New Found Motivation

Christmas vacation is officially over. Kalan and I just spent two weeks in California (which includes two days in Vegas) and I don't know how to express how much I really needed the break. First off, to see my friends and family was so amazing and fun. The roomies from 8 Merrimac (minus Lowam (next time girl)) were great and took us out for my birthday. We also spent a drunken jacuzzi night in La Verne with Jamie and her roommate Sayaka. We had FOUR Christmases and did tons more and through all the conversations I had with everyone I have a new outlook on my time here in Korea.

Things were getting really frustrating for me before I visited home (aside from my trip to Tokyo and hanging out with friends). Mostly my job hours were waring on me and I was lashing it out on food and Kalan. I wasn't motivated to model. It seemed like the cold was just freezing everything in my life.

But now, things are in motion again and I have a few things to look forward to. First off, January will be my last month at my job. No more split shift and waking up at 5:40am!! I start my new part-time job next week. I'll be transcribing NPR-type radio stories for six hours a week and make my rent plus more. On top of that, I'll be tutoring during my free time.

Also, I'm enrolling in a Korean language program at Sukmyung Women's University. The university is really close to where I'll be moving. We are moving in with our best friends parents who have an extra room, a lovely house, a cute dog AND A DRYER! I'm so excited! Rent is miniscule to what we pay now, we wont have to pay utilities and groceries are included.

Things are definitely in motion and I'm really looking forward to it all. With all my free time I can network and look for jobs in the fashion industry. 2010 will be starting off well and it's exciting to see what the rest of the year will bring. Hopefully, Kalan and I can start careers of some kind lol.

Well that's my update. I'll write again soon.

Love,

Sylvia

Tokyo

Some pics from my trip

Tokyo came and went by way too quickly. Christina and I started off the trip fortunate enough to take a taxi for the same fare as the bus. We got to the airport, checked in, got on our plane, and flew to Narita airport without complication. It was when we got into the first subway/train in Japan when things started to get confusing. Kalan put it best when he told me the subway map looks like a giant bowl of rainbow spaghetti. Yes, the subway was impossible, impractical, and unrealistic but we managed to get to Tokyo station and meet our friend Bill right on time.

Bill is a great guy. He let us stay at his house for two nights while he slept on the floor. It was kind of like a long slumber party because we had conversations about the meaning of life, girls, boys, progrock and other random things. On our first night we went out to eat authentic Japanese ramen and then to a Japanese bar called Damo Damo.

The next day we went to Akihabara which is like this crazy epicenter for video gamers and anime lovers. Also there are these "Costplay" stores with sexy costumes and hobby stores with crazy naked figurines. So to speak, this place was pretty different. But interesting.

Asakusa was our next destination. This area is a little more traditional and touristy (kinda like insadong in Seoul). We hung out for a while and did some sight seeing and then decided to go to a grocery store and eat the free samples at a department store in Shinjuku. Shinjuku is where we met up with some of Bill's friends and visited some local pubs. This area is like Shinchon/Hongik in Korea except more Japanese and more male escorts with fabulous hair.

The next morning we had a late start and a late ramen breakfast before we headed to Ginza where Christina did some shopping and I looked around in awe of all the gigantic beautiful beautiful department stores.

Well, that was pretty much my trip. Short huh? I might go back again in the near future depending on money and a lot of other stuff.

Sylvia

Vacation On The Horizon

Subway next to the Wild Donkey Show Sign.

Happy Birthday Hyun~!

At Brixx in Hongdae

Sylvia Sandwich!

DECEMBER IS ALMOST HERE! These next few weeks are going to go by so fast and before I know it I will be in California hugging my friends and family and eating burritos from Platas! Also, I've decided to go on a special trip to Tokyo with my friend Christina next weekend! This year December is looking to be a very fun and eventful birthday month for me and baby jesus. ^^

Kalan and I celebrated Thanksgiving the other night by watching 75% of Love Actually (problem with streaming movies) and drinking a tall can of Heineken. It seems sad in black and white but it was pretty fun and I got to spend Thanksgiving with the person that I am most thankful for. This weekend I will go to a Thanksgiving potluck on the other side of the river with our friends from Bundang (some pictured above) and tonight I have an employee dinner. Yay food!

It seems like the Winter is flying by already but I have to remember that January and February are colder months. I hope that I can prevent the cold weather from making me unhappy, which it has in the past. Sometimes I feel like a desert rat in a blizzard, it's horrible. I'm going to make the most out of it though and make sure to spend time with my friends and do fun activities. Maybe I'll go snowboarding :/

My Korean is getting a little better. I've been doing Language Exchange with my friend Gil Myung twice a week. He's preparing to go to Medical School. I still need to study more though if I want to get anywhere near fluent. Learning another language is SO HARD!

I put modeling on hold until next year. It's way more difficult to get work here than I expected. I've been doing some research on Los Angeles internships and jobs in the fashion industry. I'm pretty sure when Summer comes I'll be moving back to California to try my luck out there. I need to get more hands on experience in the industry. I'm also thinking about going to school for Fashion Merchandising. Hmm... Maybe I can do both.

Anyway, I hope everyone back home is having a great Thanksgiving weekend. Eat lots of tamales and Delores' Salsa for me! I love you guys!

Sylvia

The Mechanical Dress

I just got my pics back from photographer Ju Hang. This shoot was a lot of fun and interesting. The dress is supposed to symolize the economy in some way. It was explained to me but I forgot hehe. I have two photoshoots lined up in the next two weeks so I'm super pumped.

Also, Christmas is just around the corner so I can see my friends and family soon! <33

Love you guys!

Sylvia

Rough Days Ahead

VIP Vera with Jinsook and Christina

Kalan and I being us :P

Kalan with my photog Ju Hang (he's awesome)

Club Vera

Club Vera Hongdae

Jinsook and Christina on the red carper

Makoli (rice wine) and some fish.. mmmmm

With David and Dave.

Delicious Japanese ramen shop

with all you can eat toast, peanut butter, and jam.

Flapper girl ;)

David,Kwang Hyun and Amanda at ZEN in Hongdae

Us <3

Christina and her cute kittie ears

Picture of Cacoon. Didn't go there but friends did.

Went to FF's instead to watch friends band play.

Didn't get a picture of my friend though.

This is a Korean Michael Jackson cover band.

SOO, Today I walked out of my apartment and laughed out loud because it was shockingly cold. I bought some gloves and more leggings but I expect to be cold no matter what I do for the next four months. Halloween was also a shocker, I didn't expect much out of the holiday here but I had a blast and, I'll be honest, I got a little drunky drunk. I wasn't going to dress up but I found a flapper inspired dress in my closet so I spent 8,000 won (around ~$7) on accessories and BAM -flapper girl. A classy flapper girl of course :)

Here are some pictures from one of my recent shoots. Shawn Parker was the photographer and was really nice and professional. :)

www.flickr.com/shawnparkerphoto

My mechanical dress photos should be coming soon. I'm excited and nervous to see them :/ This week I'm hoofin' it to Gangnam (in the cold) to show my book to some agencies. I have no idea what to expect but at least it will be an experience. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Anywho, I feel a slight cold coming on (no it's not swine flu) so if any of you want to help a chica out, send me some NyQuil.

word,

sylvia

Work work sleeeeeeeep.

Me and my student Su jin ^^

Kids from the Subway and Swedish Designer Lance

Designer Lance, Photographer Ju Han, and Designer Anders

Photographer's back on the bridge hehe

Lunch with the Direct English crew

I had two great photoshoots last weekend with two awesome photographers. I'll have pictures posted soon. Both shoots were located at a bridge but they are going to look totally different from eachother. Sunday's shoot was great because I got my hair and make up done at a nice salon. The people at the salon were really kind and professional and want to work with me in the future. The MUA (make up artist) used all high quality products from RMK, Dior, Bobbi Brown etc. It was a nice change of pace.

For that shoot I wore a mechanical dress. I can't really explain... just wait for the pics :)

Since I spent my weekend basically working (modeling isn't easy), I'm sooo exhausted now and I can't wait for Halloween weekend to come. I decided not to dress up and just have a casual weekend with good friends. I had a few ideas for a costume but .... eh I'm just not feeling the spirit here. It's kind of depressing I know. MAYBE I'll swing by American Apparel and see what I can put together. But MAYBE not because it's like twice as expensive here ... eh

Till next time! Much love,

Sylvia

Happenstances

The last few weeks have flown by like a whirlwind and just like that it’s Fall here in Seoul. Kalan is sick ... he has a bad cold and he's in bed with a few blankets that our land lady gave to us. He’s so sick he wouldn’t even eat the Sundubu (Spicy Tofu Soup) I made for him :( He's been resting a lot so I suspect he will get better soon.

On a lighter note, I’ve lost some of my Korean weight. I’m so motivated to get to my goal weight and my skin is finally clearing up because of the Shu Uemura oil cleanser Kalan and I bought. I definitely recommend it. I’ve also been really excited for my upcoming photo shoots. Here are some pics of my last shoot with photographer David Kim. You can see more of them from his flickr site - http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidkimphotography/

I’m still searching for model agencies by emailing people and searching online. If I don’t hear from anyone soon I’m going to have to go about it by foot and go to Gangnam during my breaks. I’ll stalk people if I have to hehe. I saw a poster on a bus that said Seoul Fashion week is coming soon. I’m dying to know everything about it and how I can get myself either on the runway or in the audience. Any ideas?

Ciao,

Sylvia

Me with my friends David and Stuart.

My photographer after a little too much Jack and Coke lol

Coworker Deon and I while watching another coworker Brian rock out on stage.

She was being shy :)

Me, Hayme and Grant hanging out at Freebird in Hongdae.

Hayme and my new friend Amanda at Zen.

Check out my awkward pose. So much for modeling hehe.

Culture Shock

Communal showers.

Really, communal showers aren’t that bad. BUT Korean communal showers are something entirely different...

Friday I went swimming for the first time in two months at a near by gym. In the locker room people in Korea like to hang out naked and the showers are completely open. Okay that’s fine. The disturbing part was that I saw a women laying in the middle of the shower. She was just LAYING there! The ajooma was laying in the middle of the shower amongst everyone's dirt and dead skin. I saw her from the corner of my eye and then glanced. When I realized what I was looking at I turned away as quickly as I could with a really disgusted look on my face. Then I started to think ‘what if she fainted?’ ‘what if she’s hurt?’ So I glanced again and immediately regretted it. The lady wasn’t hurt. She was just freaking laying there and staring off into space ... I still don’t understand this and I’m still disturbed by the picture burned in my mind.

On a lighter note, I got some pics back. These are totally different from anything else in my port. I guess they kind of suit this blog entry lol.

After Chuseok

This past weekend was Chuseok, which is the harvest moon festival time. Everyone leaves their normal everyday lives to spend time in there hometown with their families and close friends. I call it the Korean Thanksgiving without the pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes. I thought Kalan and I would spend most of this time alone and sad but we ended up hanging out with friends and even making some new ones.

This weekend was also special for me because I've been researching some grad schools and I feel pretty good about it. I've also been applying for job positions in the fashion industry. The jobs are kind of far fetched (ex. Burberry) but how exciting would it be if I actually landed a job at a high end/luxery brand. There aren't very many solid choices for grad schools and fashion but I've been looking up some Fashion Merchandising and Marketing programs. I just need to fork out some mulah and apply now before the deadlines are up ...

It's kind of exciting not knowing where I will end up but at least it is some kind of path. I feel a lot better than I did when my path was leading me to chlorine poisoning hehe.

So possible locations for me in the near future ... New York, Philadelphia, London, Tokyo, Korea?

Any suggestions?

Us getting ready to eat delicious food like always :P

Trying to get a good picture with JongWon my sat student

I guess he didn't want to smile

He dropped his bike like ten times when walking me to the bus stop. So funny!

Lounging after a fun night

Dancing at the Hyatt in Itaewon. J J Mahoney's!

Pre party party near Beedan's and Sookjin's univ

cute sand bar with the girls!