CURRENT MISSION

be grateful.

ABOUT ME

I want to write something and have it be read, and mulled over, and cherished and repeated to someone else in the warmth of their bed, late at night. I want to get on the bus and hear someone sigh, turn around, smile, and have that person smile back- feeling a little less alone in the world.

I want it all to matter.

My name is Joy Um. I am like you, in at least one way. If we were to meet, I'm sure we could part ways as friends.

PHILOSOPHY

"no one can make you feel inferior without your consent" -E. ROOSEVELT

"It takes a night to make it dawn
And it takes a day to make you young brother
And it takes some old to make you young
It takes some cold to know the sun
It takes the one to have the other

And it takes no time to fall in love
But it takes you years to know what love is
And it takes some fears to make you trust
It takes those tears to make it rust
It takes the dust to have it polished" -JASON MRAZ

"Vincent: You are the authority on what is not possible, aren't you Irene? They've got you looking for any flaw, that after a while that's all you see. For what it's worth, I'm here to tell you that it is possible. It is possible. " -GATTACA

"“When you throw a stone into the water, it falls quickly by the fastest route to the bottom of the pond. This is the way it is when Siddhartha has an aim, an intension. Siddhartha does nothing – he waits, he thinks, he fasts – but he passes through the things of the world like the stone through the water, without bestirring himself. He is drawn forward and he lets himself fall. His goal draws himself to it, for he lets nothing enter his mind that interferes with the goal. This is what Siddhartha learned from the shramanas. This is what fools call magic, thinking that it is brought about by demons. Nothing is brought about by demons; demons do not exist. Anyone can do magic, anyone can reach his goals if he can think, wait, and fast."

DARE TO HAVE FAITH.

Interests

writing, reading, connecting, cooking, non-cooking, eating, sleeping, exploring, getting lost, getting excited, getting scared, falling in love, getting over it, moving on, looking back, looking forward, finding new things, rediscovering the past, going on walks, going on drives, talking on the phone like a 12 year old girl from the 90s, writing letters, gardening, giving up on gardening and buying potted plants, drawing, drinking, singing, dancing like i can, riding the bus, running angry, sewing.

• writing
• singing
• dancing
• cooking
• running
• drinking
• gardening
• reading
• drawing
• magic
• surfing
• teaching

Music, Movies, and Books

BOOKS
amy tan, f. scott fitzgerald, khaled hosseini, charles dickens, douglas adams, donald trumbo, homer, elizabeth gilbert, edgar allen poe, shakespeare, herman hesse, sylvia plath, chuck palahnick, JK Rowling, Madelene L'engle, nick hornby, ayn rand- it's all good fellas, READ READ READ READ!

MOVIES
Gattaca, My Fair Lady, Star Wars, Just Wright, Finding Nemo, Big Fish, Avatar, La Belle Vita, Thirst, Contact, Tae Guk Gi, Old Boy, A Beautiful Mind, Down With Love, The Pianst, Fight Club etc etc etc

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

the first time my mom and i had a REAL conversation after she busted me in the car outside with my then boyfriend the year my dad got sick. we both cried. and i mean WAILED. for the first time in front of eachother. I was 19.

Teach, Learn, Share

"This is the beginnings of the future CouchSurfing University, a school where everyone's a student and everyone's a teacher. Surfing isn't just about a place to sleep. It's about exchange. From esoteric knowledge to practical skills, you have special knowledge that others will benefit from knowing. Include one, or even a couple of items here that you might be able to share - and maybe something you want to learn! We hope that this will contribute to strengthening the quality of this wonderful community. Teach. Learn. Share. Let's do this."

i really couldnt have said it better myself.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan

Countries I’ve Lived In

South Korea, United Kingdom, United States