Alana never did have much self esteem. If she did, maybe things would've turned out differently. Alana wasn't ugly, not in the least. However, to an adolecent girl every flaw is yet another sign of their unattractiveness. She went through a spell where she was overwieght, and acne-prone. She frequently got teased by prettier, meaner girls. She often arrived home in tears, being comforted by her mom. Her mother was always there for her. After a few years went by Alana's apperence changed drastically. She lost weight,got smooth clear skin, and gained womanly curves. But the years of teasing and insecurities left scars on her that no amount of cosmetics could cover. In high school, she was often the recipient of catcalls and lame pickup lines. She dated these guys, and frequently got her heart broken. Her self esteem plummeted even more. She never felt good enough. After her mother died when she was 18, she went to college to study photography. Her mother had always supported her on her love of photography. Everyone used to remark that her pictures could capture reality, and looked like the photo's inhabitants would resume motion at any moment. She graduated and got a good paying job taking nature photos for a popular magazine. One day her boss called her to his office. He told her that she would be reloading to a new post in Seoul, South Korea. She was actually happy about this. This new oppurtunity entailed higher pay, better projects, and a chance to start over in a new country. Plus, she'd always had a thing for Asian boys.