Lets try to get back to the basics

Most recently I have seen that no matter how hard I try in my own power and my talents that I am always coming short of what I felt true happiness is.  

Have you felt like that??  That no matter how much you accomplish that your still searching for more?  I found that my goals my expectations were always falling short of what I hoped true happiness would be.   

I started a bible study with a friend and through that I noticed that there were some major things missing in my life.  Mainly that being a relationship that was eternal, hard to explain what has happened in my heart, but I realized the best way to figure it out is to go back to the basics. Just one chapter a day... And keep re-reading it finding all the truths God has laid out for me that day 

LET THE REAL ADVENTURE BEGIN!

I turn on my cell phone and it reads - 5:30pm.

It is Sunday, January 22,2012, I finally landed back at Incheon, Seoul. Didn't think this day would ever come. I have finally made it full circle and another full circle and now back in Korea. I grab my suit case full of clothes (which is still only 1/3 of the clothes I own but I couldn't fit all of them in a suit case). I head to a taxi and immediately remember why I love Korea so much.

Its the people.

They are warm, accepting, and friendly. Its the fact that I can meet a complete stranger they will turn to me smile and do their very best at making me feel welcome whether they speak English or not. This mindset is so different from everywhere I've been. Texas, California, East Coast, West Coast, America, Hong Kong, Thailand, Ireland, Sydney, etc... Its a very inviting feeling here.

As the days progress I start remembering slowly my korean schooling and have found myself able to somewhat communicate, but trust me I still have a long way to go. Some times I spurt off words other times I smile and say, "I'm sorry... what?" to which they immediately understand I don't speak Korean.

So here we go... again... time to learn my culture and heritage and find out if me being Korean isn't limited to the fact I'm 5'5", black hair, slanted eyes, and can solve complex math problems.

Thailand

So it's finally here. My vacation or holiday if you live anywhere besides the US. Kind of funny how the English language is broken into so many types of dialects. I find myself using all these British words that I never would have used in the States... "Line" is "Queue", "holiday is "vacation", "cheers" is "thanks"... To me it's all rather confusing.

I find myself correcting myself when speaking...

"Hey guys, we need to set up a line... Errr... I mean.. Umm... Queue...Outside the store.. I mean shop"

"wow it's crazy busy today! Must be because everyone is on vaca...holiday"

"thank you!" and yes I am I said thank you.. Not going to say "cheers" that's ridiculous.

Anyways, so it's my VACATION.. and I decided to might as well take advantage of the fact I'm in Asia and vacay to Thailand. Wasn't sure what to expect... First night out was slightly ridiculous... I am used to the craziness of Hong Kong... Especially in the Wan Chai area what I refer to as the "red light district" of Hong Kong... But just walking around the streets last night I never have before been offered more prostitutes, badgered by sales people, or had "cat calls" by random girls from the bars that line the streets. I thought I was gonna get raped... Scarier thing is, is that most of the women that were trying to entice me to come into the bar weren't really women... I'll let that stew in your brain for a second....

Ok... Definitely going to spend the rest of this vacation either at the beach, pool, or getting a massage.. And by massage I mean a legit massage from the spa at the resort...

Cheers!

Lack of Sleep

As I write this blog I have just worked 3 overnight shifts at my store in Hong Kong. These aren't just any normal overnight 8 hour shifts, but ridiculously long 6pm-7,8,10am shifts. Meaning, I have put in over 40 hours in just 3 days. Don't misunderstand me, I am not complaining about these shifts, but more wanted to make observations about how your mind functions and how your body feels when sleep is deprived from it.

I have done these overnight shifts a lot since I have arrived in Hong Kong. 2-4 every week to be exact. My brain starts to really go into alternative zoned out mode once I reach day 3. I am right now definitely feeling the side affects of no sleep. Reason why I know this is not because I am tired.. which I am... and not because my body feels funny... which it does.

No, the reason why I know I have reached this point is because at this stage I seriously start to hallucinate. These hallucinations aren't what you see in the movies/tv shows. Where your main character has vivid life life scenes played where at the end of it he realizes its not real but some how his subconscious has managed to tell him some hidden truth that he must learn to either... win the love of his life back.... defeat the villain... or just simply come to some sort of realization.

No... my hallucinations are freaky... I seriously see people out of the corners of my eye... not ghosts... or demons... or anything really dark... but people that may be currently in the same area as me but for some reason my mind is playing a type of rerun scene and i see them walk behind me... or move next to me.

To you, reader, you probably think I am just being oddly paranoid, but I can guarantee you that my mind does see these things which aren't there. I go to see where that person may be going but come to a corner where no one is at only to walk around and find that worker in a room on the other side of the store.

Truth be told this is really disturbing and I honestly hate it. Its like having my own personal haunted house but definitely not make me jump scary.. just kind of freak me out.

I would go to sleep now and get my 8 hours in... but I have to be at my manager meeting in 1 hour, so I will take a shower clean up and head back in.

Diversity is not a small wooden ship

When I saw this Chinese guy dressed in an Irish Kilt playing bagpipes it made me think...

I am 27 years old... I have a Jewish first name, Irish middle name, and a Jewish last name. I am not jewish nor irish. I am Korean born American who was raised in Texas currently living in Hong Kong. My second language is spanish, and I love italian food. I grew up in a Mexican neighborhood where I went to a predominately caucasian private school.

If you were to ask me a year ago if I knew what diversity meant I would have said yes. From my mini-biography I have just written I think you would have to agree I am very experienced with diversity, that was until March of 2011 when I flew away to Asia to become an expat for Abercrombie & Fitch.

Living in Hong Kong, I have grown deeper as a person to understanding what diversity really means. Hong Kong is the epic version of diversity. Chinese, Indian, French, Swiss, English, Hispanic... take your pick and you can easily find them in Hong Kong. Yes, Hong Kong has many Chinese who speak Cantonese; and yes, Hong Kong is now a Chinese territory. But to limit your thoughts to just that would be ignorant. In Hong Kong you can find any type of food you want, and meet practically any race you wish.

To me diversity is, yes, difference amongst people from color of skin to educational backgrounds , but being diverse means opening up your mind to these differences and realizing no matter how much you think you may know... you really have only touched the tip of the iceberg and that to really experience diversity means to travel and see it for yourself.

Life so far..

Ever feel like your life has become predictable... Mundane... Boring... ???

If you answered yes to any of these then you should become an expat. If you really want a challenge become an expat for A&F... I can't even begin to describe to you how every day is a new challenge and every day is a different challenge.

For myself I'm a manager at Hollister in Hong Kong. I can't even describe to you how strenuous every day seems to be. I feel like I am met with new challenges and new and larger steps to take on.

It's amazing to me how crazy it is. Somedays I am completely wiped out and burnt out.. But just when I feel like I have gotten my feet underneath me, another new challenge steps up. I can't wait for my next vacation. Ha!

sleep cycle

Sleep cycle's are funny. By definition we are told that the proper amount of sleep you need is 8 hours of sleep, yet if those 8 hours come in the middle of the day you still feel like you haven't slept at all. For those of you who regularly visit my blog have noticed that I haven't written a blog in probably over 3 months. This is because since I have been back in Hong Kong I have been working mostly over night shifts. I am not complaining because I know this is how I can greatly help out my store, but the sleep cycle I usually do is 6-8 hours but during the day. Generally this is 8am-4pm. Trying to sleep during this time of the day is probably the most confusing thing my body has ever undergone save puberty...

To me my days have been one huge blur, I have slept when most people are awake and I am awake when most people are asleep. Its a very confusing period of time in my life... again save puberty. Only similarity is that puberty and my job I think are definitely making me into more of a man.