Not Your Average Woman: Audrey Sim

Here’s a feature of another woman who has taken the road less travelled. Miss Audrey Sim is 32 years old and has just finished a stint as a flexi-adjunct teacher (a job she’s more than qualified for). As a former school teacher myself, I think it’s a very clever move as she has been getting almost the same salary as regular teachers but with 100% less administrative work and almost half the work-load. What a great scheme!

As this post is being published, she is on her way to Korea. Not just for a holiday, mind you. The last time she was there for a 2-week long holiday, she ended up staying almost 18 months. And then to keep herself afloat, set up an online shop selling CDs to K-pop/drama fans overseas and worked at the hostel she originally checked herself into.

This is not the story of an irresponsible woman who has no care for the world nor a rich, spolit brat who doesn’t need to work. Audrey’s love affair for Korea started in 2009 with the pretty faces (Kim Hyun Bin, I think) in K-dramas and has led her to Korea in 2011 to catch a 2AM concert, then missing her flight back to Singapore and in Audrey-fashion, making the best of the fiasco by staying on in the country for an adventure that lasted a whole year and a half.

This time though, the former school teacher is heading back to Korea for 3 months (or more) to learn the Korean language and she hopes to be proficient enough to read and write in Korean.

The elder of 2 sisters, Audrey has never felt pressured by her parents to conform to any Asian stereotypes. In fact, she says that her mother doesn’t believe that she owes anyone an explanation of how she leads her life. How open minded and awesome is that?

Audrey graduated from the National University of Singapore’s Theatre Studies programme and headed to the National Institute of Education for teacher training. She spent the next 3 years teaching English and Literature in government institutions before finding that “the system” didn’t do anything for her. The following year she left the service and went to teach at enrichment centres as well as tutor privately before that fateful holiday to Korea.

Audrey loves K-drama and she’s part of a widespread fan community that spans Singapore and Malaysia. She and her other fellow fans translate movies and serials from Korean to Chinese, Chinese to English (subtitling) for the benefit of the general public. Something they do out of love and for practically nothing.

Following this 3 month Korean language course she’s headed for, Audrey has many ideas up her sleeves including possible money-spinning business ones which she hopes her love for K-drama, K-pop and the skills in the language will give her a good foundation for. She is definitely not your run-of-the-mill, corporate Zombie type. Here’s a woman who is not bogged down by society’s demands and sees opportunities wherever she turns!

Fashion and style-wise, Audrey is something else too. Read on and make your own judgement:

• What is your dress/shoe size? 18-20 UK/ shoe size really depends on cuts but 41 is a safe bet.

• Describe Your Style Mostly a lot of mix-and-match. Really into dresses right now. And I like clothes that I can make the most out of, like a skirt that can double up as a top too. But no matter what I wear, it must be something that I’m confident of pulling off.
  

• What do you normally wear to work or a work event/meeting? Smart casual. My former job as a teacher didn’t allow for a lot of creativity though I still try to inject a little bit of spunk here and there.

• Where and how do you shop? Usually online. Plus size shops like Big and Beautiful. I go to thrift shops too. Because they actually carry plus sizes without crippling my savings account.

• What are your favourite things to buy? Shoes. I am a shoe addict. I believe that shoes completes the look of an outfit.

• What are your favourite brands or shops? I don’t really have a favourite brand or shop. Because it’s hard enough to find plus size clothes. We don’t really have the option to be picky.

• How do you dress on your blah-days? If I’m going to stay home, I’d most probably be in my sleepwear. If I’m out but feeling blah, I just won’t put on make-up. Not even the basic.

• When you were 12, what did you imagine your life would be like at your current age. Probably married with 2 kids. I have always wanted to be a housewife. It’s a notion that none of my friends believe. I don’t believe in that anymore too. Now, I just want to travel and experience as much as I can. Not wanderlust but the notion of settling down is unsettling to me.

So good luck, Audrey! See you on the flipside! Best of luck with your Korean language course and hope you find a business partner to help you fulfill your dreams!!