traveling around places, to periods & inside pages
Author: The Time Traveler
The Time Traveler is an upcoming author who holds great appreciation for both classic literature and history. The author aspires to publish historical fictions and other written works in the near future, in hopes of creating works that entertain, inform, and inspire. The author also appreciates all things aesthetic and enjoys traveling around the world to learn and observe.
They have coffee cups with words “Fuck Mornings,” “Anti-Bitch Club,” “Anti-Bitch Serum.” and a banner that says “No Karen, You Can’t Talk to the Manager.” With their pretty pink aesthetics and eye-catching slogans, Coffee Dose is a unique place to check out if you like their “cheeky” merchandise, “vegan + keto-friendly treats,” and all things aesthetically pink.
Coffee Dose (Irvine) one cloudy morning.
Some Basic Info:
Coffee Dose was founded by the couple – Jeni and Oscar Castro. They kind of remind one of the wife-husband team that founded Honey & Butter Macarons, as they’ve also started their shop in Costa Mesa. (Check out my post on Honey & Butter Macarons HERE.)
And from the fact that the shop now has three locations (from just one in Costa Mesa), their business seems to be a success. It’s not surprising – their stylish merchandise and cheeky slogans are bound to be popular, especially amongst young women who appreciate good coffee and aesthetically pleasing goods. It really is no wonder that Coffee Dose has made their marks at their Costa Mesa, Los Angeles, and Irvine locations:
Images of Coffee Dose in Costa Mesa, Los Angeles, and Irvine (from left to right) from coffeedose.cafe.
Coffee Dose in Irvine, CA
The shop I’ve visited is the one in Irvine. It’s located in the middle of a business park.
It’s literally placed right between two office buildings:
And so, on my two visits to Coffee Dose Irvine, there was always a group of customers. They were most likely a mix of office workers, influencers, and customers who so appreciated Coffee Dose’s unique menu and aesthetics that they drove all the way to the office park for them.
Once you get close to the pink container box, you’ll be able to see the menu and the cute merchandise they have out in front of the cashier.
This is where you order, buy merchandise, and receive your drinks. (Plus where the food menu is.)
The other end of the pink container where you get your food items. Plus where the menu for the drinks are. (On the right)
Oh, and they always have music playing out loud:
From my experience (which amounts to only a few visits), I found the lattes to be better than any other drinks. The cold brew was really strong and not to my taste.
But the latte? It was delicious! 😋
This is the menu they have out in the Irvine shop:
Now, this shop is a coffee shop, and I do think they have good lattes. But what I consider their best is the food.
I’ve tried a few items on their menu, including their cookie, banana bread, lemon bread from their bakery items, “The OC OG,” “Foxy Loxy,” “Jen & Berry’s,” “The Goat,” and “The Gentle Monster.” Wow. Now that I list them, I actually tried quite a number of their food items!
The Foxy Loxy (and the ever-strong cold brew that I couldn’t finish).
Anyways, they were all delicious, with top-quality ingredients. But my favorite of all has to be “The Goat.” 🐐🧀
“The Goat” is a toast with herbed goat cheese, figs, candied walnuts, saba and microgreens. And it’s EPIC.
I tried this only because I saw on Coffee Dose’s Instagram that “The Goat” will be available only until November. And I thought – why not give it a go before I can no longer try it?
It was such a good decision… Because it was the most delicious toast I’ve ever tasted! And the combination of goat cheese and figs along with the candied walnuts and other ingredients is genius; it’s an out-of-this-world tasting experience that belongs uniquely to Coffee Dose.
It was so good that I had to to-go another one before leaving. Their to-go bag is cute, too!
Drawbacks
The only drawbacks of Coffee Dose (I speak only of the Irvine location) would be that it isn’t cheap. It’s definitely on the pricier side, as “The Goat” costs about as much as two cheeseburgers at In-N-Out.
And another drawback is that they don’t share your Instagram stories that you @ them at, as I’ve tried multiple times. I think they only share if you have enough followers to promote their brand. 😔
*Fun fact: There are Coffee Dose stickers you can use in Instagram to create your stories.
Regardless –
Visiting Coffee Dose Irvine was a fun experience. With the aesthetic surroundings and the unique, DELICIOUS food, I highly recommend visiting there at least once!
P.S. If you have any canine companions, you’ll definitely want to check this place out. The shop is dog-friendly with even “puppy cracks” for your pups!
Last Saturday on October 16th, Honey & Butter released macarons in collaboration with LINE FRIENDS (characters popular in Asia). According to their website, they will continue to release these special macarons for two more dates, on October 23rd & 30th. As I expected there to be much competition, I set out at 9AM, an hour before the store opened.
Honey & Butter Macarons is located in the city of Irvine, in a shopping center called Irvine Spectrum Center. This center deserves a post of its own, with its unique architecture and a plethora of good shops. 👍
As the center itself also opens everyday at 10AM, there was nobody there when I arrived.
Usually, there is always a bustling crowd at the shopping mall. But not at 9AM in the morning!
Or so I thought.
Once I walked in deeper inside, I saw some residents living around the Spectrum Center walking their dogs and meeting their friends. But still, these were people who lived in the area; they weren’t headed towards the macaron shop. So I quelled my concerns and walked on to Honey & Butter.
A rare sight to behold at Irvine Spectrum Center.
And then I saw:
It was only 9:30 AM, and yet, there was a line already!
I thought I’d be the first or at least the third person in line for Honey & Butter Macaron’s exquisite macarons. But in reality, I turned out to be the 30th! 😳
Though I was disappointed to join the long line, I was still one of the first 100 customers who would get free stickers of the Honey & Butter Macarons X LINE FRIENDS collaboration. Hence, I was content to wait behind 29 fellow zealots of cute & aesthetic macarons.
The Wait
I waited for about an hour before it was my turn to order. While waiting, there were many passersby wondering at the long line so early in the morning. They stared and muttered while Honey & Butter Macarons employees took promotional pictures and videos of eager customers like me. It was tiring to wait, but all the hype and anticipation was fun to witness, as well as the satisfied customers coming out of the store with bagfuls of macarons.
*Plus, a Honey & Butter associate handed out flavor guides & wristbands to everyone waiting in line. The wristband system is their new way of preventing unfair purchases of creature (special character) macarons, which are limited in quantity.
The Flavor Guide handouts!
*If you plan on visiting Honey & Butter Macarons to purchase creature macarons, check out their wristband policy HERE!
Finally!!!
I am finally close enough to see the store!
When I finally got close enough to the store, I was able to see the cute decal stickers pasted on the clear glass windows. People (including myself) were busy taking photos of them while in turn being photographed by Honey & Butter associates.
When I stepped inside the store (at last!!!) the interior was as aesthetic as it could be, with puffy clouds hanging from above and photo booths in front of walls of plants and flowers. (Even a 🕷 for a touch of Halloween!)
Plus there was the LINE FRIENDS X Honey & Butter Macarons wall, which was too cute not to share here:
They were selling their regular, non-character macarons for $3 each, and character macarons for $5 and $7 dollars each. It’s really expensive… It’s more expensive than a burger or a Chick-fil-A sandwich! 😫 But considering the amount of effort and artistry put into these macarons, I think it was worth it.
Here is a video of the macarons sold at Honey & Butter Macarons last weekend:
Close up of the creature (character) macarons! 🐻🎀🐰🐥🐸
I purchased regular macarons, creature macarons along with two pins (limited editions of Honey & Butter X LINE FRIENDS). I also got free stickers for being one of the first 100 customers and a postcard, too. And before heading out of the shop, the employees helped me take photos in front of the aesthetic photo booths. It was so much fun! 😁
When I stepped out of the cute macaron shop, it was 11:12 PM. And yet, there was a line still in front of Honey & Butter Macarons, as shown in the video above.
Even the box is cute!
I spent an entire morning from 9AM preparing and waiting for this event. Plus, I spent way too much on the macarons. But it was a memorable day, with such artistic, charming little pastries for me and my family. It was worth the money and the wait!
I had to display the artsy macarons in the middle of my living room in all its beauty for my family to see. Aren’t they just…Adorable pieces of art? 😍💕💕
About Honey & Butter
From my knowledge (and online research), Honey & Butter Macarons was founded back in 2014 by Leanne and her husband Pawel Pietrasinski. Leanne was born in Vietnam and Pawel was born in Poland, and the couple met via a MMORPG game, Neverwinter Online. Sharing the same dream and passion, they created their own bakery. To read more about their unique story and journey, check out these links:
I highly recommend Honey & Butter Macarons if you love aesthetic/cute things or French pastries, specifically macarons. If you are planning to purchase creature macarons though, be aware that they don’t have those everyday. I think they used to, but nowadays they are available only on special occasions like this or on days noted on their website.
P.P.S. Follow their Instagram! Honey & Butter sometimes announces character macaron drops in their stories. They’re up for grabs till supplies last. Here are the ones that were released around noon on 5/27/2022:
Cute clam and sushi macarons.
They were as aesthetic and delicious as ever! 😉
(These macarons were wrapped in seriously cute packaging illustrated by kiraimai! 💕Visit the Japanese illustrator’s official website for more: https://www.kiraimai.com/)
On a crisp October morning, I went to attend a French baking class in Irvine that I had signed up for a few weeks back. To tell the truth, my very first dream was becoming a patisserie. Of course, back when I was little, I had no idea that such a word existed. So I told everyone – my family, relatives, and friends – that I wanted to own a bakery to decorate cakes. I thought it was the same thing as a “patisserie.” But I didn’t become a “bakery owner,” and my dreams shifted around multiple times.
But today, I finally got to revisit my very first dream and bake a lemon tart at the Irvine French baking class! 🍋🥧
Photo by an_vision.
Making a Lemon Tart – The Beginning
The materials all being provided for (with a fee of $10), my fellow classmates and I simply had to follow instructions given by our French instructor, Sylvie Roux. She was efficient and friendly, giving us professional tips and knowledge on the details of making a good lemon tart.
Materials provided.
Everyone received a ceramic pie holder/mold to create their lemon tarts on, and each holder was named with a French word. Mine was “Montmartre,” the famous hill in Paris. Others got “Paris,” “France,” “Merci,” “Bisou,” and other beautiful French words.
Lemon Zest
So the first thing we had to do was create lemon zest. The 11-12 of us got into groups of two to create the lemon zest under the guidance of 3 French instructors. Some people were given zesters and others graters.
I was the only person to receive a knife to cut the lemon peels as supplies were low. If I had been better acquainted with knives, I wouldn’t have had a problem. But as I was only a baker by heart, not by hands or actual skills, I cut myself. (It was so embarrassing!) The cut wasn’t deep so I tried to hide it away, but my caring class mates and teachers got me a band aid.
It had only been 10 minutes into the cooking class and I already hurt myself! 😖
Lemons used for creating the lemon zest and juice! 🍋 🍋 🍋
I thought that I was the only person to cut the lemon with a knife (and cut oneself with it), but others were also given knives later on to cut the lemons. Luckily, no other baker was injured, and we successfully made 200g of lemon juice and piles of lemon zest.
Zests ready to go.
The Sugar Dough
After producing the lemon juice and zests, our next step was to create the sugar dough. In large groups of about 5 to 6 people, we took turns mixing butter, powder sugar, lemon zest, almond powder, egg, yolk, vanilla extract, and flour.
Mixing the ingredients altogether.
After about 40 minutes, we got a gritty dough to work with.
My little batch of dough.
Each of us had our little batch of gritty dough (sugar + butter). As instructed, we covered them up with plastic wrap, left them in the fridge for 30 minutes to get:
Voila!
The Lemon Cream
The lemon cream was created before the sugar dough. Our French instructors were very efficient with time, so we worked on the lemon cream while waiting for the sugar doughs in the fridge. Similar to how we produced the dough, groups of 5-6 took turns heating the lemon juice and mixed it with sugar, zest, 6 eggs, agar agar, and cold butter.
Mixing ’em up.
It’s Baking Time
After creating the lemon cream, we took out our doughs, rolled them on the sheets and put them in our molds.
While our doughs baked in the oven at 370°F for 15 minutes, our French instructor introduced us to making meringues. It was surprisingly easy: you mix egg whites and sugar together at high speed:
The Finishing Touch
Once the doughs were taken out (and cut out of the molds by our instructors), we all poured lemon cream into what had become crusts. And with the meringue our instructor created, we each took turns decorating our lemon tarts.
Mine looked as follows:
Lemon Tart & Dreams
The lemon tart was délicieuse! The sweet and sour complemented each other so well. But I think I can definitely do better next time, especially with the decoration..
The French baking class led by Slyvie Roux was such a treat – a fun experience where I got to reconnect with my younger self who wanted to create pastries and “own a bakery.”
Though I most likely won’t become a patisserie at this point, I can and will bake more pastries. And hopefully create better-looking lemon tarts. 😉
Photo by an_vision.
To learn more about the Irvine French baking class, check out these links:
Last week, when it drizzled in the ever-sunny city of my residence, I stopped by at a Barnes & Noble bookstore. For the past few years, I’ve been on-and-off writing my first novel, and I wanted to research the tone and style of recently published books.
As is always the case whenever I’m in bookstores, I was tempted to make a purchase. But reminding myself that I already have piles of novels and stories to read at home, I resisted all temptation to purchase another book. (Plus, after the pandemic, the libraries will reopen.) But when passing by the magazine racks next to the cashier, I had to stop and purchase Bella Grace‘s Issue 29. It was just too aesthetic!
Bella Grace Magazine
The front and back covers of Bella Grace.
The magazine was extremely costly; compared to an interior design magazine my mother purchased recently ($12.99), Bella Grace was a $19.99. It’s the most expensive magazine I’ve ever purchased!
Older issues of Bella Grace.
But the content of the magazine is heartfelt and wholesome. It’s created and compiled by romanticists, optimists, and those who believe in the following:
“an ordinary life can be extraordinary, there is beauty in imperfection, and that magic can be found in the everyday.”
Bella Gracec
And their collection of writings and photographs truly reflect such beliefs and attitude toward life.
Some pages from the 29th issue of Bella Grace.
Submissions
And Bella Grace is looking for submissions! They’re looking for narratives, photography, lists, and Instagram collections from writers and photographers who share their beliefs.
“At Bella Grace, [they] believe that:
Every cloud has a silver lining.
An ordinary life can be an extraordinary life.
There is beauty and magic to be found everywhere.
It’s OK to embrace imperfection.
Life should be lived with a full heart and open eyes.”
As I share these beliefs, I submitted photographs and a poem to the editor a few days ago. I’m really happy to have found a magazine that shares some of my beliefs as well as aesthetics! ✨
If you are a writer or photographer, especially a romantic or an optimistic one, I highly encourage you to read Bella Grace. And even take part in their movement to share life’s beauties!
P.S. To visit Bella Grace’s official website, click HERE.
This summer, I had a chance to visit Las Vegas with my family. But as we are in the midst of a pandemic, we chose to explore the outdoors around the city instead of lingering in the populous hub. As we had already visited Death Valley, Grand Canyon, and Sedona, we decided to explore Red Rock Canyon this time.
On our way to Red Rock Canyon. It was unusually cloudy and windy. It eventually rained when we arrived at the visitor’s center.
On our way to Red Rock Canyon, I proposed that we stop by a café to pick up lattes and whatnot. It was June but cloudy and chill; which means it was perfect to sip some warm drinks on the way. Besides, I had researched online and found out that there was an aesthetic café in the area. And I am all for anything aesthetic, especially cafes.
When we arrived in front of the cafe, the exterior was neat but nothing noteworthy. And as the sky was cloudy with rain starting to trickle, it almost looked gloomy.
But when my sister and I went inside, it was a feast for the eyes!
The interior was so pretty that I stood there gawking it all in. I had to collect myself before moving forward to the cashier to order. My eyes feasted further on the chic decorations set up all throughout the cafe.
Roses galore! 🌹 🌹 🌹
Every corner was Instagram-worthy.
I ordered Lola’s Signature Vanilla Rose Tea Latte (plus three macarons) while my sister got the Americano. The drinks weren’t bad, but they weren’t stellar either. I wouldn’t drive all the way here again for the drinks. But I definitely would for the beautiful interior!
The pink folder in the back is the menu. The pink drink is Lola’s Signature Vanilla Rose Tea Latte. The small pink cup with a rose is a decoration set on each table. ❤️
I highly recommend Cafe Lola to anyone who loves visiting aesthetic places. The interior, decorations, drinks, food, and everything inside the cafe were too pretty to not take photos of. If you’re ever visiting Red Rock Canyon, or Las Vegas even, stop by Cafe Lola! 😉
*NOTE: The location I’ve been to is the Cafe Lola in Summerlin. There’s another Cafe Lola in the Henderson area. They’re both in Nevada but the Summerlin one is next to Red Rock Canyon.
**UPDATE 7/19/22: Cafe Lola opened another shop at 7379 S Rainbow Blvd – in Southwest Las Vegas! Check out their IG post for all the deets!
Visit Cafe Lola’s official website here 👉 Café Lola
P.S. Check out my post on their Henderson location HERE. It’s as aesthetic as the Summerlin location! ✨
The town I live in abounds with animals of all kinds. We have squirrels, rabbits, lizards, rats, doves, ducks, crows, parrots, coyotes, and even mountain lions roaming about. But I had no idea that I would come face to face with a raccoon!
Encountering My Neighbor, Raccoon
One evening, after a walk in the park, I was coming back home with my mother. We were chatting about something I don’t recall when we heard a loud “thump” near a pine tree that grows right in front of our house. For a moment we both thought it was one of the squirrels. But the thump was too loud for an animal that small.
Then, we saw a black shadow scampering back up from where it fell. And to our utter surprise, we saw a raccoon staring down at us!
It was bizarre to see a raccoon for the first time in my life. It looked exactly like it does in movies and cartoons, with its bandit-like fur around its eyes and fluffy black-and-white tail.
We were astounded to see the creature in front of our house and stood in shock for a few seconds. Then we pulled out our phones to capture the cute yet frightening wild animal.
While taking pictures of the raccoon, we noticed that it was as surprised as we were. It was still on the tree branch, looking down at us with, I conjecture, even more amazement and fear. Here is a comic strip I made recounting my encounter with the raccoon:
As we did not know what our wild neighbor might be capable of, we carefully headed inside, staying as far away from him. And as we slithered away, the raccoon also slowly crawled down from the tree and disappeared into the night.
Photo of the actual raccoon we saw that night!
It was an interesting night to say the least! I feel lucky to have met my neighbor raccoon that I did not know existed until that night.
Who are some of your wild neighbors?
P.S. Here are some resources about what to do when you encounter raccoons:
It’s past Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, but I would still like to share Chung Sul Youn’s story. It is not as well known as it ought to be, especially considering the fact that she was a pioneer in many different ways. As one of the first Korean immigrants to the U.S., she paved the way for Koreans, Asians, women, and scientists.
Chung Sul Youn (Sue Kim)
Chung Sul Youn (Sue Kim). Photo from Mass Transfer: News from Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Illinois Spring/Summer 2017.
I learned about Chung Sul Youn only after talking to a Korean War veteran I wrote to this summer. The Korean War veteran, Mr. David Valley, shared the many achievements of his wife, Chung Sul. He and Sue (Chung Sul) had met and married after losing their wife and husband, respectively, to the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
After learning about Chung Sul’s life briefly from Mr. Valley, I was able to order his biography of her, which is titled, Can Do: Biography of Chung Sul Youn Kim. And finishing the book, I feel like I’ve unearthed an invaluable story, a little known history that needs to be shared.
Let me share Chung Sul’s story with you.
Chung Sul’s story shines. Photo by Nong V.
Early Years
Photo of Chung Sul Youn, age 7. From Can Do:Biography of Chung Sul Youn Kim by David J. Valley.
Chung Sul Youn was born in Korea on December 21, 1932. She grew up in the Korea annexed and oppressed by the Japanese Imperial government. It wasn’t until 1945 that Chung Sul and her family lived in a free Korea. Despite the harsh colonial rule, Chung Sul’s family wasn’t as affected by the Japanese government’s immoral actions as the other poor Korean families. Her father, In Sang Youn, ran a successful, independent business manufacturing ondol paper, so he was able to educate his children and provide for his family even in those difficult times. Hence, after Korea attained its independence from Japan, Chung Sul attended Seoul National University, which is still considered the best in South Korea.
The Korean War
Tragically for the Koreans, only five years after their liberation from Japan, the Korean War broke out. On June 25, 1950, communist North Korea (backed by the Soviet Union) attacked South Korea. The sudden, bloody invasion interrupted everyone’s lives. People scrambled southward to stay alive, leaving behind their homes and the lives they knew. Chung Sul and her family also evacuated away from Seoul, eventually escaping to Busan when the Chinese intervened and ruined Korea’s golden opportunity to unify under democracy.
Video created by the Australian Government’s Department of Veterans’ Affairs showing the phases of the Korean War. Click HERE to visit the page. *The naming of “Sea of Japan” shown in the video is contested.
It was during this chaos that Chung Sul’s father decided to send his children to the United States to further their education. He knew from early on that Chung Sul was an exceptional chemist and scholar. He believed that she would “become a world-famous scientist – the next Madame Curie.” (Valley 115).
Marie Curie, one of the most renowned female scientists in history. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, LC-DIG-ggbain-07682 (digital file from original neg.)
Studying in the U.S.
After applying and getting accepted by Dennison University with a tuition scholarship, Chung Sul left her home country in 1951 to further her studies. From there, she transferred to the University of Illinois in Urbana to study chemical engineering.
A professor at University of Illinois told her that she could not be a Chemical Engineering major. His reason was the following: “females cannot handle the courses…The last time [they] had a female [major in Chemical Engineering] was in 1932, and she failed miserably” (Valley 140). These were times when women weren’t seen as capable of studying science.
But she proved the professor and anyone who doubted that they were completely wrong.
Chung Sul at Commencement 1955 with her mother Yong Kim, University of Illinois President Lloyd Morey and Liberal Arts & Sciences Dean Joseph R. Smiley (Source: Mass Transfer: News from Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Illinois. Spring/Summer 2017)
Chung Sul graduated with the highest grade average, receiving multiple honors. She was even admitted as an Honorary Member of Tau Beta Pi Society for Integrity and Excellence in Engineering when women were not accepted as regular members. Chung Sul went on to earn a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Cornell University.
She became the first Korean woman in Korean history to earn a Ph.D. degree in the field of science.
Image from Can Do:Biography of Chung Sul Youn Kim by David J. Valley.
Further Accomplishments
To summarize, Chung Sul (Sue) worked for many different corporations: Standard Oil of Ohio, Georgia Pacific, University of California Davis, Aerojet Corporation, and California State University, Sacramento. Throughout her professional journey, she faced (again) prejudice and skepticism as an Asian woman. She was told that she had “two strikes against [her]: [she was] an Asian, and a woman” (190).
But she defied all expectations as she…
“found a way to copolymerize acrylonitrile with bulky hydrocarbons, 1,2-olefins” at Sohio (187).
“discovered ligno-sulfonamides produced by the reaction of the waste pulp ligno-sulfonates and fatty amines from meat packers” were “excellent oil-based emulsifies” and helped Georgia Pacific receive five patents based on her discoveries (194).
“established the Polymer Research Institute” at California State University, Sacramento.
….and achieved many more things that you should read about in her biography! 😉
Image from Can Do:Biography of Chung Sul Youn Kim by David J. Valley.
An Inspiring Individual
What I found particularly inspiring about Chung Sul Youn, Sue Kim, is that not only is she an incredible chemist who made positive impacts wherever she went, but also she always knew what was truly important in life: families and friends.
Upon marriage, she supported and followed her husband’s trajectory across the country all the while making contributions to society and science in various ways that she could. She made scientific discoveries while giving birth to and rearing two children. When her father fell ill, she left everything to be at his side. These are just a few examples of how Chung Sul chose her families and friends over furthering her achievements and success. She was a prolific chemist, a good friend, caring daughter, supportive wife, and a loving mother. Despite her unlimited potential and talents, she chose to be there for her loved ones over work when forced to choose between the two. She never forgot to love and care for her loved ones.
In Conclusion
Back in the day when being an Asian woman was a great hindrance to one’s career, Chung Sul broke all prejudices and expectations. She truly was a pioneer.
Mr. Valley’s biography of Chung Sul Youn (Sue Kim)
I recommend Can Do: Biography of Chung Sul Youn Kim, to Korean and Asian Americans. If you are Korean or Asian, you will be able to relate to her life. She was one of the first Koreans to arrive in the U.S. and experienced what Asian Americans experience even today. If you are a woman studying chemistry or are working in the field, you will learn how she paved the path for female chemists in the ’60s and ’70s.
Even if you aren’t a female chemist of Asian backgrounds, Chung Sul’s story is bound to inspire. It is a vivid biography of an individual who saw beyond work and success.
It’s about an individual who knew what truly matters: the people around you and the time you spend with them.
P.S. I just found out that Dr. Chung Sul Youn “Sue” Kim had been awarded the 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign! As the “first woman to have received a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign” and as innovator, research scientist, professor, director, and pioneer, it’s no surprise. 👍
Update 8/28/2025: This month, I got to speak with Dr. Kim’s sister, Won Ok, who is 5 years younger than her. She told me that she wanted to share aspects of Dr. Kim beyond her academic and professional achievements, including her many outdoor adventures and her “most generous, compassionate” heart.
One of the anecdotes she shared that I was truly amazed at (and still am!) was when Won Ok immigrated to the U.S. during the Korean War, following after her sister. Chung Sul, who was an undergrad at the University of Illinois at the time, and Won Ok, who was a high school student, had to live apart. But Chung Sul always looked out for her little sister. Won Ok said that Chung Sul even cooked Korean food for her (bulgogi beef and rice) when there weren’t any local Asian grocery markets at the time! Even when the sisters lived apart (one in a college dorm in the middle of a busy schedule) and had no car (or Tupperware, for that matter!), Chung Sul managed to make traditional Korean food, pack it somehow, and bring it to her little sister who would have been homesick in a new country. This reminded me of what I read in Mr. Valley’s biography, when Chung Sul made kimchi (again, no Asian ingredients!) for her older brother. Won Ok laughed and said that the bulgogi and rice tasted horrible (and I remember reading that the kimchi tasted bad, too), but she shared how incredibly thoughtful and compassionate the gesture was. And I cannot agree more!
It was such a privilege to talk with Won Ok and listen to more inspiring stories about Dr. Kim. 😊
While applying to EPIK this year, I had to write personal statements on teaching as well as encountering cultural differences. Below are my teaching philosophy and thoughts on cultural differences (2 of the 3 EPIK essay prompts).
*But as EPIK essay prompts may change, be sure to always check their official website!
Prompt #1: My Teaching Philosophy (on TEFL)
*TEFL is “Teaching English as a Foreign Language.”
Students in rural north Thailand. Photo by Mario Heller.
Duties of the Student
Learning cannot be accomplished without the effort of the teacher as well as the students themselves. While teachers provide the necessary tools, tips, and methods of studying, this must be met with the efforts of the students to bring about results. The key to mastering a new language is repetition and memorization. So, students should memorize terms learned in class until they become so accustomed to the words that they can remember them in situations that require them. While students can practice memorizing by themselves, they can’t with conversations. Therefore, teachers should focus on conversations in the classroom, having the students practice amongst themselves and also providing materials with which they can practice listening.
Duties of the Teacher
It is the teacher’s duty to create a learning environment where students feel safe to make mistakes. The most important thing when learning a new language is to not feel bad about making mistakes. So, it is crucial for the teacher to make the class a friendly learning environment. It should not, cannot be a place of immediate mastery and perfection. Such pressure discourages students from answering questions; they become shy, unwilling to share with the class. This should be prevented, as participation plays a big part in students’ absorption and application of new materials. Students should be comfortable about making mistakes as well as asking questions when they do not understand a lesson.
Not Just a Subject
Most importantly, since English is a language, an everyday method used to communicate, EFL teachers should remind the students that while it is a subject to study, English is also something approachable in our daily lives. Showing the students that studying English doesn’t always require studying, that it can be fun in the forms of watching movies and shows in English, listening to pop songs, or even playing games using English will help the students have less burden, less repulse of studying another language and actually enjoy learning to speak the invaluable, universal language.
Prompt #2: On Encountering Cultural Differences
Photo by Jeremy Bezanger.
Encountering cultural differences in today’s world is inevitable as well as ubiquitous, as the world has become closely connected through the technological advancements of the past centuries. And more often than not, encountering something that is different from what one is accustomed to is unpleasant or weird. But cultural differences can be understood and respected if the cultures involved communicate and share the history and reasons behind their practices. (And if the cultures learn how and why their traditions can be viewed in different ways than they perceive them.) If cultures communicate and understand one another, then cultural differences won’t divide different peoples or lead to hatred and stereotypes.
This is why I want to teach English to South Korean students. So that they, too, can learn the language of the world to communicate with the rest of the world. That when they encounter different cultures, they may understand others as well as be understood. That they may become cosmopolitan individuals that share, work, and live with others around the world.
Advice to EPIK Applicants
Like how I did, you will need to answer the following EPIK essay prompts:
Answer both why you want to teach EFL AND why you want to teach in Korea.
Explain your teaching philosophy briefly. How will you connect your background skills and experiences to teaching English in your classroom? How do you plan to further develop your teaching skills?
Share your thoughts on encountering cultural differences. How do you plan to adapt to Korean school life and culture?
Photo by Markus Krisetya.
I hope my essay/personal statements give you some ideas and thoughts to write about. But I highly discourage plagiarizing or using my thoughts word-for-word since…
#1: The EPIK team already read my essays and know the contents.
#2: Plagiarism is against the law.
Good luck applying to EPIK!
P.S. To read about my EPIK experience, check out my post HERE.
My EPIK interview via Zoom finally took place on Friday, September 17th. But my EPIK coordinator had trouble with Internet connection that day too, so his screen was pitch-black. Hence, I had my interview without seeing him, only hearing his voice. It wasn’t ideal, but regardless, I was grateful to just proceed with the interview at this point. Some of the first questions I was asked were:
– Why EPIK?
– How do you feel about having a co-teacher?
– What kind of teaching experience do you have?
– What is your 5 year plan?
The What-If Questions
Photo by Mathew Schwartz.
Throughout the interview, my interviewer asked me many “what-if” questions. Some of the “what-if” EPIK questions I remember are: “What would you do if…
…your co-teacher gave you more work than was needed?
…your co-teacher was teaching something wrong?
…you don’t work well with your co-teacher(s)?
…the housing you were provided with lacked certain amenities/appliances?
…the school’s class schedule changed suddenly?
The Lesson Demo
Now, I had an easy time answering all the questions, because they were all similar to the old EPIK questions asked to previous EPIK applicants. (Except for the ones about housing and class schedule). And I had prepared extensively, writing down the answers to about 40 potential questions I had compiled and practicing answering them repeatedly. In fact, towards the end of the interview, I wished the EPIK coordinator would ask me more questions, as I had my answers all ready.
But there was this section in the interview that wasn’t mentioned by the previous EPIK applicants on YouTube. It was only talked about quite recently in the Spring 2022 EPIK Kakao chatroom, when someone who had her interview earlier shared briefly that she had to do a lesson demo. Thanks to her information, I pulled out the lesson materials I had created beforehand. But to my surprise, the EPIK coordinator chose a random topic for me. He assigned me the topic of weather (if I remember correctly) and gave me some time (I think it was 5 or 10 minutes) to prepare. Afterwards, I had to pretend like I was teaching a class for 5 minutes on the designated topic.
Because I had this wonderful teaching material prepared already (I had created it for fun over the summer while waiting for the Spring 2022 application to open), I asked politely if I could use a topic of my choosing, mentioning the PowerPoint presentation I had prepared. My coordinator allowed me to proceed with my materials, and I presented my lesson demo without the given preparation time. I thought I did a great job, since I received much positive feedback on my demo lesson.
Photo by Mathew Schwartz.
The Interview Ends
My EPIK coordinator was Jeffrey, and he provided me with much useful information about the program. Each time I answered a question, he gave me feedback (which were all positive), along with additional tips for becoming a successful EPIK teacher. He told me to maintain the positive, friendly personality that I displayed, as it was crucial to be outgoing during the first weeks at the Korean school(s) I would be assigned to. And for lessons, he suggested that I narrow down my English expressions to just one, and utilize as many hand gestures as I can while teaching (clapping, thumbs up, etc.)
My EPIK interview ended after about 40 minutes. I had much fun showcasing my abilities and potential to becoming a good EPIK teacher.
The Awaited Email & The Result
I had heard from a fellow applicant in the Kakao chatroom that he heard back from EPIK just 4 days after his interview. But my wait time was longer, as the Friday I had my interview was interestingly right before Korea’s three-day national holiday, Chuseok. So I did not hear back from EPIK until a week later, on a Friday afternoon.
I had my CRC ready to submit, a 180 hour TEFL Certificate, B.A. from one of the best universities in the U.S., 2 solid recommendation letters, and a 2 year professional experience. I had made it as far as the EPIK interview, during which I had shown my competencies and received positive feedback.
My heart was pounding in excitement. I paused a moment before opening the email to calm down a little.
This was it….!
Snapshot of the email from EPIK.
I clicked and saw the following words:
Dear EPIK Applicant,
Thank you for your application to the EPIK Program, Korea’s government-operated native-English teacher selection program for public schools.
After taking time to fully consider your application, we regret to inform you that your application has not been selected to proceed forward for EPIK’s Spring 2022 term.
– The EPIK Team –
The email goes on for a couple more paragraphs, explaining that this term was “particularly competitive,” and that the decision is a reflection of my suitability for the term. It is “not necessarily a reflection of [my] ability or qualifications as a teacher.” Plus it kindly states that the decision is final, and that EPIK is “unable to release any information related to the reasons for this decision and will not reply to inquiries of that nature.”
Yes, reader. I was not selected. And I’ll never know why. (Photo by Matthew Henry).
That was my experience applying to EPIK. There were frequent changes which were often not properly announced beforehand. Plus, I spent $182 on documents no longer needed for the initial application. And since I did not get selected in the final round… Now I have an apostilled national level criminal record check just lying around on my desk.
Conclusion
My experience with EPIK was exceptionally expensive and definitely not so epic. But on the brighter side, I will no longer have to spend more money shipping my documents across the Pacific. Neither will I have to cover the costs of mandatory quarantine. The 1.4 to 2.1 million KRW (~1,178 to 1,768 USD), as stated by EPIK, will NOT be covered by the program.
I know that God has better plans for me, so I am no longer disappointed by the result. But I will miss the prospect of teaching and traveling abroad, of meeting new people and exploring South Korea for an entire year.
Alas, I will miss the path not taken.
Photo by Soyoung Han.
P.S. For anyone planning on applying to EPIK, here are some great resources to refer to:
1) As mentioned in my previous post (HERE), be sure to check out YouTubers who’ve gone through the EPIK process. It’s really helpful to hear their experiences as well as the EPIK questions they were asked.
2) Check out bloggers who share their EPIK experiences! Some great blogs I came across are ariography and Korealizations. Ariography’s EPIK interview content is from 2018 and Korealizations’s from 2014, but they are still relevant and useful. The only thing I’d add is that as of 2021, there is an on-the-spot lesson demo. Plus the interview is via Zoom, not Skype. (And, of course, there was that CRC requirement (read about it HERE) that was cancelled in September. Hopefully EPIK doesn’t bring that back again!)
So in my last post, I left off at the part where I find out that I had wasted my money, time and energy on the criminal record check that was no longer needed for EPIK’s initial application. It was no longer required as of September 6th. I had applied early on August 27th.
I was upset to say the least, but I maintained my optimism. EPIK had stated that the apostilled national level criminal record check would need to be submitted eventually, after the applicant was admitted. Trying to stay positive, I thought to myself, “I guess I won’t have much work to do after I get accepted.”
The EPIK Interview Email
Photo by Solen Feyissa.
I had braced myself to wait for about two months to hear back from EPIK, as previous applicants shared that two months was the average wait time. (I had done some research on the EPIK process through Google, Reddit, YouTube, and more). But to my surprisingly pleasant surprise, I received an email from EPIK on September 6th, which had arrived nearly at midnight. I was able to read the wonderful message next morning:
Hello,
Thank you for your application to the English Program In Korea!
You have passed the first selection phase and we would like to invite you to participate in a webcam interview via Skype. Please click on the following link and follow the instructions in order to book your interview date and time…
– The EPIK Team –
I moved one step closer to my dream of teaching, traveling, and living abroad! With my own apartment paid for by the program! I booked my Zoom interview for the following week on September 16 so that I would have enough time to prepare.
Preparing for the Interview
To prepare for the interview, I compiled a list of questions asked in the previous terms. To do this, I watched multiple YouTubers talk about their EPIK experiences.
*TIP#1: When preparing for the interview, be sure to check out YouTube videos of previous EPIK applicants. They share many of the questions they themselves had to answer.
There are many, many useful videos out there. To name a few, here are some of the YouTubers I personally found most helpful:
And while researching the EPIK interview process, I saw this crazy story from the above YouTuber named Katherine Walsh, who had her documents sent to North Korea because the person helping her at the post office thought “the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea” was South Korea!! It’s a funny yet horrific story.
Imagine getting your papers sent to North Korea! 🙁
*TIP #2: The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is NORTH Korea. Republic of Korea is SOUTH Korea. The one that is NOT democratic calls itself democratic.
Even if you already know this, like the YouTuber in the video, beware that the person helping you at the post office might (sadly) not know!!!
*TIP #3: Also, be sure to join the official Kakaotalk chatroom for EPIK applicants. Kakaotalk is Korea’s most popular mobile messaging app. It’s a must-have when living in Korea.
You should be able to find the link to join on EPIK’s official Facebook Page. Follow that too! Both platforms are where fellow applicants can ask questions, receive feedback, and share experiences with one another.
The Interview…Delayed.
Disappointed yet again. (Photo by Matthew Henry).
My interview was scheduled for September 16th PST. That Thursday, I spent all morning and afternoon preparing for the interview, going over the questions and answers multiple times. I practiced to the point where I could say the answers right away when asked, as thoroughly as possible. I was ready!
But about an hour before the interview, I received the following email from my interviewer:
Unfortunately, we seem to be having some technical issues and internet issues on our end today and are not able to establish a good connection for the interview. I apologize for the inconvenience, but would you be available to reschedule? If able, I will open some time for early next week or the weekend that was previously unavailable.
– Jeffrey Conde EPIK Coordinator –
I was bummed out yet again. But luckily, I was able to reset my interview date and time with my EPIK coordinator for the following day.
The Time Traveler is an upcoming author who holds great appreciation for both classic literature and history. The author aspires to publish historical fictions and other written works in the near future, in hopes of creating works that entertain, inform, and inspire.
The author also appreciates all things aesthetic and enjoys traveling around the world to learn and observe.
