Becoming a Better Version of Myself

Written and photographed by Park Hyo-eun.

Since I was young, I always wanted to go abroad and experience different cultures. I got a great opportunity by chance to intern for a real estate company in Manhattan in New York City. I arrived there with big expectations since it was my first time to go to the States and live abroad, but the start was far from easy. Unlike the relatively quiet and simple routes of Gwangju’s subways and buses, the city was always bustling and crowded everywhere, and the complicated subway lines embarrassed me. Moreover, it was difficult to carry out my work since I was new to the real estate field. I wanted to do well in both my work and daily life, but I felt depressed because things did not go my way. However, I tried hard to adapt to the two resolutions that I made before I left Korea.

The first was to experience various things and improve my English skills, and the second was to achieve a meaningful work life. For my first goal, I went to various meetings and made new friends. Among them were friends who were locals and others from different countries. I could talk to them and share our cultures and our thoughts. And thanks to them, I was able to have special experiences visiting local restaurants and hidden attractions, not famous restaurants or well-known attractions. For the second goal, I checked the New York real estate web pages every day to organize new sales/rent listings and memorized the map of the city and market price of each neighborhood. And, if necessary, I called directly to the building manager to find out the information I was after.

Thanks to these efforts, I was able to fully adapt myself to my work in the first month and was able to provide real estate education to new employees later on, even though I was an intern. I still think I would not have been able to make new friends and be recognized in the company if I had not tried to achieve my goals when I got depressed. Even now, when things go downhill and I feel frustrated, I still recall that experience and work hard for the goal that I set in Manhattan. Also, I am thankful for everyone who helped me in so many ways. I know it would have been very hard for me to adjust there without their help. Since I know the value of assistance, I am now also trying to help friends who have difficulty in adjusting to Gwangju.

If someone were to ask me about the most impressive moment of my life in the U.S., I would say that it was every day. For tourists, the city is a total attraction, and for locals, the city is their daily life. I spent every day there feeling like I was traveling. What is more, life there meant a lot to me since I became a better me by overcoming my limitations and achieving new goals. I hope my loved ones there are safe and well in the midst of this pandemic. I am looking forward to visiting again once COVID-19 is defeated!

The Author
Park Hyo-eun loves her dog, learning new languages, and her time with friends. She is now working at the Gwangju International Center as a coordinator. Instagram: @hhhhe_p