From Claire Kim (Korea)

Hello,

I'm Claire Kim, Zion's friend from ANU. I spent a year with him as an exchange student in Ursula college, and have kept in contact with him via email ever since. The news of Zion's death has devasted each and every one of us, but I cannot even imagine the pain of what his family is going through. I felt like sharing some of my personal memories with Zion so that we could all cherish the wonderful person he was.

The year I spent in Australia was no doubt the best time of my life, and Zion was the biggest part of it. We'd do everything together - lunch, dinner, movies, bike rides around the lake, fireworks, ski trips, you name it. Zion insisted on taking me to church, so we even went to church together on Sundays.

Zion loved his family. He'd talk alot about his parents, and about his brother studying in tasmania. I'd talk alot about my family too, especially having been homesick at the moment. Once, we stayed up the whole night talking about family. Im sure my story was boring as hell, but he stayed awake and listened to my blabberings. Zion was always a listener, and good company.

Zion didn't like peeling oranges because it left his hands all smelly. I got him an orange peeler, and we sat around in my room trying it out. How we had so much fun peeling a bunch of oranges, i have no idea. He loved it. He appreciated the smallest things.

Zion and I had a chance to travel together through Adelaide during break. we went on this tour to the Kangaroo islands, and by the end of it I got tired and I got really cranky at him. Zion, however, was all smiles and beared with my crankiness.

We once had dinner at an all-you-can-eat pancake place. We snuck in a carton of juice, and took turns drinking it without letting the waitors know. We stuffed ourselves with 5 or 6 pancakes each and walked out feeling like winners.

Once I hurt myself and ended up in the hospital. Zion was the first to come by.

On a Sunday, Zion wanted us to go to church so we could pray for my fast recovery. After the incident, I was depressed and felt like being alone. As I didn't answer his calls, Zion started banging on my dorm room so hard it scared me. A few hours later, he sticked in a card through the door mentioning how sorry he was for banging on the door, and how he couldn't stand the thought of me having a hard time all alone. I cried reading it, and I still do every time I read it.

My mom was in the states with my brother at the time, so once I was back in Korea, I was supposed to live with my dad alone. I told Zion how worried I was about taking care of him, and a few days before my leave, he made me a hand-written cookbook with hundreds of Korean recipes. He'd been stuck in his room with only hours of sleep all along. It was the most thoughful present I received from anybody ever. I still keep it close and think of him from time to time.

At the end of the year, we said our goodbyes in Canberra, but Zion came all the way to Sydney to say his last goodbye. I nearly missed my plane talking to him. While I was as sad as he was, I think I was afraid to show it. I regret not having been like him more, brave and sincere enough to show what I feel.

Now that he is gone, I foolishly realize what an amazing friend he was. I have friends, but I've never had a friend like Zion that loved me and cared for me the way he did. He believed in me more than I believed in myself, and prayed for me more than I prayed for myself. I did nothing for him, and it breaks my heart to realize I have no other chance.

In a letter he wrote, he promised me that he'd be there for me for all the good and bad no matter what. I believe he will keep his promise. From now on, I will thank him for all the good things in life, and rely on him to overcome the bad. I will live my life to the fullest for both of us and make him proud.

Zion and I last talked via email late October. I am sharing his last words with you, I wish it will bring you comfort at mind to know how content with life he was. All in all, I'd like to end my long unorganized bits of thoughts by saying to you, Zion's mom and dad, that I loved your son very much, and I will keep him near and dear to my heart for the rest of my life. Thank you for raising such a wonderful son, I feel blessed to have known him.

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Hi Claire,

HOws' things with you of late? Its real good to hear that you've eased into your workplace pretty well, feeling the warm camaraderie of a small bunch of individuals at work, I really think thats brilliant environment to work in, u know like its hard to imagine work can be made into a more comfortable, organic and complementing your life rather than being something you have to sacrifice your time with. Most work is like that, but if work can be at least half as authentic to how you wanna live your life and not being a drag, it really is a blessing.

Yeah i agree with you asking about the meaning of living a working life of the same thing over and over again, does your firm take up suggestions to implement fun/meaningful/life enhancing activities into your current work? Google seems more staff friendly than most others. Well if you feel the need to move elsewhere, you'll always have your current work experience to back you up, I presume Google has quite a wide range of work for you to do, so that'd surely mix in well with what you've experienced, adding to your collection of experiences when u go for a new job. How bout connection? hehe it always helps to know someone somewhere who might be able to intro u to a new job. What do you wish to experience more while at work or a new job? That might make things clearer.


Thanks for the encouragement. When people say nice things, I usually dont believe that it is true, or what i did wasn't as great as they think and does not deserve that accolade, or that i'm not worthy of receiving it. Its a subconscious perpetuation of self loathing and perfectionism. Haha..but i'll take in as much as i can accept. Especially these days when i;ve been going through lotta self doubt. Its hard to find ppl to talk about this, either ppl dont take it seriously and might be less trustworthy, or are not empathetic, or dont have the right things to say.

Excuse me for the ramblings, back to life here in Brisbane, yea, its pretty fantastic, although i've lost a lot of that spirit of everything is new and exciting even though its a new place. But I'm still adjusting life from small ol Canberra. Canberra no matter what ppl say about it is always unique in its own dry, structured little way, dont u think so? Well you're memory is still pretty good, the street beach is still around, tall buildings, and u forgot, murky river, hahaha..that was my first impression. Best of all is the good weather, i really put my hands up on Canberra, couldnt stand it anymore in terms of its weather. A lot of unproductive days can be attributed to that i reckon. Rite here in terms of the weather i am very very happy indeed. Blue skies almost everyday, plenty of sunshine, no cold to bite yer bum throughout winter and spring. hehe...even winter here is pleasant. Best thing of all, the gold coast is only an hour plus ride away. So its real good.

As for my uni life, october has been my most torrid month, no break assignments one after another.. but i guess it comes with the life as a student. Do you miss bit of uni life? ...have you had any trips lately? Last time u told me bout Your US training, anymore recently? You're quite the traveller so i guess for every travel now and then, i think you enjoy it a lot.

Met some friends over here, its lil tough, entering into uni during sem 2 when ppl are already quite settled with their friends, i guess u understand since u came to college during 2nd sem...i know its not as easy. I just look forward to the coming semester when im more settled and able to meet more ppl at the start of the next yr.

I've been doing a lil exploring here and there, been to their chinatown, nothing spectacular, in fact at nite quite a number of drunk and aggressive aboriginals and drugpusher and prostitute looking ppl hanging about, not very nice sight. Quite sad since most chinatowns ive been to, even though they are small and can be at times a little dirty, but the dodgy ppl u dont get them. i found out many asians dont go so much to the chinatown but rather to another suburb called Sunnybank where the food is cheaper, better and more variety. i'm not much fussy about eating asian food, so its not a problem with me. I live in a suburb which is close to chinese sounding suburb called Toowong, haha...there's even a asian food shop that decided to name it Two Wongs.

The place where there's the st beach and other art centres, is called Southbank. Its a great place as it has good sceneries and well kept walkpaths. There was one day when i was there, and wanted to go to a suburb called West End, i got confused as i was rushing, and went around asking ppl ' do you know if theres a bus that goes to West Bank? West Bank anyone? ' only later realising, i got it all mixed up...watched too much TV news!! West Bank and Gaza in the middle east...no wonder no one knew, there was no West Bank in the first place.! Well i remember that pretty well now not to repeat that again..!


Well thats from my side of late. Before i sign off, happy birthday ! Hope it brings you a new lease of meaningful events into your life and a big smile to your face. I have a mug in front of me, which says, "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined." Thoreau. I think you're living a pretty good life, keep it up!

hugs,

Zi :)