California is an easy place to be an Asian woman engineer.

Yi So-Yeon

Categorized in : Engineer Place Woman Easy

On Earth, men are seen as superior because of their physical strength, but it means nothing in space, where there is no gravity.

nothing space strength men

I felt so free in space, flying around and unrestrained by any social relationships, but my life since has changed a lot. Now I am extra-careful about what I say and do because everyone recognises me.

i-am my-life me life

They gave me 18 experiments to complete in my 10 days in the ISS. That's a lot. Everyone told me I didn't have to complete all of them, that it wasn't expected of me. But I knew everyone was watching me, so I gave up meals and sleep and completed all 18 experiments. It's a very Korean thing to do.

everyone watching me sleep

There is something addictive in space that makes you want to go back - like the mountain climbers who want to go back to the Himalayas although their fingers were cut by frostbite.

back you mountain space

I cannot believe I became some kind of hero. I'm just a common Korean woman.

woman some hero believe

I will try and make peace between North and South Korea.

south-korea will try peace

I will do my best to support science in Korea and space programs in Korea.

best support space science

I've decided to study the MBA, as it's crucial to have comprehensive knowledge of business administration and management in running science technology institutes as well as making science-related policies.

technology business science knowledge

It's not uncommon in South Korea for a building to not have a women's bathroom.

south-korea bathroom women building

Only in space did I realize how lucky I am to be Korean. Only in Korea could I have gone to space before turning 30 years old.

realize i-am lucky space

If you ask me what's harder, being famous or flying to space, I'd say fame is much harder.

me you flying space

I feel bad that I'm the one always blamed for the failure of the space business - even though there are problems with government policy toward the space business.

feel failure government business