As the story has it, one day I headed to the opposite side of the globe – the Flipside. I arrived in Korea February 16th, 2005 and thought I’d do a year, then leave. I was wrong. I stayed, launched my first company, Flipside Fitness, and then opened Korea's largest boxing club, Hulk's Boxing (now called Hulk's Club).

After 11.5yrs in Korea, I then picked up one day and returned to Toronto, Canada. But then I left again.

Now I live in the Philippines where I am the CEO and head coach of Empowered Clubhouse, the Philippines' first and only boxing clubhouse exclusively just for women. I also am the founder of the Lil' Sistas Project, CEO and designer of Slay Gear and Baa Baa Black Sheep .Ph.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

KBS Comes to Hulk's to Interview Little Me... Wednesday, April 15

Work started at 9am for me and was kicked into full gear as soon as I hear Kato's voice at the end of the club and I was standing at the back of the club in just one of Snickers' shirts.  The guys, Snickers and Kato, wanted to work a bit on Phase 2 while I wanted to clean up the club for my KBS interview today.  I was anticipated the KBS crew to come around 11am so I only had two hours to clean plus shower and get ready.  We clean the club everyday but with KBS coming, I wanted to do a thorough cleaning of the "private spaces" of our club -- the back rooms and bedroom that our members don't have access to.  It definitely was nice to have Kato here with us because after he and Snickers worked on Phase 2, I then grabbed him to help me clean the club mirrors; I hate cleaning the club mirrors.

When 11:20am rolled around and still no KBS crew, I called them.

I had told them the other day if they wanted to come a bit later they could.  We open up at 2pm but with kids back in school, on regular school hours, and all our other members ending work usually around 5/6pm, members don't really show up until 5:30pm.  Turns out they had decided to come later but I wasn't told.  No worries.  It was nice to get the cleaning done and then have an unexpected breather.  

Uncle Coffee break!!!

When the KBS crew showed up, there were 5 of them -- two men and three ladies.  We all sat down by the front juice bar heater and then they set up a video camera to record the interview.  Wow came by to show his support and that was really sweet.  I ended up giving them all a tour of the club, showing them all the staff-only parts of the club and explaining various aspects of our club, like our crossfit board and our four-legged live-in security (Pac, Balboa and Pyen).  

Then the questions started.  

The questions ranged from the expected like why did I come to Korea and do I have a fight coming up, to the more personal like do I get along with my mother-in-law, do I have a plan to have a baby, and why don't I meet up with friends often.  Many of the questions I had been asked and answered in the phone interview but it was nice to be able to expand upon my answers and have follow-up questions.  

The interview was definitely a success and it lasted an hour and a half.  They had brought along a translator to help out but for the most part I was good sticking to Korean only.

They came, they asked questions, and I answered.  I made them laugh and I think I made them rethink what it means for me to be a foreigner living here in their country.  I know I made them fall in love with Snickers and my love story, it's so cheesy romantic that most people do.  I'm proud to be living here in Korea, I love Korea, but I'm just as proud to be living here as I am proud to be a foreigner here who has Koreanized.  I've really come into my own here and I'm definitely not the girl I came here as.  I'm not 100% a foreigner anymore but I'll never 100% be a Korea.  I am 100% a Cheonanite.

Now to play the waiting game and wait out to hear if they pick me for their documentary.

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