amaaaaaaazing!

from this summer...

myungdong... the fashion district

...soooo many people!

skater kids

sweet what?

yep, it's a pastry shop.

Fuseo... and thoughts on design

I've had the opportunity to start my own business for design illustration... and have thoroughly enjoyed sketching here. 

The design world here consists mostly of English words, since the modern design process originated in the western world. Generally, the personalities associated with certain professions are the same here... I almost didn't expect this, but people are people.

The Asian mindset regarding design is very different than what one experiences in the States. Here, theory and ideation is the most important part. Completing the task commences only when all the ideas are decided upon. Their critiques are key to every project here. For my first project here, every afternoon at 2pm we had a four hour crit to discuss the newest ideas.

Green building is an up-and-coming notion here. They want to learn from us as it is not yet commonplace to consider the environmental impact this industry creates. Along with that, codes here are much less stringent, or maybe not enforced to the level a westerner would expect, so buildings go up at an unbelievable rate. When we moved into our brand-new apartment, for example, the toxic adhesives made me extremely nauseous. Standards exist here, more in theory than actuality, however. I've learned much from the detail-oriented mindset, and they've benefited from my ability to think critically and see how the little details fit within the larger picture. I introduced to them the idea of organizing a project based on who is to complete which task. I also introduced to them a corporate interiors 'program' and 'concept' with which to base design decisions. We can learn a great deal from one another.

the do...

Several of you have asked me to put up a picture of what the short haircut looks like. First of all, you must know that when you say "blonde" here, there are not many of us, so the hair stylist (and he's great) had only one color in mind... It's my new married look. I'm trying the more sophisticated hair style so people will quit thinking I'm in junior high :)

6 months married.... 5 months asian

Can't believe it's been half a year already! Married... and thoroughly loving it. There are always challenges to living in a foreign country, things don't always function the way one would expect when in a different culture. Those things will continue... where you live is simply a backdrop to life. And in any circumstance, whether it be stimulating or overwhelming, challenging or dull, you have to choose what to let yourself be frustrated with and what to allow your mind to focus on.

We've seen it as such a blessing to be away for the first season of married life. There are less distractions and obligations. We have the opportunity to spend a ton of time together and establish what we want our relationship to be like. It seems totally normal to be married here; everyone knows us as married in Seoul. We've met some incredible friends including some other young married couples who have served as a rad encouragements to us. I still wake up many days and say to myself with a smile, "I'm married!" That's usually followed by... "and I live in Korea?" Never would have guessed.

We've been stretched and challenged in new ways... yet to sit here at six months knowing we have the rest of our lives together, is exciting. Wouldn't have chosen any other way.