Thirty Shades of Ashley
Ashley
In KMLA, I found some people teasing me with my name because 'Ashley' is, sort of, a girlish name. But I haven't found yet any other English name which fits my sir name - Kwon - better than Ashley. So before I find the better option, just call me Ashley.
Adam's apple
It's not mine.
There were a few of stereotypical symbols of 'manly man' and for young Korean teenagers in my middle school, Adam's apple (목젖)was one of them. I was the victim of that stereotype for 3 years because mine has never mound-shaped like most of males but rather flat.
And just apple
I'm never trying to offend who loves it - or either Steve Jobs - but I really HATE APPLE. At first I thought that probably I'm highly allergic to apple. But it wasn't; Apple smoothie is one my favorites every time I visit 'Juicy(쥬시)'. Nonsensical, but what really drives me mad when I have a bite of that monstrously reddish creature isn't its flavor - but its texture. As I try to tear its bloody surface and try to invade its crimson-colored inner ground, my jaw gets paralyzed. It feels like its sour flesh melting my vulnerable teeth down, ousting me out from its holy ground.
Busan
I lived in Busan.
Karaoke
My prime time
Every Karaoke in this world is such a lovely place, isn't it? My mother told me that grandma used to bring me to Karaoke quite frequently because, she said, I seemed high(yes, that 'high') when I sing a song. The boy in that pic devoted more than half of his allowances into Karaoke machines and as a result, he became a vocalist of school band.
Park Hyo Shin
This picture is my facebook profile.
My star. My hero. Ever since I got to know one of his pieces called 'Snowflower' on the way of coming back to hotel in Xian, China, his songs colored some of important aspects of my life. One final category of my bucket list after graduation is to go to his concert - before he becomes forty -, get his signature and change my profile with it.
Snow
Two years ago on February, when I visited this school as 21th wave newbie, for the first time IN MY LIFE I watched my feet and both ankles gone invisible - because of piles of snow besetting me. I don't have anything to reminisce related to snow except for the ones in this mountain because it doesn't snow that much in Busan. The only iconic memory I can retrieve is each of snowflakes barely seen snowflakes, as soon as their kissing the asphalt road, sinking into it, and disappearing. Never lasted more than a second.
So whenever I saw my friends driving themselves literally insane by snowball fight in freshmen year, I got bewildered because I didn't know how to play with snow. I think I became rather accustomed to the feelings snow gives to me since I don't slip on snow anymore. But still, I discover myself standing on snow beneath me, watching friends from Seoul rejoicing the white world, devoid of any interest or will to participate their going to back to their own childhood. There's no snow in my childhood.
So whenever I saw my friends driving themselves literally insane by snowball fight in freshmen year, I got bewildered because I didn't know how to play with snow. I think I became rather accustomed to the feelings snow gives to me since I don't slip on snow anymore. But still, I discover myself standing on snow beneath me, watching friends from Seoul rejoicing the white world, devoid of any interest or will to participate their going to back to their own childhood. There's no snow in my childhood.
Badminton
Some may be surprised that I was a school representative badminton player of my middle school. Since I had a true passion in playing badminton which I started from even before my teenage, the top priority for me when I chose clubs to engage in freshmen year was a badminton club - called 'Bad-club'. The dream I once had was more than certain; to become a state champion!
However I found very few in the 21th wave were concerning badminton as their main interest because most of them - and most of other students in this school - considered the club as minor than others such as soccer and basketball. That was one of the reasons I decided to quit playing it until now. Slippery school gym and school rowing club I was in also kept me distant to it until now.
After getting out this place, however, I plan to attend the local badminton club in Busan. There were numerous 'ajeossi's I used to have games with them and maybe, I can join them in the same court as old days.
Some may be surprised that I was a school representative badminton player of my middle school. Since I had a true passion in playing badminton which I started from even before my teenage, the top priority for me when I chose clubs to engage in freshmen year was a badminton club - called 'Bad-club'. The dream I once had was more than certain; to become a state champion!
However I found very few in the 21th wave were concerning badminton as their main interest because most of them - and most of other students in this school - considered the club as minor than others such as soccer and basketball. That was one of the reasons I decided to quit playing it until now. Slippery school gym and school rowing club I was in also kept me distant to it until now.
After getting out this place, however, I plan to attend the local badminton club in Busan. There were numerous 'ajeossi's I used to have games with them and maybe, I can join them in the same court as old days.
Pacifist
My relationship with friends here is closest to an equanimity.
My relationship with friends here is closest to an equanimity.
Caffeine
I'm addicted to caffeine.
I'm addicted to caffeine.
Glasses
I cannot live without my glasses because I have a really, really bad eyesight which would make me exempt from the ordinary military service for Korean men. (Below -11 is the standard and I'm -12 on both eyes) I don't think my eyes are small compared to the normal size - see my picture above - but the refraction of light by this glasses sized down my eyeballs. The effect of my glasses is considerable in general; it can make everyone who put this on seem more bookish. Try it yourself.
I cannot live without my glasses because I have a really, really bad eyesight which would make me exempt from the ordinary military service for Korean men. (Below -11 is the standard and I'm -12 on both eyes) I don't think my eyes are small compared to the normal size - see my picture above - but the refraction of light by this glasses sized down my eyeballs. The effect of my glasses is considerable in general; it can make everyone who put this on seem more bookish. Try it yourself.
Development Economics
I want to major in Development Economics. Development economics studies the causes and effects of lack of sustainable infrastructure in the 3rd world countries. Yet my interest in economics has grown since in my middle school, I set this particular subfield as my probable major after volunteering in Laos two years ago with my volunteer club members.
I want to major in Development Economics. Development economics studies the causes and effects of lack of sustainable infrastructure in the 3rd world countries. Yet my interest in economics has grown since in my middle school, I set this particular subfield as my probable major after volunteering in Laos two years ago with my volunteer club members.
English Subtitles
I still need English subtitles when I watch movies released from the States.
Since the only listening practice I had before entering KMLA was the English midterm and final exams in my middle school, it took numerous lonely nights for me to practice English listening via CNN and soap opera videos on Youtube - of course with the black-and-white subtitles. Thanks to those of my early commitments, after a few weeks I could finally understand what Mr. Menard was talking to us in our freshmen years. It was fortunate because everyone knows what happens if we don't exactly understand his sayings and answer inappropriately - be enlisted on his xx list.
But still, I prefer watching movies with subtitles because without them, my attention to translating the characters' lines itself distracts me from concentrating on the real messages of the movies.
I need practice!
I still need English subtitles when I watch movies released from the States.
Since the only listening practice I had before entering KMLA was the English midterm and final exams in my middle school, it took numerous lonely nights for me to practice English listening via CNN and soap opera videos on Youtube - of course with the black-and-white subtitles. Thanks to those of my early commitments, after a few weeks I could finally understand what Mr. Menard was talking to us in our freshmen years. It was fortunate because everyone knows what happens if we don't exactly understand his sayings and answer inappropriately - be enlisted on his xx list.
But still, I prefer watching movies with subtitles because without them, my attention to translating the characters' lines itself distracts me from concentrating on the real messages of the movies.
I need practice!
Shower
I really love taking a shower. Dorm room shower booth - or booths in anywhere - is the place in which a host of my creative ideas and reflections burst out from naked myself.
ReligionI really love taking a shower. Dorm room shower booth - or booths in anywhere - is the place in which a host of my creative ideas and reflections burst out from naked myself.
I'm an atheist.
Philosophy
Let's move on to something academic. I love philosophy; actually, my achievements are pretending like I'm an econ kid but my real enthusiasm and passion always headed toward studying philosophy ever since my KMLA freshman year. I'm particularly fond of existentialists like Sartre and Heidegger.
Diary
I love writing in my diary. The problem is, I always lose it. I think the owner of stationery stores in my hometown would like me because I have bought 15+ diaries per year.
Cooking
Cooking is the skill that I really want to learn after graduating from this school more than other things like driving. My youtube subscribing channels are mostly about cooking at home or restaurant. Jamie Oliver's official channel is my favorite; videos are quite frequently uploaded and his recipes are much more easy to follow than Gordon Ramsey's.
Fashion
I knew nothing about fashion in middle school, but now I spend more than half of my allowance in buying clothes. I usually buy T-shirts and hoodies through online shopping malls. However, recently I'm recognizing that it is no use to have expensive, rare clothes because the filthy laundry system in KMLA just ruins the fabric.
Music
Since I'm not having a favoritism for specific genre or artist's musics, I listen to a wide range of genres. For hiphop, I admire Kendrick Lamar and Eminem. In case of singer-song writers, Ed Sheeran takes the biggest portions of my playlist, and Damien Rice is my hero.
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