I've moved on...
...to a different domain. Why, what were you thinking? The truth is, I just woke up one day and decided it's time for a change—a metamorphosis, if you will; or, in layman's terms, if Britney can shave her head, then maybe so can I? Nevertheless, it's been a rather handsome 10 years of talking to you, and thank you for putting up with all my moodswings and terrible dad jokes. Fear not! The hormonal imbalance and jokes are more terrible on CUBICLE, see you there.

Coat – Kobra x Anywho @ Warsaw Airport

As an inherent motormouth I’ve had a hard time the past few months holding onto this exciting information, and last week I did yelp on Facebook, but the plan was to head to New York for fashion week to cover for two really great sponsors. Despite the accent as some may have noticed in the Next video I have never actually been to the US, and undoubtedly this would’ve made a rather pleasant first visit… Until my visa was rejected by the US embassy in London. So I booked an urgent flight to Warsaw to reapply from there seeing that my ‘socio-economic ties’ were stronger there, but again, refused. It’s been a rollercoaster ride, both emotionally and physically – packing for an 11-day trip, anticipating new adventures, climbing up and down through the clouds into snowy Warsaw but finally admitting defeat and flying straight back into windy London… I’m not dismissing possibility that God wanted me away from something bad from happening during the trip, but it could’ve simply been the fact that maybe I’ve deified this blog too much lately and neglected on other virtues and a self-glorifying trip maybe wasn’t a great idea. As a South Korean a US visa should not have been a problem to attain, so whatever the reason, I’ve decided to regard this whole situation as a form of life lesson – whether in short or long run, one that ultimately awards a step forward.

Speaking of lessons, on my flight back into London I was sandwiched in between two rows of wailing devil babies, and 50 minutes into the flight I ripped out my earphones that were clearly useless and decided to just wail with them. I say it’s never too early for reverse-psychology lessons.

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40 Comments

  1. i see what u mean, although with my nationality i may not have such problems to travel. eu-citizen living in a non-eu-country, but one soon to be.
    but dont give up. you must be a fighter

  2. How disappointing for you! But you have such a positive attitude toward the whole situation. And your coat is (unsurprisingly) killer!

    By the way, you have a beautiful accent! I love that all the countries you’ve lived in are embedded in it. But I’m an English teacher so I tend to fixate on things like that.

    s.

  3. ‘UNLIKE’
    Ah man I sympathises you. Seriously, what is up with the US system or the Visa Waier Program crap? I really don’t get it, I thought it’d be easier to apply for US visa with a S.Korean passport….ah I dunno dude.

  4. P.s next time if you wanna block those devil babies cries, invest a Zumreed headphones (Lee Min Ho was face of Zumreed ;P ) they’re great for blocking out noise….AMAZING!!!! x

  5. I hope you gave those awful babies a lesson or 2 haha!!! Love the picture from the plane and your coat, the oversized-ness of it is great


    Bow Dream Nation xx

  6. wow! After watching the Next video–you DO sound like an American (although I can hear a tiny bit of the Londoner accent). I’m sorry that the US embassy rejected your visa, that really blows. I’m from New York and lately there’s a LOT of crazy stuff happening (but what crazy stuff doesn’t happen in NYC?). God probably did save you from something disastrous!

    :D

  7. It would have been terrific to watch your take on NYFW but I do believe everything happens for a reason. So sorry you had to do all that running around for nothing. Its inspiring to see you be so positive about it. God has greater things in store for your girlie. And who knows, next season perhaps? It’ll be way warmer then anyway ;)

  8. on the bright side… you’re a total BABE.

    PS I hate babies.
    PPS Not babes.
    PPPS I have a creepy feeling we are going to see eachother soon
    PPPPS like when I knock on your window in 20 minutes

  9. im sorry to hear that.
    im canadian so i guess i’ve never thought about going to the US would be a problem but once upon a time im chinese so yes i did think about that a lot then

    when i flew to beijing i sat next to a baby, for 10 hours. TEN HOURS
    it was alright though, she didn’t cry very much but only stared at me while i read which was very distracting but not a bad thing

    haha, i hope you get to go to the US sometime soon :D

  10. i’m sorry you weren’t able to go to new york; the bureaucracy of international traveling is such a pain (insert idealistic thoughts of how we’re all citizens of the world, etc.)
    i really admire the lengths you went to – you’re a fighter!

  11. Isn’t it crazy when you think about how one little book can change/ control your entire life? It’s great you are trying to be positive about this situation, it’s the only way to be. Perhaps something better will come along during this time.

  12. Sorry to hear about your visa woes :(
    God must have bigger and better plans for you. I do hope you are able to visit the US (and maybe Canada) sometime!

  13. Lela

    Wait, but what makes you more significant than all those new yorkers that God couldn’t spare?

  14. Nah it’s really not selective sparing, I’m no better in God’s eyes than anyone else in NY. Hypothetically speaking, if doom is impending and you knew it then wouldn’t you want to prevent more from being in it, whoever it is?

    I don’t mean to warn DOOM in NY. It could be a brick falling from a building onto my head or a humiliating incident at NYFW. Who knows, at least I know God has different plans for me through this. Maybe it’s nothing in NY and great things in London.
    x

  15. Lela

    @Shini,

    Ahhh, okay. I read your reply to the post below – just wanna say I’m a huge fan of yours too, and was just befuzzled when I read that bit in your post because it didn’t seem like you at all.

    Keep up the blogging, it’s wonderful <3

  16. you’re right….everything happens for a reason..and i do think that its a shame this…this visa thingy…(sometimes i wonder how those sitting behind the desks checking though all those applications decides whom to dissapoint)not personally of course…
    anyhow..there’s always next time…and you’ll probably end up having some fun in london itself..!!!!
    bisous…

  17. I am still bumming a bit that I wont get to see your photos from NYFW. I’m so sorry it didn’t work out Shini but I so admire your attitude about it. You know, I always think that it’s best to learn what you can from an experience no matter how much it might feel like it sucks at the time.

    Just think of this as an extreme version of playing hard to get… those great sponsors will want you even more next season and probably give you an upgrade.

    p.s. those NYs better watch out… clearly you aren’t actually wishing impending doom on anyone in the city (duh).

    xx

  18. Aww bless you Shini! I’m sorry it didn’t work out. It doesn’t make any sense, but it’s their loss never the less!

    It would be super duper creepy if something did happen in NY at the time you were supposed to be there O_O

  19. How disappointing, and I’m sorry to read this :( The visa gods can be confusing. I’ve not been to the US either, but wonder if I’d have trouble entering the country because I’ve been to so many eastern European countries. I’m sure border control would look at the Belarussian visa in my passport with suspicion.

  20. Omgsh Shini, I saw your tweet about it on twitter… I think I would just be crushed a little too :(
    But it’s ok, I’m SURE you will have better opportunities in the near future ^_^

  21. So sorry to hear about the visa! Travel is such a pain when small things can ruin the entire trip, oh well we live and learn xx

  22. LOL at the wailing with the infants!

    I’m sorry to hear about your visa issues. I’m sure there’s a bigger reason behind it – maybe not that NY is going to experience something bad (!!) but that there’s something good for you waiting in London at around that time. You never know. :)

  23. Oh my… what a terrible story. I am sorry for you but as you kind of indicated, maybe it’s in God plans.

  24. On the last photo you look so sad…

  25. Aw I’m so sorry it didn’t work out. The entire visa process is so awful. I’m sure you’ll get other opportunities to go though!

  26. Sorry to hear! That just sucks! I am afraid of the same thing happening to me every time i fly to the US. And i am very suspicious too!

  27. Just say that you’re visiting friends, whatever the reason – don’t say anything more. Try not to show any possibility that you’ll consider staying there permanently as an immigrant, so even if you’re visiting your bf for example, don’t tell them that :P

  28. You’re so right… everything happens for a reason, even if at the time (or ever) we don’t see what it is, and feel hurt/down/rejected during the moment… but ur doing so well in staying positive so I applaud u for that!

    :: Farrah @ DISTRIKMODE ::

  29. Yao

    Hi Shini,

    I’ve been reading your blog for a while and am a fan of both your writing and photography, but your comment about your inability to obtain a visa portending something bad for those of us who live in New York rubs me the wrong way. Isn’t it more than a little solipsistic to believe that whatever prevented you from coming to NY is ultimately for your benefit and your benefit alone?

  30. Hi Yao, yarh I realised later it might’ve sounded like that, sorry! (edited…)
    Absolutely didn’t mean to imply that because something doesn’t happen to me it’ll possibly happen to someone else, that does sound really selfish… At the same time I wouldn’t write something like hey I did all that annoying, costly SHEBANG to get a visa and in the end I didn’t get it so it must have happened because God was preventing NY from receiving me (or for the benefit of anyone else) if you know what I mean. In all seriousness, apologies – I know how I’d feel if someone wrote something like that about London, I’d probably stab them for being so inconsiderate.
    x

  31. Joy.Y

    It is really refreshing to read how you blog about your life encounters apart from fashion stuff. You know, especially when one is so into the fashion world, it can be really tough to feel grounded and real in times like this. It’s great that you are able to take it in your strike. At least you have come to terms with it. Maybe it is just me, I do felt that really grounded and successful bloggers are hard to come by these days. Continue on your great blog! The faithful shall be bless.

  32. Oh, I’m sorry. Maybe next time…

  33. Visa woes are a common tale for those of us that happen to be born somewhere else. But don’t worry, everything happens for a reason. Bigger things are on the way.

  34. no worries, shin. you don’t sound american, you sound canadian. though you’ve never been there either i’m sure (wink)

  35. My mother always told me when the worst gets you down crying about it won’t solve a thing well I only half agree a little cry clears your head, and releases those emotions that allow you to roll with the punches, which you have done. You are amazing at what you do, and another amazing opportunity will come, this just wasn’t your time. xx

  36. Demian

    Cheer up! Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Jackie Speier said “success is never final and failure is never fatal.” I hope this helps you =]. Here’s her lecture at Stanford University: http://ecorner.stanford.edu/authorMaterialInfo.html?mid=1680. This is one of those life changing lectures, so I strongly recommend it to you.

  37. Sorry to hear about your visa woes, if it’s any consolation that was a beautifully written post.

  38. I adore your pictures ! love your blog..

  39. Amy

    Talk about a positive spin, i like your style and your blog, such a clean layout.

  40. […] la la la’. The first quarter of 2011 (around NYFW) I was on a crusade to attain a US visa, that eventually nobody would give, and since then I was genuinely convinced I would not set foot on American soil unless by sailing […]