Dyas Blog

After relocating back to Alameda from Tokyo in 2003, Richard and I were drawn back to Asia one year later, to Seoul, Korea, where we could both work within the same company.

Since 2004 we have been living here in Seoul, South Korea.    Richard is working for Asian Tigers Korea and I was a Managing Director for Asian Tiger’s Relocation, a sister company of Asian Tigers.  Soon the pressure from work caught up with me and I resigned from my hectic job and pursued a healthy career by becoming a Pilates Instructor.  Although I still freelance as  Relocation Business consultant, I have more time now to enjoy my creative talents, such as oil painting and jewelry making, while I teach Pilates at New York Wholistic Care in Seoul.

Richard on the other hand, continues to play more tennis when he finds some free time from work.

Living in Seoul is wonderful, but we truly miss our family and friends back home.

Richard and I often ask each other where is home. Is it In California, Philippines, Guam, Portland, and most recently Las Vegas…Seoul? Why Las Vegas, let Richard tell you why?

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Hello, it appears to be my turn….After 8 years of principle being hammered by expediency, it is good to see a thinker in the White House!    Enough on politics…. While I am working hard and enjoy my work immensely, I continue a regimen of tennis twice a week when I can – last week in 20F weather…..hikes in the mountains (Korean for large hills) around our home, weight lifting and walks with Loren when I can get her away from her computer.  Life is good in Seoul and improving all of the time.   We have a world class Mayor that Loren and I have had the opportunity to meet and he is turning the city into a show place….one day Seoul on the Han will carry the same clout as Vienna or Budapest on the Danube. 

For those of you that have actually read this far, Loren mentioned above that I would comment on, “why Las Vegas.”   Over the past 30 years I have enjoyed going to LV for conventions, I could never imagine living there.  That was until we started staying with Joji & Barry near The District in Henderson.   We bought a property close to their home and now have sister Gin with Len and Kepler and his family living in Las Vegas also.   The weather is good on old bones and we can walk to tennis courts, a library, work out complex, coffee shops and restaurants.  Now we just need to find a way to get back to LV….Wishing you all a Healthy and Happy 2010! 

As you probably already heard, Marco opened his Salon Shop for Men, called Chopperz, after leaving his career with Intel in Portland. Marco found his niche in the evolution of the hair salon to just such a place for men.  He said, “We call ourselves a grooming lounge because we encourage our guests to hang out whether or not they are getting a service and we provide them with an environment that encourages them. Not only do we have darts and video games that they can play, beer to drink and TV’s to watch – we take it a step further. We have digital video recorders that record all of the most popular shows, so, if they have missed their favorite show because they were working, they can watch what they missed while they are getting a shave and a haircut.”

Marco and May, both run the shop in Hillsboro, Oregon.  Last year, they took their partnership forward and announced their engagement.  They are planning to get married this coming September.

May, a Mien American, whose ancestry is Indo-Chinese has been Marco’s significant other for many years.  Not only an exceptional hair stylist, she is completing her degree in Nursing.  May is also a very good Asian food chef.  She can whip a meal in minutes.  It is difficult not to gain weight when we visit Marco and May as they are both gourmet food chef/connoisseurs.

It is our pleasure to share with everyone what we have been doing since our last family newsletter. It has been almost 10 years ago now since the last time we created a family newsletter. First and foremost allow us to greet you all a Happy New Year! Trust that your Holiday was a Merry One. Our Christmas was shared with the girls of Sun Duk Won Orphanage in Seoul. We have spent five of the last six Christmas’ with the kids at SunDukWon Orphanage. Santa Richard plays the best part for the kids and so much fun to watch him interact with the children. Enjoy reading the rest of our news and I will do my best to do this once in a year and not every ten years. 

It is wonderful to tap the creative part of my brain and be able to express it in painting and jewelry making.  My First painting, Van Gogh inspired, “The Café”.Second painting is “ Reflect”.  The old pagoda is at the Senkein Garden in Yokohama.  The Spring sun is bringing  life to this ancient pagoda.  

I plan to continue painting and design more jewelries to encourage the creativity in my life. 

In 2009, Richard and I had the opportunity to see friends and stay with family.  New Years Eve last year, we were in the Philippines with cousin Florian’s family, then went to Puerta Galera to join Gerry, Virginia Lane and their son, Jason.  In February , Richard was back to Seoul and I went to Guam and visited Mom, Sis Alita and John’s family and saw old friends, Kathy and Tim Kernaghan and my college friend, Cecile.  Early Spring, Richard and I went to Tokyo, and met with Cindy, Vivian, Janice and Dennis. During the summer, I met with cousins and friends in the Philippines and also had the chance to join Fred, Eva and Andrea during their vacation  in Tagaytay.  While in Manila, I had a reunion with my High School classmates, Loida, Vangie, Maryann, Annette, Dory, Madonna and Teresita.

During Fall, I went to Maryland for a Family reunion and to attend Mitch & Ally’s Wedding and stayed with Fred and Eva, while Richard was with, Hess and Nancy in Lincoln. We met up in Chicago and had a chance to see, Cousin Ben and Carol, Bert and Maryann and the kids.  We visited Joji, Barry and high school classmate, Gen in Henderson, Len ,Ginnie, Kep & Alyse in Las Vegas.  Grace and Oliver kindly shared their home in Walnut Creek while we were in the Bay Area . While visiting Ted, Jan & Quinn in Alameda, , and dinner with Bobbee and Jim in Pleasanton.  From there, Richard and I went to Portland and spent most of our time with Marc and May .  It was lovely to see everyone! Thank you all for your warm hospitality.  Richard and I look forward to seeing you all again soon!

For this year, I plan to travel around the first quarter to Las Vegas, then see Marco and May in Portland to help plan their Wedding.  Perhaps see friends in Tokyo before coming back to Seoul.  Sometime during the year,    Richard and I will use his winning tickets to Hong Kong. Perhaps we can go to Vietnam from there.

For the 3^rd quarter, it’s Marco and May’s wedding, and our 25^th anniversary in Portland.

Soon it will be Christmas Season again, and time to make another newsletter. Time is ticking as I type this newsletter.

Richard and I wish you all a Happy 2010.  May you all have another successful year, continued peace and Joy at home and at work!

 

I took my Stott Pilates training at Vivian Zapanta Training Studio in Manila. It is the only Stott Pilates License Training center in Asia and only 4 hours from Korea.

It was an exhilarating and challenging experience to undergo such training for almost 8 months.  As a pilates trainer, not only am I helping other people become healthier, it also allows Richard and me to stay healthy and young. As my trainer always says, “You are only as young as your healthy spine”. 

Pilates, restores and rebalances your spine.  The result: a balanced and aligned body that looks fit, and feels revitalized and moves with ease. 

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