My name is Sewon. I love collecting stories, meeting people, exchanging snail mail, drinking iced coffee, documenting meals, sharing ideas, and planning/executing adventures.

Maps and Fragments houses photo stories of my personal journeys at home and abroad, a growing book of inspirations, lots of little projects, and (never) too much good food.

Where are you from, and where do you live?
I was born in Taegu, South Korea and raised in Seoul and Virginia. I recently moved from Yunnan to New York.

How did you get started living abroad?
I grew up in the Virginia suburbs and attended college in an even quieter town down south. So when I finished my undergraduate studies, I was determined to move to the biggest cities in the world. First, I ventured out to Mexico City. Then, I was offered a job contract in Shanghai. So I ended up on the other side of the world! You can read more about my adventures here.

What are some of your favorite memories of your adventures?
Eating blowfish in Korea, a warm summer in Beijing, Shanghai’s blue skies, swimming with elephants in Thailand, and the time a bunch of my college friends came to visit me in Mexico!

Do you have advice for people looking to travel abroad?
I tend to plan everything meticulously, but my experiences have taught me to remain flexible and open to unexpected possibilities.

What languages do you speak?
English is my main language, but I also speak Korean and Spanish. I’ve been studying Mandarin Chinese for the past year, and I can read/write/speak at an intermediate level. Feel free to write me in any of those languages!

What kind of camera do you use?
My daily digital camera is Nikon D90. I also use LC-A+, Seagull, and Nikon EM. I have a collection of vintage polaroid cameras, as well. Oh, I love camera talk!

Who designed your blog?
Maps and Fragments is a self-hosted wordpress blog. I customized and edited the Automattic theme. My talented friend Zeolite Fuhrman designed the logo for me.

How can I get in touch with you?
You can find me over at Flickr or Tumblr. If you have any questions or just want to say hello, you can send me an e-mail at collecting maps [at] gmail.com or chat with me on Twitter!

P.S. Thank you for the encouragement: Vociferous Magazine (Jan. 2013), My Life As A Magazine (Jul. 2012), Bonjour Juliette (Feb. 2012), Jenny’s Blog (Feb. 2012), Kelly Zarb Style (Jan. 2012), Crafty Love (Jan. 2012), Feedgeeks (Jan. 2012), Le Petit Bruit (Nov. 2011), My Life As A Magazine (Nov. 2011), There Is No There (Nov. 2011), Walk On The Wild Side (Sept. 2011), Melon Soda (Sept. 2011), Bonjour Johanna (Aug. 2011).