Dear Diary — no, let’s not do that.
It’s the 29th of February and it’s my last day as an Asia Lab intern. Living and working in Korea, I’ve been swept in a whirlwind of challenges and adventures. Where do I even begin? As someone once said, let’s start from the very beginning.
In mid-October, I found myself taking a brave albeit risky leap to experience life and unpaid work in Korea. Strolling through the wide and uneven pavement of the city, snuggling every inch of my body in the warmest attire with the touch of home, and my eyes soaking in every building with their towering glint or flashing signs. I stepped into a new world.
Meeting the amazing team at Asia Lab (my new family) and trying the delicious food Korea had to offer highlighted my days. For the first week, I enjoyed the bustling streets of Myeongdong in my hotel. After moving four times, I settled in a cozy apartment perched on a hill in Gangnam — yep, I’m not gonna miss that hike.
For the next few months, 9 hours a day, 5 days a week, I researched the depths of the internet for every Asian or Asian-related celebrity and brand, churning out over 470 emails for the Unforgettable Gala in LA. We planned a podcast, brainstormed guest ideas, and wrote interview questions. However, that disappeared in a plot hole, along with many other things we created.
While it started off like a great Lemony Snicket series, the New Year treated us to more joyful times. We finally got Korean lessons, fun activities, and cultural experiences; and I even explored Japan for a day.
This month, my Asia Lab family turned into a whole new family. But laughs were shared in creating social media ideas, food was shared in a Korean cooking class, and cultures from all over the world were shared.
It has definitely been a wholesome time growing as a person while learning about work, the entertainment industry and Korean culture. I’ve made sure to do all I wanted here.
For my last week, I busied myself with emailing influencers and summarising my contacts and work, amongst other things.
My coworkers also kept hugging me. Neither of us wanted to let go. When I go back home, I know I’ll think of them when I eat jjajangmyeon, perform my K-pop in publics, or when I play Jenga.
The sunny days in the office included welcoming two new interns and filming some TikToks. We planned fun content for all our platforms together. Then, I took notes during meetings with top celebrities from Indonesia and the Philippines, teasing me with flashbacks of when I first started working here.
In our small workspace, the table is still filled with tangled cords, and the sneezes from next door still startle us. But our snack shelf has evolved with more tastes, and finding a spot for my backpack and jacket has gotten harder. It’s musical chairs for me now too.
How the time has flown by and it’s already the end of five months. While it was going to be six months, I decided to have time to fully explore Korea. And although I can’t stay longer, I wish Asia Lab all the best. Let’s meet again in the future with more wonderful things to share.
All these memories of my time here have crafted a scrapbook embedded in my heart. Polaroids and stains, I turn the last page. Back to Australia with my growing collection of books to flip through whenever I want.
