Unwritten

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My phone's been blowing up since this morning. My family and friends have been sending me messages and gifs (not gifTs). It's been two years since I got out from coma and voila! met my friend Amnesia. More like my Frenemy to be honest. Of course because of her (yes I've decided Amnesia's a her) I lost my memories but also because of her I gained a very fascinating set of skills. It's fascinating to the point I was in a documentary-esque kind of tv show. It ran for 7 episodes. TV crew following me around on my doctor appointments (I was removed from the study cause my condition is now outside the parameters of their study). I became fluent in 7 languages albeit in varying degrees. I can carry a conversation in my parents native tongue (they were very happy about this cause apparently I can't before) and French, (sadly butchering French words much to the dismay of my sister who can pronounce them very well but has very limited vocabulary), then flirt in Spanish in a perfect native accent; speak in Mandarin but won't be able to read from a children's book to save my life. Same goes with Hindi with just my pronunciation a lot better. But I can conduct business in Korean, and obviously English.

While we were filming that show I think I must have seen more medical professionals than any average person in their life. The conclusion they arrived at was that at some point in my life I "learned" these languages and depending on how much I was exposed to it, that's how fluent I was. They were stored in my subconscious and being in a coma somehow allowed me access it now.

I wish I "learned" at least one African language, the language with the clicks in particular. I've watched so many videos in that language but my brain said nah. Enough. Most Africans speak multiple languages anyway so wanting to learn it is just me wanting to surprise the hell out of people. See that look on their faces as this girl, looking nothing like your expected native speaker would look like, would speak to them in a different language. So yeah that was selfish.

I'm learning sign language though a much less selfish endeavour I must say. It's going quite well and I've been given a Sign name which is pretty cool. Very confronting though as anyone who's learned sign language knows, your sign name is what's easily noticeable to you. My sign name is pointing to your lower lip. I have a small mole (at least I thought it wasn't that noticeable to be a sign name) right in the centre, that apparently I used to hide very well with lipstick.

That's another thing I learned from my friends and family is that I always wore make up. Working in a corporate environment and me with sort of a baby face I suppose needed to look a little bit more mature so I don't get dismissed.

Since coming out of coma though I don't really have to always wear make up. I still do but more like an everyday look - bb cream, eye liner and lip tint. Most days though, especially when going to my sign language class I'm either bare faced or just have my bb cream and tinted lip balm. Hence they noticed my lip mole - hence my sign name.

Wearing make up is just one of the changes I discovered while I'm on this journey of both finding and recreating, as I'd like to call it, a better version of myself. I've also been told my accent has changed a little when I speak English. Must be all the languages in my head trying to battle it out. I also read a lot now. I always have a book with me, which to be honest i think I've always been like that, judging my flat when I came back from the hospital. There were books everywhere - some with earmarks on them but some were still new in a pile by my bedside. I guess work got in the way so I favoured kdramas. Heh. And that is maybe why my Korean is at this level watching all those CEOs in the kdramas. Winning.

So here I am 2 years later working in an agency that provides services from being a tour guide to a translator and everything in between for international tourists to dignitaries. I can't obviously come back to my previous job or at least at the level I was previously on, as it relies very much on both technical and only-acquired-from-experience kind of skill. And to be honest I didn't want to go back to it. I mean I was sort of given this new life with a gift/skill set that I can use for something new, if not better. The pay is ok and I get to travel a lot giving me all these different experiences that I might have had back then or I wouldn't otherwise have if I didn't have this incident in my life. This really is my second life.

Anyway, my phone's actually ringing now so gotta pick that up and get out of bed. It's a sunny Sunday morning in late Autumn and it's starting to get chilly. It's peak season soon with people hitting the slopes or just enjoying the snow capped alps in winter in this side of the country. I fell in love with it in Autumn when I came to visit after my hospital stint. A brief chat with my shuttle driver convinced me this is where I should rebuild. He himself moved after visiting this place. And apparently he's not the only one in town who moved here after a visit to this place. They're not wrong. I love this place and I love the snow! I hate the cold though which is ironic cause this place is winter wonderland! I guess it's ok as long as there's snow.

"Hi Nina! Haven't heard from you in ages. How are you?"

Nina is one of the production crew in that tv show I did. We became friends not only cause we're the same age but also because I speak Korean. She missed Korea terribly and in our side of town there's not much Koreans.

"I know! I've been quite busy. I'm working on this new show and you know how my brother and his wife migrated so I've been helping them out."

Nina got promoted to a senior role since we met and she's been doing really well. She's also worked with Korean tv shows who wants to shoot something here. Sort of like a Korean correspondent.

"I sent you side dishes though did you get it? Or did you move again?!"

"No I didn't move and yes I got them. I texted you or called you I think."

"Yeah you probably have. Look I know it's you're anniversary but I also know you get a lot of messages during this time but that won't stop me from greeting you too. Congrats on your 2nd year of your 2nd life!"

"Thank you! But I also know that's not the only reason you're calling."

I know Nina. This took a lot for her to be cutesy and sentimental. Her love language is service the same as mine. I actually consider her as my closest friend. We're the same inside but different on the outside. I guess that's why it works for us.

"Cool! So I got contacted by this company in Korea. One of their producers, like not a show producer but music, albums you know, is going on a business trip there and they need a translator. It's just him, his manager and 3 in his security team . No one speaks English. He seems to be a big name like a Korean JayZ or something so of course they haven't told me who it is. They will need someone for about 3 weeks. You think you can run this by your company? They requested someone who won't know him so they said someone old. LOL. He apparently has a large fan base and some can be very enthusiastic to put it nicely. You're not old but I think you fit the bill considering your lack of knowledge in pop culture. No offense."

"Non taken." I laughed. Nina's my source of pop culture info so she knows. "And just to support that further, who is JayZ?"

"OMG! You know Beyoncé right?" I nodded as if she can see me. "That's her husband"

"Of course. I remember. And yeah sure I'll bring it up. You know when?"

"Not yet but I'll come back to you on that, just need to make sure you want to take it before I recommend you to them. Then they will tell me the deets. Moving on, what have you been up to?"

We chatted for a bit until Nina got another phone call. She's been really busy lately that we didn't really have time to catch up. I reminded her to email me the details later so I can send it to our office tomorrow and start planning and book hotels and stuff. Our company pretty much organises everything from pick up at the airport to the hotel and everything in between. We do more especially for VIP clients like what this one is going to be. I'll know how busy I'll be once I get the details about this business trip. I'm guessing it'll be lots of meetings to be set up, a lot of dinner parties and drinks since they're in the music industry. I just hope this producer isn't an ass or arrogant. I sighed thinking that's a possibility just based on my previous experience with anyone in that industry. Can't blame them. They need to toot their own horn if they want to be noticed. It's such a competitive industry.

Anyway enough of that I'm going to enjoy my weekend and head out to get some groceries.