Unboxing My Celebratory Giftbox!
Today marks my six — month anniversary as a korea.net Honorary Reporter! Looking back to earlier this year, I was so excited yet anxious about whether I’d make the cut. Becoming a HR has been a long — time dream of mine since 2018. I was attending a conference in Singapore when I met this cheery Filipino girl who grew into one of my most cherished friendships, not to mention her endless supply of memes!
I remember scrolling through her blog to read her experiences about South Korea travel, music, arts and culture. And I longed for the day when I can share my own! I was thrilled to be accepted into this vibrant, passionate and supportive family this March. With fellow Honorary Reporters coming from all corners of the world, korea.net has helped to open my eyes to the world. I continue to be amazed each day by all our passionate writers who bring a slice of Korea into their lives, and share with us how they continue to participate in Korean culture at home.
My HR articles to date revolve around travel and food topics but I’ve also written a few pieces about Korean arts and cultures, and how the ASEAN-Korea friendship opens up opportunities for future cooperation. While I didn’t expect to receive anything other than a platform to share my experiences with a group of like — minded people, and to learn more about Korean influences around the world, I received an email in August congratulating me for receiving korea.net’s celebratory gifts.
After a month of waiting, my gift box arrived and I shared the news with my HR family. Although I didn’t record an unboxing video, I chose digital art to share each gift with you, and how it reminds me of my travels around South Korea.
As a bujo — enthusiast, I love shopping for and collecting stationery whenever I visit a new city. South Korean bookstores are a portal to stationery paradise. With all the available pens, notebooks, bullet journal pages and washi tape, I can easily spend hours there browsing through those shelves! The stationery set that comes with three rolls of washi tape was an absolute delight and the intricately — designed plastic folder was perfect for keeping my museum tickets and train tickets safe!
As an environmentally — friendly shopper, tote bags are my to — go shopping buddy. I remember bringing my own bag while shopping in Lotte Mark at Seoul Station, and filling my bag with so many snacks and bottles of banana milk before my train ride to Busan last summer. The notebook also reminds me of my love for sketching sceneries, bridges, and beaches of South Korea.
I also love researching about a destination before I travel and making a really detailed daily To — Do list to keep track of my time. With this notebook, I can definitely dream of my next trip to South Korea. While we can’t travel for leisure during this pandemic, this Korean folk art passport holder certainly brings back memories of my trips. Now with this portable piece of Korea with me, I can be confident in exploring even more cities of this Land of Morning Calm!
People always say that we save the best for the last so here’s my most prized possession, the Honorary Reporters pin badge! I remember seeing lots of photos of our fellow reporters holding this badge and have always wanted one of my own. This to me wasn’t just a way of recognizing my contributions to the mission of sharing Korean culture with the world, but also a recognition of me being a part of this global HR family. As I carry this badge and affix the pin of the South Korean map beside it, I truly feel the honor and pride of being a Korea.net Honorary Reporter.
Thank you to Chaey for introducing me to Korea.net and to our fellow HR for supporting my articles. I’ve made so many friends and it’s only been six months! I can’t wait for the adventures that lay ahead as I continue to explore and learn more about Korean culture!
