the easiest thing to be. But I’ve grown stronger and feel I can take on the world.
Best thing in Korea OTHER than seeing Rain from only 3 feet away (tehehehe) would be hiking to the beach and seeing the most beautiful sky and ocean in the world. It seemed that was the most beautiful day in the world and the ocean and sky were dancing for me. The wind wrapped around me and made me teary with emotion. I felt everything I had ever gone through in my life was worth it for this hour or so by the sea. I was overcome with happiness. Being from the Midwest, I was never able to be by the beach and experience the ocean but now I get a entire summer to chill on the beach sipping a wine cooler (because in Korea you can walk the streets with liquor unlike America) underneath an umbrella and just breathe in the pure country air. A few other good things would be I’ve lost about 20 LBS (because in Korea you have to walk everywhere and I’m taking Taekwondo) and my hair is longer than its ever been in my life!
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| Throwback! My mom and I when I was 5. |
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| A recent picture of me in Taekwondo class with my brown belt. I’m going for red in 2 weeks! |
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| Me and homegirl Tara. |
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| At Tara’s Bday get together at an Indian Restaurant in Hongdae. |
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| Multiculturalism at its best! |
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| Cool graffiti in Yongsan. |
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| Had just got my hair done. Fabulous!!!!
Last but not least….remember  |
April Jay is a style and travel content creator who loves sewing, Buffy The Vampire Slayer and rocking out to coldrain.
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ALREADY ONE YEAR 😀 OH MY I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU! CONGRATULATIONS! I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU! YOU GOT TO LIVE IN KOREA! HAVE MANY FANS ^_^ I am very happy for you my friend, very, very happy… I remember when I first came to your blog <3
wow!! i <33 this post!! i hope u get the job and it will be awesome for u to do ur masters there totally kool! happy birthday to ur blog!! 🙂
That was an awesome post! (Send me info on teaching out there! Hahaha!)
OMO OMO OMO!!!!! Ok this is awesome! Mostly because I am on my way to getting a Bachelor's in teaching so I can come to Korea and teach English. SO i was really excited to find this website and read your post. But why don't you want to teach anymore?
Wow! Congrats, Pink, on your one year blogaversary and the success of your own personal space here on the Internet. Your posts are so much fun and your views so interesting, how can anyone resist coming here, huh? 🙂
Here's to another year of "pink" and seeing the beauty of South Korea through your eyes.
Hugs from the ATL!
Congrats, PF!
Doesn't the time fly when you are living life to its fullest? I always enjoy reading what you've got to say. Thank you for sharing your life in Korea with us.
May all of your dreams come true.
Terri :-}
Hey lady, Congrats on your 1 year anniversary. I have a feeling that you and I would do some serious "damage" if we went shopping. I have two closets in my house filled to the rafters…*it's ridiculous*…(SMILES). Loving the blog and I'll definitely be coming back. Well, I'm off to explore some more of your blog. (SMILES)
Well, Anonymous on April 5, 2012 at 6:51 am was me (BiAlamode), just so you know! (SMILES)
Thanks babe!!! Yes I remember when you first messaged me! I'm so happy we've stuck together this long! Love you babe and I hope one day you can come to Korea so we can go SHOPPING!
Haha I'm crossing my fingers! I hope so too!
Thank sooo much for the support!
That would be wonderful if you could come out here! i miss our times at F21 complaining about the customers and managers! haha
Miss you and Stephe!
Congrats on getting your bachelors! How wonderful! Can't wait til you come to Korea!
I'd rather not teach anymore because number 1, its not my passion. It was an opportunity that was open for me at the time and I went to for it. Second because I've had to deal with A LOT of problems that just isn't worth doing another year of teaching for.
But anywho congrats and hope to see you out here soon! Thanks for reading my blog!
Haha Year of the Pink! I like it A LOT! New Blog title!!!! LOL I so hope to see you and Terri out here soon so we can have a Rain shopping fest!!
And great work with the Cloud USA site. It allows all of us worldwide Rain fans to be able to experience him and be apart of the Cloud community. 🙂 Thanks so much.
Hugs back from Korea!!!!
Haha Well…. Anonymous aka BIALAMODE! lol you are always so funny with your comments and your a lovely writer. More erotic Rain Fan Fictions! I demand a blog from you!!!!! hahaha
And yes Im a beast when it comes to shopping. So much so that I end up with no money to eat or take a taxi. I know, I know…Im ASHAMED!!!! ^blushes* "They trina make me go to Rehab, but I say NO NO NO!" LOL
THANKS FOR the constant support 🙂 Smooches!
Oh wow it does fly! Been out here 7 months already! Doesn't feel like it though. Wow.
I remember the first time I found the Cloud USA site. I cant believe its been over a year! Been with you all since the beginning! Thanks for being a part of the PFN blog. I appreicate your love and support. I dearly do:)
Love and kisses from Pink to you!!!!