FINALLY! I've graduated! WHOA! it was a rough 4 years but finally~ aigoo :)

"Leen, even if I'm not a fan of anything Korean, I know how passionate you are about this, but seriously, can you go there all by yourself? I mean dude, that's a total different country with different culture different people different food DIFFERENT EVERYTHING. Are you really serious about this??" said my bestfriend, May. "You know how I love almost all Korean things. I almost forgot my own culture because of that love. HAHA. But yeah, I also feel scared. It'll be much different but I believe I can do this. With this burning passion in mine. HAHA I'll work hard, don't worry" I smirked. "Haay,…. well, okay fine..just go..i won't miss you. We'll have much more fun here without you you know HAHA" she joked. But ofcourse I can see her sadness in her eyes.

Actually, I almost cancelled it. My friends here in my country. We've been together for years through goodness and tough. They were my comfort. And especially my family. I've been away from them since college and now, after i graduated i decided to go further. But then I thought maybe it's time to find myself more. I've been stuck with same people from before. I've been with my comfort zone for too long. It's time to step further. To that dream.

- - - -

"You can put your luggage here. Here is the kitchen, that's the bathroom, blah blah blah~ " The landlord is busy explaining everything about my new home but I'm still in awe. WAAA. I looked at the window and gazed over the night city. It was an exhausting day but I still feel surreal. I keep blinking, pitching myself, SEOUL.

From the airport upto this cute apartment I feel good. I was a foreigner but I didn’t get in any trouble from getting a cab to the designated place. It seemed that the people of Korea are so used to foreigners and so they’re very accommodating. Even the taxi driver tried his best English to converse with me. He said that, I won’t regret my stay here and even thanking me for choosing his country to work for. He also said that as long as you work hard to achieve that dream, no matter what the consequences and struggles arrive, you will achieve that dream. He was so kind but I also felt scared of his last advice, “as long as you work hard” it keep repeating in my head.

Then the door opened "Miss Leen, here's Lala" Then I awkwardly bowed at her when she suddenly shouted "Annyeong Haseyo Leen!". Lala and I have the same nationality. She was recommended to me by a trusted source before I came here. She's 6 years my senior and works here in Korea as an English tutor with a lot of other part time jobs such as selling Korean products online. She is be my roommate. "I'm sorry I came late. I was caught by traffic. Aren't you exhausted by now? You should be resting." She was clumsy I can tell. "Can we just talk about everything tomorrow since I'm really tired and I thought you also" she said as she removed her shoes and accessories she keeps saying 'aigoo'. She’s funny. I feel like I could totally trust her. She's so approachable. The first time I talked to her over the phone. She was excited because she said she can finally have a reason to throw away her annoying Saudi Arabian roommate before. Haha. "Here, I got this for you actually. I'm sorry I was in a rush but oh well, you can still eat that." She gave me plastic container full of fresh fruits. "Thanks La!" I said "sure, let's sleep" she said in a sleepy manner until I can only hear her snores. I smiled.

Today was interesting. This is a good sign I thought.

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It’s been 3 months since my stay. I’ve passed my jetlag already. I’m more than focused about my job hunting. Cause I’m seriously getting worried. THREE MONTHS have passed and I still not getting replys from my sent resumes. Lala has also trying to help me. She gave me some part time job but ofcourse that’s not what I want. Everyday, I could only work in my computer or sketch my ideas or paint or learn Korean with Lala or play my guitar – just inside the house. I can’t even tour Seoul. I vowed that I won’t do anything else exciting until I get a job. And so I was getting scared I won’t be able to until November.

I was trying to cook Kimchi stew with Lala’s teaching course when I received a phone call. “Yes. ..Okay…Yess…Ofcourse Sir…Yes…THANK YOU SO MUCH..I’ll be there Thank you again” I answered that call with eyes shining and smile reaching my ears. After the call ended I screamed as Lala also screamed.

“Yah! The stew’s boiling!!!” screamed Lala. “I DON’T CARE ABOUT THAT STEW OHMAIGAD I’M SAVED, I’ve been accepted to LOEN!!!!!!!!!!”

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After that faithful day, I became an active designer in the productions of LOEN, CUBE then JYP. First of all, this decision I’ve made is tough. It was the toughest decision and life I’ve chosen in my existence. I started at the bottom – doing their coffee and checking papers. It was even harder because they never put much consideration of my foreign ethnicity but they mostly only cared about the work to be done. Since this is the entertainment industry, and its the back of the cameras all things big and little are us. Also, Koreans seriously pay on the littlest details. I was always scolded. But that made me stronger. I’ve cried enough during that 2 years of experience but I also clenched my teeth to reach higher. Until I gave LOEN up and switched to Cube. I only worked with one BTOB project then they moved me into JYP. The best of my experience was from JYP. What’s far better than being able to talk to 2PMs Nickhun Taecyeon Wooyoung and Miss A’s Min. Most especially, I got to be friends with a diamond, Suzy. I was seriously shy before. I was only doing my usual - design sets, help create the concept, design their promotional goods etc. But to be friends with Suzy was different.

Well, actually I was overwhelmed when I got to talked to Miss Suzy but after series of meetings with her and also when she knew where the same aged, we’re now talking to each other like friends. She is so nice and funny that I always play with her with the other staffs. The staff said that’s why she was so famous because she’s genuine. We got most close because I taught her English. Since she’s now advancing in foreign countries so she needs to speak fluent English and she practiced that with me everytime. And because Nichkhun, Taecyeon hyung and Min unnie also speak English we can all converse peacefully but since we have the same age I was more comfortable to her than the older JYP friends. She even got to introduce me with her other celebrity friends like IU and 4 minute Kwon Sohyun! Also, I actually can hangout in her house. Haha. So yeah..she’s really great.

But that’s not the only thing that made JYPEnt great. The relationship with their staffs and artists are one. There is no huge barrier. We can even celebrate openly unlike in LOEN. Also, because in JYP they liked my style. They acknowledge my designs more and really gave me a lot of work because of that fondness. But despite that, I was really pleased. After just a year, I was in the creative directors right hands (It’s the 2^nd highest position in art team). To the point that I can see feasible amount of my idea in the stages or projects we worked on. Like that stage design was mine, or that fashion concept was mine. That really made me proud.

For 3 years, I’ve gained a lot during my stay here in Korea more than anything I learned from my 19 years of existence in my country before. Haha. But everyday, whenever I go to my room I would always see this Team B poster. They reminded me of everything that I was chasing for.