Back in LA~

I have not realized how sunny and bright LA was. The lovely green palm trees, the crisp blue ocean, flip flops during the winter... Ohhhh how I"ve missed Los Angeles! 

I arrived yesterday afternoon in a bit of a sad mood. I did not realize how deep  of a bond that I have formed while I was at KAIST. Our farewell's was quite an emotional experience for me and my new friends. Will we ever see each other again? That was the lingering, unspoken question as we hugged, kissed and shared our last moments together. So as I boarded the plane to return to the states, I was in an emotional shock as I was really, deeply sad to leave Korea. "How could 4 months go by so fast??" 

But as I landed, still deeply saddened, I was greeted by my family and new tears emerged. But this time around, it was tears of joy! And by phone, emails and MSN, I was greeted from friends welcoming me back to LA. I was flooded with attention and felt the love in LA! So while I am still a bit emotional from my departure from Korea, I am glad I am back. I feel rejuvenated by my stay in Korea. I am ready for 2009 for whatever comes my way.

Skip and a Hop Away~

I am only 3 days away from being done for the Fall Semester~ Yeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaa!

As I sit in my lab with 3 of my classmates, cramming away for my finals, I cannot help but wish it was Thursday already. Come Thursday, I will have completed all my finals, presentations, and papers. And of course after finals, celebrations are in order... So nothing new to report, except I am studying my time away, but dreaming of Thursday night... D.I.S.C.O 미친 듯이 춤추고~

White December~

It is freezing in Korea and I am so thankful for my Uggs! I have mentioned it before but my Uggs are a necessity to survival rather than a fashion statement. It is snowing in Korea and I cannot believe it will be a white Christmas this year! 

I have been hibernating in the library all week because it's that great time of the year again! Finals week. I have 4 presentations, 3 group papers, 2 finals and a partridge in a pear tree.... Aside from that, the only social interactions I have been experiencing is with my group mates. We literally eat lunch and dinner together. I can't stress the fact that there is so little time to get all this work done! Why did our group procrastinate so much?! As I sit here in my group meeting (I know I should totally be participating, but we have been together for 6 hours and counting..) my mind wonders off to my previous week where I took a little vacation to Tokyo and Bali~ 

Lost in Translation

Tokyo is an amazing, compact city. The people in Tokyo are unapologetic for their fashion choices, friendly, petite and well-mannered. I had a great time in Tokyo except that for a developed country as Japan, I had imagined the city to be more English friendly. The restaurants were all in Japanese and while the local people in Tokyo were always willing to help, very few spoke English. The movie Lost in Translation is a very realistic portrayal of Tokyo. While in Tokyo, we visited the temples, palaces, shopping, eating and a traditional hot springs. Tokyo is one of those cities that's in constant change. I would love to return to the city in a few years~

Bali~

This was by far the best place I had visited this year. I met Rebekah in Bali and we played 2 rounds of golf, took surfing lessons, temples, and threw a Thanksgiving dinner. There were 6 other UCLA MBA students vacationing in Bali at the same time, so we invited them over to our villa at the St. Regis. It was  definitely a memorable Thanksgiving in Bali!

Okay, so looking back at my last couple weeks, maybe I am behind on all this school work because I have been away. Let's just say that I would not take back any of it....

Final Stretch...

I have been sitting in my lonely island for the past 6 hours. (aka my islolated spot in the library at KAIST) But as I sit here working on my HR Strategy case (dealing with NIKE and its once inhumane labor practices), it hits me~ I only have 4 weeks in Korea. Where did the time go? Wasn't it just a few weeks ago that I was complaining about how hot/humid it was in Korea? I have gotten so used to my lifestyle in Korea, I am actually in disbelief 

that I will soon be in LA. Don't get me wrong, I love LA. I miss my life at Pepperdine dearly, but seriously, "Where did the time go?"

One of the hardest decision to make for me when deciding to study abroad was the fact that I would be MIA in my life. MIA in LA, where I have a comfortable life and a routine to follow. I mean, could my friends really handle 4 months without me? Who will my dad eat brunch with if I am going to miss my weekly Sunday brunch with him? I had thought that being MIA for 4 months would be detrimental to my life and my loved ones back home. But I now realize that 4 month is nothing in the whole specturm of things. My friends are actually just fine without me and my parents have developed a Sunday brunch routine prior to church. So in conclusion, life goes on without me in LA. I know, it is quite hard to believe, but life definitely went on without me in LA! ><

And for the most part, my life went on in Seoul as well. Making new friends during my trip and meeting up with my fellow Pepperdine MBA friends throughout Asia. I mean, my life went on so well, that it is actually hard for me to leave here in only 4 short weeks. It will be a bitter sweet leave. So as a tip for those future MBA students, just do it. Study abroad in a city of your choice. I only have the greatest experience here and I am 99.9% that you will too one day. And Pepperdine has one of the top study abroad programs in the US. Want to study in Thailand? Denmark? Beijing? Paris? Brazil? Check, check, check, check and check. Anywhere your heart desires, Pepperdine can accommodate. Trust me when I say this, you're life will not be the same once you have experienced life abroad. .^_^.

Girls Week~

My fellow classmate/friend from Pepperdine, who is studying abroad in Beijing, came to visit me for a week in Korea. I took her to the palace's, temples, museums, shopping, city towers and a round of golf. That's right! We had time to play a round of 18 holes in Korea. Rebekah and I both played on the women's golf team in college. I was a wildcat for University of Arizona while Rebekah played for Brown University. (I have no idea what Brown's mascot is.. do ivy league school's even have mascot's, or are they just too cool to have one?) Anyhow, we both have a little competitive streak in us as we both competed in tournaments. 

However this round was purely a fun round, enjoying each other's company. We were able to take in the wonderful view of the autumn tree's, catch up on life abroad, chat about the men (or lack of) in our life.... (But in case your wondering, I kicked Rebekah's little butt. .^_^.) And we both enjoyed the round so much, that we decided to be partners for Pepperdine's alumni golf tournament in the spring. So anyone who is signed up to play, better bring your "A" game if you're planning on winning!

Americans~

My most influential class at KAIST University is my Cross Cultural Management class taught by Professor Betty Chung. Our last lecture was a fish bowl simulation on negotiating with different cultures. There were 5 people seated in front of the class and our goal was to establish a company logo in 30 minutes. We all worked for company X, but worked from different countries. I represented the US and there were reps (exchange students from their home country) from Korea, Japan, Germany and Denmark. 

As soon as the simulation started, I took the lead role only because it is my nature to be assertive. (and we only had 30 minutes to accomplish this task) So within 25 minutes, we had come up with a company logo that we all unanimously agreed on. I thought we did a spectacular job. However, do my disappointment, our process in achieving this goal was not so successful. The comments from the class was that this meeting felt too rushed and more time could have been spent on brainstorming. The professor commented that I took the leading role immediately and wondered why no one in the group thought to stop me when I was moving too fast. Professor Chung had commented that "Anne, as an American tends to be very time conscious, negotiates with a lateral checklist, comes to a consensus on a democratic vote, and is very impersonal." At first I took it a little personally, but asked myself, "didn't we just accomplish our goal and everyone in our group agreed on it, so what's the problem??"

So here's the deal. Before any business is conducted in Asian culture, potential business partners spend time together to build a personal relationship. It is very common that the Korean business men will take their potential business partners for a night of non-stop drinking. This is just how business is done. And it is common for Asian cultures to negotiate spontaneously and not on a lateral checklist like an American. (Meaning they jump to another topic before settling one point)  And as for many Europeans such as Denmark, coming to a consensus on majority vote is not acceptable. Everyone in the group must be happy about the final outcome and every one's idea must be incorporated or else business is not settled. 

I sat in class thinking, "how ineffective is that??" 

In America, we are so programmed with deadlines and moving onto the next "big" project that we often do become a bit "impersonal." For instance, the Korean rep wanted to go around the room and have personal introductions before we began the meeting. I thought this was a great idea and gave each rep 30 seconds to introduce themselves. And before we voted on the final logo, Germany had stopped me and asked if we shouldn't spend more time on different ideas for the logo. She had thought there were more ideas to be explored. I argued that there is not enough time to discuss more ideas. (ooppsssss)

I have learned a huge lesson in class. Negotiating as an American with other countries is hard work. While I think that my style is most effective, it is just not done in other countries. In a way, I have to adapt to the cultural differences. This is much easier said than done...

In my next lifetime...

I know Fall has arrived in LA when I see the display windows on Rodeo change from Manolo strappy sandals to the latest Christian Louboutin booties. Because how else are you supposed to know that it is officially fall? By the weather? Please. It's sunny and 80 degrees in LA year round. In Seoul however, I officially know it is fall because I just had to purchase my first winter coat and I am wearing Uggs not only as a fashion statement, but because without them my toes are freezing! Who knew Uggs had a purpose other than its cuteness??

Other than that, I officially know its fall here because the whole city has become orange, yellow, red, brown... If you have ever lived in the East coast, you would know exactly what I am talking about. The trees. The green leaves has changed colors into a magnificent array of Autumn colors. Picture to the right: I am posing at KAIST and I get to walk through this beautiful walkway everyday to class. Am I lucky or what??? 

Also with the changing of the season, the Dean of KAIST has sponsored Autumn Festival. We had just completed mid-term week and now celebrations are in order. How can I begin to describe Autumn Fest? The event is from 2-11:30pm where drinking beer (from kegs) and soju (Korean vodka) begins promptly at 2pm. There are endless amount of food and music. For entertainment, there is a talent show, eating contest, sports games and also a concert where a Korean celebrity comes on campus to perform live. The singer was Jung Hoon Kim who is infamous for his charity work in Korea. He mostly sings ballad with occasional soft rock. I wasn't a fan until I saw how great he worked the crowd. Not only are his music catchy, but he was ge

nuinely funny on stage! He would crack jokes with the students, professors and even the Dean. He even got the Dean of KAIST to do a shot of soju with him on stage! It was quite a debacle. 

I have decided in my next lifetime, that I want to return as a rock star. A Britney Spears (pre-craziness of course) and donate lots of my money to charity, have only 1 successful marriage and become a good role model to teenage girls. But in this lifetime, I must return to reality and finish my portion of the group project for HR strategy. I am currently researching Google and incorporating the companies efficient employee retention into my proposal. So for now, I 

must return to reality in order to obtain my MBA, while hopes of becoming a rock star in my next lifetime. :)

A week of Therapy...

I have spent 5 whole days in Hong Kong visiting my dear friend Winnie. She is currently studying abroad at HK University and I had a chance in between classes to take a short trip to explore HK. Here is a recap of my week...

Picture to the Right: Here is a picture of me shopping. Let me tell you all, for those who have never been to HK. Practically every subway stop leads you to a (gasp) department store!!! HK is truly my haven, where there are endless amount of shopping! And each department store is about 7 stories high with fabulous eatery's and merchandise from all over the globe. It was truly a week of retail therapy.

                  

 Picture to the Left: This is the the biggest bronze Buddha statue in the World. In theory, it doesn't sound very interesting. Winnie practically had to tear me away from shopping to visit this site. I am so glad that I was forced to go because it was incredible. You have to take a 30 minute cable cart up to the mountains. The view was nice, but after 15 minutes... really, same scenic view. But the last 10 minutes of the cable cart ride, you see this huge statue of the Buddha in the middle of mountains. It's really a spectacular sight because it gets you thinking.. "How in the world, did someone build a huge statue in the middle of nowhere?? And on top of a mountain??" It's really a jaw dropping experience to view the whole image in it's entirety. 

Picture to the Right: I also took a cable cart (different cable cart than the Buddha) to Victoria Peak at night. Up at the top, I was able to do some shopping (yet another department store), have dinner and view a light show. It was truly a romantic experience and Winnie was an excellent filler-inner as my BF for the night. :) Overall, HK is definitely a city that I must return too. I love the exciting night life, endless shopping and the nice, hot weather year round.

Currently, I am back in Korea, in my personal island. (An isolated desk in the corner of the library at KAIST) I have yet again endless amount of articles to catch up on, chapters to outline, case write-ups, group projects..... the usual MBA school work. However, it's nice to be home again and not worry about being out of town for a while. I will get back to my usual routine of  MBA-life at KAIST. But knowing me, there is never a dull moment and of course I will be sharing it with you all via Blog. :)

God is fair.

Seoul is the largest city in South Korea with over 15 million people. And of those 15 million people, over 70% use public transportation to get to one's final destination. That's the great thing about Seoul, you never know who you're going to run into...

As I previously mentioned in last week's blog, I have been isolated in the library all week catching up on school work. I needed to clear my head, get some fresh air, a little energy booster.. you get the point. I decided to go for a therapy session, retail therapy that is. I went to Myung Dong, the fashion district of Seoul, to check out the new arrivals for the week at my favorite boutique, Jinny Kim Shoes. After a quick 3 hour therapy session, I was patiently waiting for the bus so that I may get back to my HBS Case on Wal-Mart for my HR strategy class. As my thought wondered back to reality at the amount of school work I had to finish up on, a tall guy in a dark grey suit with a nice physique walks in my peripheral vision. My attention is toward this potentially handsome guy (I had yet to see his front features) when suddenly, this mystery guy turns his head to the right at a 45 degree angle. And (gasp) it was my K-boy! I walk over to him (cool, calm and collected of course) and say"hi." And so for the next 20 minutes on our ride back to campus, we have the most amazing conversation about "stuff."

So eventually our bus comes to a halt at our stop in front of KAIST. And K-boy being the gentlemen he is, let's me get off first. As I am getting out of the bus with my shopping bags, I slip on something and (cringe) fall on my knees on the street. (cringe)

That is correct. I have fallen on my knees in front of my crush. I am no longer "cool, calm and collected." So K-boy helps me get up and asks me if I am okay. It turns out, someone had spilled lotion by the exit door. Unfortunate me~ had slipped on it, fallen to my knees on the street, in front of my crush. I am mortified to the max at this point because everyone on the bus is staring at me, as I am the cause of all the commotion. The bus driver comes by the exit door to make sure that I am okay. I am red as a cherry and all I remember telling the bus driver is, "You really need to clean that up sir, it's a total law suit waiting to happen!"

With that, my K-boy and I walk up to KAIST campus totally avoiding what had just happened. We part our ways and I get back to my dorm room and notice that my ankle is throbbing in pain. And I cannot get the mental picture out of my head.

I had slipped.
Fallen to my knees.
On the street.
In front of my crush.
As I was getting off the bus.

It is definitely a "cringe" worthy moment that will be remembered for a lifetime.

Fast forward a few days after the incident, (cringe) I get an email from K-boy stating that he needed my Cross Cultural Management notes. (He had missed the prior class) And in return for my notes, he wanted to take me out to dinner. (EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!)

So of course being the girlie-girl I am, I rush over to my friend Cora's room and tell her that I have scored a date with K-boy! Cora being from Taiwan starts to explain to me the Yin and the Yang of my current events. I am still a bit unclear of the Yin/Yang theory. I only know that there is a balancing relationship in the Yin and the Yang. (The Yin being I had fallen and the Yang being that I had a date) So all in all, the Yin and the Yang always balances one another. Again, I do not fully understand Cora's Chinese theory, but I do understand my faith in God.

I had fallen on my knees, on the street, in front of my crush as I was exiting the bus. God must have felt pity on me, therefore I now have a date with K-boy. So in conclusion, I no longer fear "cringe' worthy moments in my life. After all, it is all part of life. And I will always remain faithful, because God is fair.

"Take me on a trip I'd like to go someday..."

The song "American Boy" by Estelle and Kayne West is on repeat in my head. I am in the library at KAIST and have a stack of articles to read, numerous chapters to skim, and a group project due this week. What's more unbearable is the fact that I just got back from a fabulous trip from Beijing and I am scheduled to leave for Hong Kong this weekend for another little getaway. (I know right? I seem to have it all at the moment...)

Anyhow, here is a recap of my week in Beijing. Scratch that, my FABULOUS weekend in Beijing. I visited the Lamma Temple, Great Wall of China,  Chinese Musical, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Beijing Zoo, Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony, local shopping~ completed with a 5 hour spa at the Westin Hotel in the financial district. The picture to the right is of me posing at the Great Wall of China. Really. How many pictures have YOU seen of your friends with similar poses at the Great Wall? For me, I have seen dozens and they all seemed the same~ a person standing next to bricks. However, you need to physically be there to appreciate its greatness. The drive up the mountain and being able to view the Great Wall in its entirety is an amazing experience. 

(sigh) So back to reality in my little desk at the library... I am currently reading an article for my Cross Cultural Management class, "Negotiating Globally." Maybe after reading this 56 page article, I can negotiate my way out of my exams.. I'll keep you updated on how that goes. .^_^.

Men! Men? Men.

It is 8:15pm on a Thursday night and I am sipping a Grande, green tea latte from Starbucks at the Beijing airport. That’s riiiiiight! After a long week of studying for mid-terms, I am taking a mini vacation in China for 6 days. I am currently in PEK airport waiting for Winnie to land so that we can meet up with Rebekah and Matt (fellow Pepperdine MBA students). We will explore the Great Wall of China, Forbidden City, KungFu Panda’s, fashion, food and men. (Winnie and I are both single at the moment) ☺

That brings me to my topic this week~ as a cute, young single girl from LA, it’s inevitable that I am attracted to the latest shoes, handbag, fashion, hotspots and the obvious…. MEN. Studying abroad in Korea, I cannot help but compare the men from different continents.

Disclaimer: The following views are stereo-typed from my personal experience. Your views and outlook on men, may be quite different from mine. But as this is Anne’s blog, this comes straight from my personal thoughts. ☺

American boys: Their fabulous. And if you need me to further explain, then clearly you have neither dated men in America, nor have you met someone whose your match. But ladies, if you’re single and moving to SoCal, you got to know the rules. I have been dating Cali boys since the age of 14 and trust me, you need to play by the rules. Interested in playing the game? Want to know the rules?

Ask me.

Korean boys: It’s almost as if I went back to the future to the 1950’s. Remember “Leave it to Beaver?” Exactly that era, where it was normal for boys to pursue girls and never the other way around. It is quite refreshing when a guy knows that he has to be the “guy” and approach the girl and actually work to get our attention. But with my lack of patience, I almost wish I could get this “thing” moving a bit faster. After all, I am only here for 3 more months. And if this certain “K-boy” is ever going to score a date with me, he needs to move a little faster. Why don’t I ask “K-boy” out you ask? Well in Korean culture, if I were to pursue him, I would be labeled “aggressive.” And no Korean boy wants to date an “aggressive” girl. (sigh) So I wait patiently, fully knowing that “K-boy” has a huge crush on me.

European boys: Impressed. Very impressed. To be quite honest, I have never known any FOB European boys. (fresh off the boat) There are a total of 19 exchange students and 14 of them being male and European. All 19 of us took a road trip a few weeks ago to Busan (the San Diego of Korea) and the boys carried all the girls luggage and got all the doors for us. They were literally fighting to be awarded “Gentlemen of the week.” However, a certain Italian boy comes to mind, and I ask, “Are all men from Italy as genuine and romantic as my “I-boy?”” (open ended question)

My "I-boy" started showering me with attention and presenting me with my favorite cookies for the first few weeks. I am now getting flowers on my door once a week. (Yes, I get lots of envious "coos" from the girls at the dorm) And this week during mid-term week, “I-boy” brought me several perfect cups of coffee (and I didn’t even ask) so that I wouldn’t fall asleep. Shall I go on with the sappiness as the list continues???

I’ll stop here as I am sure you get the point. But here’s the thing that totally blows my mind. Men in America play it “cool.” But my “I-boy” does not seem to care that everyone knows of his infatuation with me. His buddies tease him all the time, but he shrugs it off in “I’m manly enough” kind of way. A certain confidence that I have never seen before…  And Korean girls at KAIST seem to drool over the attention I am getting from “I-boy.” As for me? I cannot help but feel intrigued as this is all so new to me. My dating experiences in the past have been very Jay-Z/ Beyonce- quiet, minimal/non-existent PDA, “no comment” kind of relationship. But suddenly, this is beginning to resemble Bennifer where it’s all out there. (remember when Ben Affleck wrote Jennifer Lopez a love letter in Vanity Fair? Pretty out there…)

But again, I am a cute, young single girl from America in Korea enjoying the attention. I am neither committed nor seriously contemplating on forming any deep relationship here. After all, don’t girls just want international attention?

Mid-term week!

It's that time of the semester when students are scrambling into the library, pulling all nighters. Yup, it is mid-term week at KAIST. As soon as you walk into the library, you can smell the coffee beans! There are no seats in the library and if you are ever so unlucky as to sneeze, you get about 5 evil stares. It is dead silent in the library with the occasional sound of page turning. The atmosphere is pretty intense here and I mainly think because the students are on a ranking system. So after every exam, students are ranked from highest score to the lowest score and this list is posted on the bulletin board. And no one wants to end up dead last on the list. So it is VERY competitive here at the moment. You can literally cut the tension with a knife.

This makes me reflect on my experiences at Pepperdine where instead of competition, collaboration is encouraged. After all, when one finally enters the work force, isn't it a collaborative team effort in order to produce results? Hmmmm, but then again, competition is a huge external factor in any business. So I guess in all aspects, there are pros and cons to each school structure.

As a result this week, my blog is short and sweet. I mainly want to let everyone know that I have been pretty much studying all week. After all, I am here as a representative student from Pepperdine and I do not want to disappoint and end up with the lowest test score. So with this, I say farewell, and back to hitting the textbooks. :)

Things are Looking UP!!

So as you recall from my previous post, I was missing home, sweet Los Angeles!! However, with the changing of the weatherr, (get this) sunny and 76 degrees today and has been for a whole week, and coupled with the fact that my dear friend Winnie came to visit me from Hong Kong this past weekend, things are definitely looking up! It was amazing to have a bit of home come visit me in Seoul. Here were some of our excursions:

Picture Above: We went to the Korean Folk Village where Winnie got to pose with women/girls dressed in traditional Korean gowns. The girls were ecstatic to pose with Winnie and quite excited as they got to practice their English!

Picture Right: Winnie and I are posing at the National Folk Museum~ a traditional boy and traditional girl.

Picture Left: We also took a visit to the Gyeongbokgung Palace from the Chosun Dynasty. It was so serene and beautiful here. Of all my visits to Korea, I have never been to a Palace. There are apparently 4 palaces just in Seoul. And because I was so impressed with my first visit, I plan to view all the palaces before I leave Korea. In the picture to the left, Winnie and I are posing in front the Kings main sleeping quarters.

Picture Below: We also did some shopping and eating at Myung Dong, the fashion district of Korea. As you can tell from the pics, Winnie and I did some eating and some shopping. The bottom picture are traditional Korean sweet buns filled with a touch of honey. Mmmmm....

    

Home Sweet Home...

It's week 5 in Korea and while I am adjusting to the busy life in Seoul, I cannot help but miss home. Los Angeles, home sweet home!!! The things I miss most are:

1. My Car. You may think that's a joke, but in all honestly, do you realize how much I walk on a given day? Imagine living on campus at Pepperdine  (Drescher) and having to walk down and up to the undergraduate campus for classes everyday. Actually I have to walk that hill on a daily basis in order for me to get to civilization. And once I get to civilization, guess what? MORE WALKING~ whether it's to the subway station, bus stop or hailing a cab. I know, I know, I sound like the typical American who MUST drive to a store that's a minute down the street. But years of habit is hard to break. And not that it's any excuse for my whining, but the weather is 88 degrees and 100% humidity in Seoul today. Yup... so can feel the sweat as it drips down my back at the moment?? And do not even let me get started on the mosquito's here!! So to all my peers at Pepperdine who are enjoying the perfect sunny 80 degree, Malibu breeze.. I N.V. you so so much right now!

2. The Family. I have had the finest dishes Korea had to offer and let me tell you, it's a total treat! Everything I have eaten here have been delish since life in Seoul is very Westernized. But there is nothing like my mom's cooking. Or maybe it's that I miss helping her cook while we converse about life. And I miss my weekly Sunday breakfast with my dad as well. As an only child, I am very close with my parents, and at times I miss LA the most because I miss my parents. 

3. My Friends. As I get constant updates on Pepperdine mixers, speaker series, events and occasionally "stories" from my friends; I cannot help but feel that I am missing out on my 3rd semester at Pepperdine. Don't get me wrong, coming to study at KAIST is one of the best decisions I have made in my life, but I feel as though I am missing all the action back at home. And it really saddens me that I only have 1 more semester left as a Pepperdine MBA student. But I am moving way too ahead! But bear with me as I am missing home so so so much right now. :)

On a lighter note, someone from home will be visiting me later this week! WINNIE-POOH!! My fellow classmate/close friend from Pepperdine who is studying abroad in Hong Kong will be staying with me for 4 days in Korea. I cannot tell you how excited I am and what great timing it is for her to come visit me. I will definitely update on her lil visit next week~

Exploring more of Korea~

Picture Right: It's a Saturday afternoon and I am sitting outside by the tennis courts on campus, watching the boys play. It is Germany vs. Korea today. My fellow classmates have decided to play a friendly competitive game for some HITE. (Korean Beer) And of course being American, I "pretend" to be neutral. :)

Picture Left: Earlier this week, I visited KRX, the Korean Stock Exchange in downtown. I totally expected Wall Street, where you have men and women in dark gray suits on the floor yelling at each other. But unlike the NYSE, KRX has been automated since 1997. So I arrived in an empty floor that was once like the NYSE. 

Picture Right: And mid-week, I went and explored Dongdaemun for some much needed retail therapy with my friend Cora. In the picture to the right, I am resting by Cheonggyecheon Stream  (in Dongdaemum) after a 5 hour shopping spree.

Picture Left: On Friday, we are in a bus going to dinner and a club in Kang-nam, which is considered the "Hollywood of Korea." 

It is week 3 of my classes and it's very similar to Pepperdine in that many hours are spent on group work and case analysis. (Good ole' Harvard Business Cases!) But I am amazed in that I am getting much more European perspective from my fellow exchange students. I had presumed I would be getting a lot of Asian business influence from my Korean peers. But in my cross cultural class for instance, I am gaining much knowledge from the Europeans. A German exchange student had mentioned in class that Americans are self indulgent and too busy all the time. Hmmmm, I wish I had a solid come back but I know nothing about the Germans except bratwurst and War World I (a touchy topic I would NEVER discuss anyway). So while studying in Korea, I have decided to widen my knowledge and read up on European history and economy. Europeons are well versed on current American economy, political news and history. And I am ashamed to say that I know very little about Europe in general. But what a great experience for me as I begin to come out of my little LA bubble!

My week..

It's a beautiful, sunny day in Korea today. I am outside, enjoying a UV break before classes start, sipping my banana milk. Yes, that is correct, I am sipping fresh banana milk and it is delish! 

I attended 9 different classes this week, trying to decide which classes to take. I love them all and wish I can take all! But due to time constraint, I have chosen to take Cross Cultural Management, Human Resources Strategy (my fave class BTW), Asian Economics and Doing Business in Korean Culture. I enjoy the classes because as you can imagine, the majority of the classes are Korean students. And as my Cross Cultural Management Professor explains it, "I get to see through their (the Korean students) lens on different topics." And with the Asian market growing at a rapid pace, I think it is very important to develop a sense of Asian culture. 

Other than classes, what an eventful week! Friday night, all 19 exchange students plus our international coordinator Youjin, went to dinner and a karaoke room in the College District. Karaoke is very popular in Korea and I must say, listening to a Denmark trying to sing/dance to Thriller was much more entertaining than I had ever imagined!! And I find it hilarious as ALL the exchange students from Asia and Europe knew the lyrics to Britney Spears songs. 

   

Pictures Above: Youjin is demonstrating to me how Korean people drink in teams. But because this night was a school related event, she used Yoplait Yogurt instead of Soju (the traditional Korean liquor). So here, a 4 person team would each take a shot glass.

Picture Below: Is a few of the exchange students "trying to sing Fergalicious...

  

And on Saturday, my friend who had just graduated from the MBA program at Korea University took me to a Rugby game at the Olympic Stadium. I was shocked because all the students had so much pride and it was literally 95 degrees with 60% humidity. (I was dying) I suddenly yearned for the perfect Malibu weather. But the students were jumping up and down, hugging each other and screaming away, showing school pride. The whole event was almost like a huge concert in that instead of cheerleaders at the side lines, it was a stage with people singing. (No joke, the proof is in the pictures!)

In Korea!

So I am in Korea in one piece and writing from my laptop as I stare out my window. It is raining today in Seoul so I have decided to turn off Pinky (my Ipod) and listen to the rain. I officially start my classes today, but can I tell you how beautiful the campus is?!

It is very similar to Pepperdine in that the whole campus is on a hill. The main gate starts out at the bottom of the hill and all the buildings go up from there. And of course my dorm is on top of the hill......

The obvious con is I have to hike up the hill (and let me tell you, I am going to have the most amazing legs when I get back to the states!) but the definite pro is when I get to my dorm and look out my window, I have a beautiful view of the campus and the mountains. While I was living on campus at Pepperdine, I had the most amazing view of the blue ocean. But at KAIST, it's the mountain with tall, beautiful, green trees. 

Last Friday, I had my student orientation for exchange students and to my great surprise, there are 19 exchange students and I am the only American! There are students from Germany, France, Denmark, Taiwan and Philippines. I am thrilled at the fact that I am making international friends but at times have no clue as to what they are talking about. For instance, my uber chic classmate from Paris asked me for a handy... "Excccuuuussseee meee??"  (Later figured out that handy is a cell phone) And all this talk of Kilometers and Celsius is confusing me. I miss Miles and Fahrenheit!

But other than the minor communication barrier, I am thrilled at this oppurtunity and cannot wait for classes to begin! Which officially begins in .... 18 minutes. :) 

Dilemma

I have decided to take advantage of Pepperdine's study abroad program. I will be studying at KAIST University in Seoul, Korea for the Fall term. My focus will be Asian Economics and human resources strategy while I am abroad. As most would expect, I am thrilled by this opportunity, or so I was up until I came across this HUGE dilemma. 

My sudden joy has been overshadowed by this single question that has been haunting me for the past month or so... "How in the world do you pack for a 4 month trip??"

I have spent the last two days packing... just on shoes! Most fashionista's would know, (and a certain Hamilton comes to mind..) that a pair of shoes can make or break an outfit. And while I am going abroad to attend school and not a fashion show, (a direct quote by my father BTW) I must say I certainly do not want to end up on Korea's issue of Glamour as a DON'T with my eyes covered by a BOLD BLACK LINE!!

I was given the dress code policy by KAIST University a few weeks ago. And it clearly states: NO SHORTS, NO SLIPPERS. Whaaaa..????? As an Angelenos, the flip flop has become a staple to my wardrobe year round. So to take that out of my shoe closet is a huge dilemma...

So in conclusion, you can only see that packing has become a huge burden for me. Can you feel the stress level as I write this??? And if you must know, I have decided to pack 16 pairs of shoes, lucky 16. :)

With that, I say farewell Los Angeles! Farewell to everything I love about LA, the smog, the traffic, the perfect 80 degree weather, flip flops, tan-o-rexic people on the beach, Mr. Chow and of course my lil Pepperdine community, friends and family. My next blog will be in Seoul, Korea so stay tuned!

PS. I want to thank Benjamin Hamilton for lending me his croc collections so that I may have a visual on my page today. Thanks B, you're the best!!! xoxoxoxo

It's Official...

First year orientation has started today, making me an "official" second year. I cannot believe the year has gone by so quickly. When your swamped with group work, exams, research papers, socials and lectures; time flies...FAST. 

I reminisce on my year and visually bullet point everything I have gained. Besides the obvious, (knowledge and connections) I have gained a group of friends for life, bonded by numerous hours of perfecting every details on PP presentations and staying up until wee hours cramming for exams. 

Last Sunday, I threw a baby shower for my dear friend/fellow MBA classmate/co-president for NAWMBA/OB partner for life, Tal. A dozen fellow classmates gathered in celebration of Tal becoming a baby mama! Then on Tuesday, I met up with my fellow leaders for NAWMBA (National Association for Women in MBA) trying to plan networking events for our club.  And last night, a bunch of second years got together at Saddle Ranch on Sunset for some happy hour fun before school started. There's always events going on through out the school year in order for students to network and to get to know one another.

I cannot help but feel blessed to have such a great community at Pepperdine. When I signed up for B-school, it was mainly education, so the fact that I have developed life-long relationships is an added bonus. It's as if I can have my cake and eat it as well. And I must say... it's pretty sweet!

Phercitement

I could not find an exact word in the Webster's Dictionary to portray my thoughts this week. So I made up my own word and I will make sure at the very least, that it gets a patent in urban-dictionary.com. :)

Phercitement. (adj; pronounced Fur-cite-ment):

A mixture of feelings of hope, fear, nervousness and excitement. Commonly felt by 1st year MBA students.

I attended "Beginning of a New School Year" mixer Thursday night hosted by MGBS at Makai in Santa Monica. I was thrilled to see my fellow classmates after a 3 month hiatus from lectures, group work, exams and (most missed) socials. We were able to catch up on all the "3-ships." (internships, relationships, friendships) Basically, who worked where, who's dating who, who's partied with who...

I also observed many new faces that night. Ahhhh.. the newbies, freshmen, aka 1st years; slowly trickling into Malibu for a week of orientation and HAPPY CAMP at Calamigous Ranch. I could definitely see the phercitement on all the 1st years faces. It was only a year ago that I was the newbie among the sea of unfamiliar faces, feeling the phercitement as to who I should approach and spark up a conversation with. Going down memory lane and realizing this unpleasant feeling that has once haunted me last summer, I excuse myself from my table of 2nd years. I approach a girl sitting alone in the corner table and spark up a conversation. Immediately, I could tell how relieved she is as her face changes expression of phercitement to relief as I answer her 101 questions about MBA-life.

So in conclusion, I have a better definition of phercitement...

Phercitement. (adj. Pronounced Fur-cite-ment)

A mixture of feelings of hope, fear, nervousness and excitement. Commonly felt by 1st year MBA students, often cured by 2nd year MBA students.

MBA+ Intern = WoW!

I am sparkling up my resume today as my internship at Creative Channel Service (CCS) is coming to an end. Exactly what did I get out of my internship that I can add onto my resume to "snazz" it up? Thinking back on my summer projects, a creeping thought hits me, "What did CCS get out of hiring me, an MBA intern?"

After all, CCS did not hire an intern, but chose to hire an M-B-A intern. And with those 3 extra letters comes a certain expectation of a "WoW' factor. Was I able to "WoW" my employer over the summer? Was I worth the extra pay? Suddenly, I wish I could have added some regressions and economic graphs to my memos and proposals...

As a Strategic Human Resources Intern over the summer, here were my main duties:

§ Reported to the Chief Talent Officer (CTO)
§ Provide HR expertise and counsel on employee relations, compensation, and policy development issues
§ Collaborated with the Talent Acquisition and OD managers to ensure cohesive and comprehensive delivery of HR programs relative to the hiring, on boarding, engagement, development and retention of the workforce
§ Ensure positions and job description are updated, evaluated, and market priced on a consistent basis. Manage salary planning and administration process for client groups
§ Conduct needs assessment and analysis. Create detailed, comprehensive project plans and time lines to ensure successful execution of programs

I guess looking back at my summer projects, there is no way I could have accomplished any of my job functions without my prior HR work experience and my education. (Especially with minimal directions and guidance I was provided at CCS) So a lesson learned.. maybe there is no Wonder Woman, save the day "WoW" factor, but with the title of an MBA comes a clear indication of proven ability to produce results.

About Me:

I have spent the last 10 minutes typing, deleting, typing, deleting, typing, deleting.. (you get the point) I guess this is what people refer to as writer's block, when I have thoughts in my pretty lil head, but cannot get it down in writing. So after much contemplation, I have decided that my first official blog is going to be stats about ME! That way I get to introduce myself to my new readers, though my fan base will pretty much be my friends/family. (Actually who am I kidding, it'll be family.. aka: Mom)

Name: Anne Lee
Hometown: Los Angeles

Undergrad: University of Arizona, 2004
Activities: Women's Golf Team
Grad School: Pepperdine University, 2009
Activities: NAWMBA

Work Experience:
2004-2005
Neiman Marcus
Human Resources Coordinator

2005-Present
Saks Fifth Avenue
Human Resources Assistant

Summer 2008
Creative Channel Service
Human Resources Intern

Fave Sport: Golf and Bikram Yoga (yes, both are considered a sport)
Fave Color: White
Fave Food: Sushi and Grande Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte
Fave Books: Harry Potter, Bergdorf Blondes, The Great Gatsby
Fave Movie: Center Stage, The Notebook, My Fair Lady
Fave Pastime: Vogue, Glamour, Instyle, Bazaar, Allure, Elle and Cosmopolitan