30 Things About ME

1. My Name: Gyuyoun Park

奎 (star) + 妍 (bright) = “bright star”: My grandfather gave me this name, and he always tells me that I am destined to become an inspirational person who enlightens others and shines. I think my name also implies my personal duty to pursue my dreams and set an example for my cousins, who are all younger than me. I hope I am living up to this title!

2. Dragon

This is a rather simple entry; I look like one. Or, at least my friends say so. I really hated this nickname at first, but as I got used to it, I thought of its characteristics and surprisingly found some similarities. A dragon is confident, directly expresses emotions, and is loud. As a dragon, I “spit fire.” I am talkative, and I do not hesitate to tell the truth, or clearly state my opinion. I stick to what I believe is right. A dragon is one nice nickname.

3. Moving

I have no particular hometown. My family moved a lot, usually due to my father’s job. I was born in Busan, where both of my parents grew up, but lived in Tskuba, Japan until I was one. I went to preschool in Gumi but attended elementary school (until 3^rd grade) in Dallas, Texas. Coming back to Korea at age 11, I spent the 4^th grade in Cheonan, and moved once more to Seoul in the 5^th grade, which is where I stayed until I came to KMLA. The frequent moves, though, is not entirely on my father’s job; in part, there is a reason that both my mother and I continuously crave for new environments. In just one year, I will move again, but for the first time alone.

4. Road Trip

When I was growing up in the United States, my parents and I regularly went on road trips. My father was not good at driving at the time, so it was usually my mother at the wheel. We traveled to various places: Colorado, Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, and even Virginia. I was so young at the time, simply excited at the thought of sightseeing and singing along to Britney Spears’s “You Drive Me Crazy” non-stop in the car, that I never noticed my mother’s fatigue, not once. I feel sorry these days, having begged for road trips even when she was obviously reluctant to go on them. I am definitely going to make it up to her later on, once I graduate university and become economically able to take her on the best trips ever. My father, too!

5. Airplane

Swoosh! I just LOVE the feeling, the sound, and even the numbness of my ears when the airplane takes off. The expectations and delight that derive from the mere fact that I am going to another part of the world excites me. Airplanes have always taken me to fabulous places, such as Guam in 2011, and both coasts of the United States during the vision trip in 2012. Maybe I should marry a pilot! Free rides whenever I want…? Tempting.

6. Forehead

I have a big, wide forehead. It is twice the size of others’, and I am constantly reminded of this fact whenever I take a picture with my friends. When people take a look at my face for the first time, they all notice my large forehead. It used to be a complex, but now I am rather proud of it; adults say that it signifies my goodness.

7. Long Hair

I have a strict rule about my hair length: NEVER above my shoulders. I have a “trauma” about short hair; the haircut I got when I was 8 years old was simply horrifying. It was the hair style of young girls in the 60’s, cut right below the ears. I was literally the twin of “Mong-shil,” as in the picture. I did not look good in that hair, as if I was wearing a wig not my size.

8. “Energizer”

My friends describe me as an “energizer.” They say I have a pretty good reputation of being able to cheer up others no matter how bad they feel. They say I am bright, positive, and that I easily make others smile with weird jokes and funny stories. It is definitely nice to know that I am a person they can depend on to make them forget their worries, at least for a while.

9. Mock Trial

Mock trial is the activity in which I devote all my passion and efforts. Mock trial is meaningful to me not only because it is one of the reasons that gave me the dream as a lawyer, but also because it relieves my stress, taking my mind off of hardships in school life .As a witness, I savor every moment of portraying a character, answering cross-examinations, and coming up with successful team-lines. The vast range of mock trial cases always entertains me, never making me bored. Hopefully, the next time I participate in mock trial, I will be able to stand in court as a lawyer, with a fantastic opening/closing speech in hand.

10. Music

When I asked my friends what first comes to their mind when they think of me, one of the most popular answers were “singing” or “full of great recommendations of music.” I agree. I enjoy listening to music, and I cannot really remember a day in which I never listened to a song. Musicals and operas are a major interest of mine, and personally, my next goal is to watch “Wicked” on Broadway (hopefully with Idina Menzel in the cast). "Glee” is another show I continue watching, not because of the story but rather for the mash-ups and performances. These days, “K-Pop Star 2” entertains me.

11. Lizzie McGuire Show

When I first moved to the States, the Lizzie McGuire Show helped me overcome language barriers as quickly as possible. I only knew my ABCs, and although I was in the ESL program, I knew that it would take too much time to increase my English abilities with only that. Watching TV shows on the Disney Channel was my solution, which turned out to be of genuine avail.

12. Stuffed Dolls

On my bed now, there are three stuffed dolls: a lion from Joyce, a banana from Soyeon and Minjung, and a heart-angel from a middle school friend. I have a thing for stuffed dolls, ones that are fluffy and big, not skinny ones that are made of plastic, like Barbie dolls. I still have a whole collection of various dolls in my room back at home, and I plan to keep the clean enough to give them to my future children.

13. Literature

Literature classes taught me a lot over the last two years, and they are some of my favorite classes. The variety of books I read in those courses helped me develop a new insight and view objects or events in a different view as well. I still dislike poetry, though. I enjoy reading novels and plays, but not poetry. I just do not understand what message the poet or the narrator intends to convey in his or her short lines supposedly hiding the point underneath, but I am working on it. I hope to continue literary studies in college. :)

14. Language

Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, and Spanish… Frankly, I only remember a few words of Japanese and Chinese, but I do speak a little more of Spanish. I have always loved learning new languages, because I felt like I was obtaining a good reason to visit the countries of those tongues later on. That the different alphabet system for each language fascinated me is no lie either.

15. Baking

Baking is my mother’s talent as well as her hobby, and it is something I am dying to learn from her as soon as I graduate high school. She is also a great cook; my particular taste is probably because of her so excellent food.

16. “Half Full”: Optimism

To the question of “Half full or half empty?” my answer is “half full.” I am optimistic, always trying to look on the bright side of things, regardless of how brutal the situations are. Sometimes I wonder if I am too positive. I am realistic, but I soothe my worries by focusing on the good that can come from each situation.

17. Disney World

Disney World lured me into coming back to Korea. The four-day ticket, a free pass to all four lands (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, MGM Studios) of Orlando’s Disney World, brought me a magical experience. The speed of the roller coasters, the Disney princesses and characters walking around in full costumes, and the greasy yet luscious popcorn that is available only in Disney World was, I guess, worth the move back to Korea.

18. Ocean

Nothing can win the ocean, not even Disney World. The horizon that is set far from my viewing point, the sea gulls flying peacefully, the rocks on one side of the coast, and the sun gazing down from the sky… All of these things build up and produce the outstanding scenery that at once pacifies one’s trepidation. I am glad I was born in Busan, where oceans are nearby.

19. People

I dread being alone. This feeling may be due to my being an only child; I have always envied people who had siblings, especially ones who had an older brother. I am going to make sure that my kid has a sibling! I prefer being in a noisy, crowded area to being in a quiet place where even the sound of wind can be heard. I cannot imagine living without interaction; as can be noticed from my characteristics, talking is what keeps me going.

20. Art

I am not an artist, and I am not that talented in drawing or designing. Still, I do have a knack for choosing colors that match, skills in need when redecorating workplaces or houses. My aunt, who I am very close to, is an arts professor; visiting her exhibitions and actually seeing her work in her own studio, I always felt the need to have a place to pour my thoughts, dreams, and even imagination into. I am thinking of joining an art club when I go to college. In the process, I may discover my potential or talents; who knows?

21. Gelato

A kind of ice cream that I absolutely adore! Originally from Italy, gelato has a rich, tasty flavor that often fools people into thinking that it has much more fat than the ice cream we usually eat. However, contrary to the common belief, gelato has only 5% of fat, whereas ice cream has a minimum of 10% fat. Also, according to “Alon’s Bakery,” gelato can have its chewy trait (which makes it even more appealing) because “gelato is churned at a slower speed than ice cream, making it denser because not as much air is whipped into the mixture.” I ♥ GELATO!

22. Shopping

What I like about shopping is not the buying products itself, but rather the window-shopping and the conversations with the people I go shopping with. It is fun, and the atmosphere that only a shopping center can give off is truly attractive. And… this may be irrelevant, but when I go shopping for groceries or home supplies, I favor the neat organization of products in Target, but not the stacked-up piles of wrapped products in Walmart or Costco.

23. Daydreaming

I do not know why, but I am awfully good at daydreaming, and do it quite often whenever I am bored and have nothing else to do. It gives me a nice feeling, and after daydreaming for a while, I usually have better concentration.

24. Camera

A memory I now have due to
massive amounts of photo-taking!

Why is a camera important? Pictures or photos are the only things that last. This is what I learned over time. When I was young, I did not really understand why my dad took so many pictures of practically every moment wherever we went, but now, looking through those albums from time to time, even my sixth sense recognizes the need to do so. Photos are of genuine value, and they are capable of calling upon vivid memories of each sacred moment of the past. You do not have to be a professional… capturing scenes to remember later on and smile is what matters.

25. Jaguars

The Jackson Jaguars: gold and black. The Jackson Jaguars, a soccer team at my elementary school, was what taught me about the concept of a “team,” cooperation, and team work. I still have the uniform in my room, and although I cannot wear it now, it reminds me of the lessons I learned. Gold and black are two of my three favorite colors, the other one being cobalt blue.

26. LOVE ?

Unlike most teenagers my age, I have not met my first love yet. Maybe I had one long ago, and I just did not recognize it… but judging from the stories my friends tell me, I am pretty sure that I have not had one yet. Once, I even tried to have a crush on someone. My friend managed to convince me that if I chose a particular person and developed "interest" in him, my heart would flutter, or something of the sort. But... it did not work out at all. According to a credible source, though, I will meet “the guy” when I am 24; I am counting on that, I guess. Well, five years to go! :)

27. Journal

I jot down the feelings or events of the day, trivial or not, and I doodle. I do whatever I want in it, since it is my own book, something that even my mother cannot see. When I look through these journals, maybe ten years later, I think the entries will evoke a totally new set of emotions that I do not have right now.

28. Spontaneity

I certainly know the importance of planning ahead, so I keep a schedule and usually stick to it. But sometimes, I just need a “time out” to do what I feel like doing at the moment.

29. Law

The Department of Justice, the 14^th Judicial Council, and mock trial… I have a rather declared interest in law, and my high school activities clearly portray it. I dream of becoming an international lawyer, an exceptional person who is talented and recognized in her field. Hard work is the only key to get there, so keep up the good job, me!

30. KMLA

Korean Minjok Leadership Academy is a place that gave me the various chances to turn my life around almost 180 degrees. I do not regret coming here, and I surely did learn a lot during my time at KMLA until now. I had a friend issue, I had an identity crisis, I had some difficulties finding my own path… Yes, it was hard. But if it I had not come to KMLA, I would have learned those lessons more painfully in the real society, where it is even more difficult to make up for mistakes. So, THANK YOU KMLA.