Yeson voice feminization surgery

[Jennygirl]

Thanks for the advice!

I rarely drink and quit smoking cigarettes before HRT. I also quit smoking weed when I scheduled my surgery to make sure that my throat is in the best shape it can be.

Getting sick is really my worst fear at this moment but I will hopefully be ok! I'm actually the healthiest I've ever been in my adult life and have been keeping up on my diet/exercise/vitamins. I've been taking lypospheric vitamin C but I'll look into those other supplements as well.

That's super great! And no problem for the advice

Can't wait to hear your before / after examples- as I'm sure you can't either!

The wait period before I could really start using my voice was brutal... I wanted to hear it sooo bad!

[abbyt89]

That's super great! And no problem for the advice

Can't wait to hear your before / after examples- as I'm sure you can't either!

The wait period before I could really start using my voice was brutal... I wanted to hear it sooo bad!

'

I'm sure it was - which just means I'll have to indulge in some retail therapy while I'm there! 

Speaking of which did you spend any time around Gangnam or no because your hotel was in Myeong-dong? Just curious what the shopping is like there.

[Jennygirl]

'

I'm sure it was - which just means I'll have to indulge in some retail therapy while I'm there! 

Speaking of which did you spend any time around Gangnam or no because your hotel was in Myeong-dong? Just curious what the shopping is like there.

Yes the shopping is great in Gangnam, too. Myeongdong was a bit more affordable as Gangnam seemed to be focused more on higher end boutique fashion. But there are still places like Forever21 and other chains that are really affordable. I went on a spree there.

Myeongdong was my favorite for clothes shopping, although a bit overwhelming at first. If I go again (and I'm considering going again with Rowan when she goes to Yeson), I have a feeling I will tear it up in Myeongdong!! Still, it was great the first time. It's a lot though... shoulder to shoulder people and shops / restaurants stacked 3 stories tall.

I found Insadong to be absolutely wonderful for shopping as well. Tons of little trinket and jewelry shops along the main strip. I found one woman who makes hand made ceramic necklaces / bracelets / earrings and I fell in love. I had to go back to Insadong to buy 4 more pieces from her... one was not enough! I was so happy when I found her shop again!

[Jennygirl]

Also something else I meant to note...

As an average height MtF shopping in Korea, it was really hard to find clothes that fit properly unless I went to chains that were in America, too. At least for me, a lot of the Korean fashion didn't seem to work at all with my somewhat broad shoulders and slightly taller body. Also, I didn't really even bother looking for shoes. Maybe next time I will look harder for shops that carry larger than a size 9.

I started out being frustrated by it, but then realized that I don't so much prefer the Korean style for myself anyway. It didn't really fit with my fashion formula as well as I thought it would. Maybe round 2 will be better.

[abbyt89]

Also something else I meant to note...

As an average height MtF shopping in Korea, it was really hard to find clothes that fit properly unless I went to chains that were in America, too. At least for me, a lot of the Korean fashion didn't seem to work at all with my somewhat broad shoulders and slightly taller body. Also, I didn't really even bother looking for shoes. Maybe next time I will look harder for shops that carry larger than a size 9.

I started out being frustrated by it, but then realized that I don't so much prefer the Korean style for myself anyway. It didn't really fit with my fashion formula as well as I thought it would. Maybe round 2 will be better.

I figured, I'm 5'8" and I've been steadily losing weight so don't really want to spend much on clothes to begin with until I'm closer to my goal weight. I mostly planned on shopping for bags and jewelry and definitely all the wonderful korean skincare products out there.

[Jennygirl]

I figured, I'm 5'8" and I've been steadily losing weight so don't really want to spend much on clothes to begin with until I'm closer to my goal weight. I mostly planned on shopping for bags and jewelry and definitely all the wonderful korean skincare products out there.

Yeah I'm almost exactly the same height so that's a good plan of attack!

You are going to have a lovely shopping experience! Tons of great jewelry. I will warn you though, it does start to look the same sometimes at the street vendor level. That just means it's time to hop on a subway and head to a different part of the city

[smile_jma]

If you want shoes...Itaewon would be the place to go since that is kind of like "foreign town" and there's a "Gay hill / trans hill" (tons of gay bars/trans bars) there so, some of the shops cater to us.. Not the best, but you should find things that will fit. Gangnam is more for the richer folk, where myeongdong isn't, more for the normal person/tourist. Don't be afraid of underground shopping either.

You'll have NO problem with the Korean makeup here, there are stores like there are starbucks in the US. They're that numerous.

...I'm not sure what else...
What are your plans on getting from the airport to your hotel?

[abbyt89]

If you want shoes...Itaewon would be the place to go since that is kind of like "foreign town" and there's a "Gay hill / trans hill" (tons of gay bars/trans bars) there so, some of the shops cater to us.. Not the best, but you should find things that will fit. Gangnam is more for the richer folk, where myeongdong isn't, more for the normal person/tourist. Don't be afraid of underground shopping either.

You'll have NO problem with the Korean makeup here, there are stores like there are starbucks in the US. They're that numerous.

...I'm not sure what else...
What are your plans on getting from the airport to your hotel?

Well, I would like shoes but I honestly don't think I'll be able to find anything in my size (11 W) while I'm there and it'll just end up making me depressed lol.

And by underground shopping do you mean literally underground like COEX? Are there other places like that?

The surgery center offers a free shuttle to and from the airport, but if my flight is late or something I planned on just taking a bus.

[Jennygirl]

The surgery center offers a free shuttle to and from the airport, but if my flight is late or something I planned on just taking a bus.

Ha.. what?! They musta just started offering that.

I took the express train from the airport into Seoul. It was pretty cool- although a private shuttle would have been very nice!

At the very least it was a nice introduction into all of the stares we would be receiving from locals

Apparently it is socially a-ok to stare at people end over end there... So don't feel alarmed if it seems like people are just gazing at you constantly.

smile_jma / barbie- is this true? One of the english speaking friends that we met up with told us about that. We were never quite sure if it was true or not, though.

[Jennygirl]

Also I just did my vocal function exercises and I think my pitch is starting to elevate a little... I'm gaining a little on the high end. This morning I was able to hit a Bb4 at volume.

Still feels like a far cry from my goal of F5 which I can only currently get through the "squeak register"

[abbyt89]

Ha.. what?! They musta just started offering that.

I took the express train from the airport into Seoul. It was pretty cool- although a private shuttle would have been very nice!

At the very least it was a nice introduction into all of the stares we would be receiving from locals

Apparently it is socially a-ok to stare at people end over end there... So don't feel alarmed if it seems like people are just gazing at you constantly.

smile_jma / barbie- is this true? One of the english speaking friends that we met up with told us about that. We were never quite sure if it was true or not, though.

Heh yeah the e-mail said:

Additional free service:
※  Airport pick-up & drop off service are available from Monday to Friday if your flight arrival and departure time is between10:00am~05:00pm.
(The service is not provided for 2nd visit. If needed, it's an additional charge.)
※  Seoul city tour 1 time 


I'm fine with the stares - everyone I know who's been there has said the same thing. You never felt unsafe or anything there did you? I'm just a little bit nervous since I'll be alone.

Also I just did my vocal function exercises and I think my pitch is starting to elevate a little... I'm gaining a little on the high end. This morning I was able to hit a Bb4 at volume.

Still feels like a far cry from my goal of F5 which I can only currently get through the "squeak register"

If I'm looking that up right that's about 494hz? And is that not in falsetto? Do you remember what you could hit without falsetto prior to the surgery?

Sorry for 21 questions but right now I can hit about 320hz before I have to slip in falsetto and was curious about how far my range might extend.

[barbie]

Thanks for the advice!

I am very, very used to that kind of weather though. It sounds exactly how it is here in Maryland during the summers. Today it's 97F with humidity bringing the heat index up to 110F. Ughhh.

I once lived in both Maryland and Seoul. I think Seoul is more humid than the most part of Maryland, and above all, the air is not so much clean in Seoul while the air in Mayland and DC is far cleaner. Sweating with dirty air is not so much pleasant to me. A good news is that 110F is too high and rare in Seoul. If it rains, it will be better. There are direct flights from D.C. to Seoul, saving a lot of flight time.

barbie~~

[barbie]

Heh yeah the e-mail said:

Additional free service:
※  Airport pick-up & drop off service are available from Monday to Friday if your flight arrival and departure time is between10:00am~05:00pm.
(The service is not provided for 2nd visit. If needed, it's an additional charge.)
※  Seoul city tour 1 time 


I'm fine with the stares - everyone I know who's been there has said the same thing. You never felt unsafe or anything there did you? I'm just a little bit nervous since I'll be alone.

A lot of people in Seoul may stare at you, because Korea is basically a homogeneous country in its ethnicity. Seoul is better than other cities of Korea, because Seoul people tend to have seen many foreigners. Still, some people, especially aged women, study me when I visit Seoul.

I just returned from Slovenia. A lot of people at the airport watched and stared at me, although I was just wearing a plain black one-piece dress with flat sandals. I am accustomed to it. Even a few men try to speak to me, and mostly I do not understand their language.

Seoul is one of the safest cities in the world, but it is always smart to be cautious in any place. Subway train is the fastest way to reach your hotel, but you may have to change the train two or three times. You have better study a little bit the subway lines of Seoul. There are limousine buses from the airport to the downtown area of Seoul, usually taking more than 1 hour, but you do not need to change to another bus. Both subway train and bus run late at night, and you can take it whenever you arrive at the airport.

If you purchase a prepaid card in convenient stores near the airport, you can use it for both subway trains and public buses, including the limousine. I think a 10,000 won (ca. US$ 9) would be enough for your commuting in Seoul.

The maximum women's shoe size is usually US 9 or 255 mm in Korea (http://www.i18nguy.com/l10n/shoes.html). My size is 265 mm, and I usually order online. Two days ago, I tried to purchase high heel sandals at a mall in Ljubljana, Slovenia, but the maximum size was mostly women's 39 US 8 1/2 or 251 mm).

And, I do not like shoes and clothes in Korea. They are more expensive, considering the quality and price. Whenever I visit the U.S., I purchase a bunch of clothes at Walmart or Target. The quality and price is far better than most Korean stores. For example, I still wear a pair of athletic leggings I purchased at Target in 2003. The price was just $5. Similar items cost > $200 in Korea, and I am not quite sure how long I will be able to wear them.

For shopping, I think cheap handbags will be fine to be purchased in Seoul.

barbie~~

[Jennygirl]

That's great info barbie!

It seemed to me and my friend that the fashion rotates so frequently that the clothes aren't really meant to be worn more than a few times. I did most of my clothes shopping at international chains that seemed to have a somewhat selected style. The quality issue with korean made clothing was evident, but there were definite exceptions in certain areas. Regardless, it was all fun to go through

[Jennygirl]

I just did my voice exercises for the night and I'm definitely noticing a slight difference in upper range Every day it becomes a little more noticeable how much easier it is to make the upper noises in regular speech, but having the max range go up is a VERY affirming thing to know about. Versatility is a huge plus for me, and I really hope that my voice continues to shift upward... having a max pitch of under 500hz feels very limiting in terms of versatility. I just have to keep making progress... I.e. last week my max pitch at volume was 460hz with strain and now it is 490hz with no strain. A good improvement if you ask me. I just have to keep going with that!

Also, I feel like a lot of what I'm doing to sound the way I do is mostly mental and from practice. The automatic increased pitch just makes it feel like being on an escalator... I think I am on about floor 3 of 10 when it comes to what I have yet to see/learn/incorporate into everyday interaction.

My goal is F5. I am 7 semitones and ~100hz away.

[smile_jma]

I was going to mention the transportation, but I guess barbie summed it up pretty well.

People stare all the time. I stare back if I feel they're staring too much That usually then makes them feel uncomfortable and look away. People stare for different reasons, but for non-Koreans, it's mostly because they're checking out your fashion, style, height, skin, etc., since we are a somewhat homogenous country. When Koreans stare at each other it's because of fashion/hotness/ugliness/acting weird. I guess same as why you'd stare anywhere else, but a lot more common.  Growing up in the US, I was taught not to stare, so it is a little weird.

Also, about the subway...On the weekends (Sat/Sun) it stops SOONER than on weekdays. If you go out late at night, just keep that in mind. Instead of 12:45-1am stopping time, they'll stop 11:20~11:50ish (depending where you are).

I don't mind the Korean clothing. The jeans at least, have lasted. Tops are good for about 2 seasons (spring/fall) and then they're done for. If you wear that in summer, too. Say good bye a little sooner.

[barbie]

Being stared by men is not so good experience. Their eyes flash, seeking some prey, which I had never seen before my crossdressing.

Yesterday, at Istanbul airport, I approached a downward escalator to the gate, and felt a man walking behind me was studying me. He passed me and took the escalator. I well expected that he will turn back to me, and he did. At first, I pretended not to see him, but he was still looking up to me. I was wearing very short one-piece dresses, and he could see my underwear panty from below. I pulled down the dress a little bit by my hands to hide it, and he still saw me. I was a little bit upset, and stared back at him. His eyes met mine, and he seemed embarrassed, eventually turning his head front.

I guessed that this is a kind of every day's life of women in the world.
And I also saw a few women wearing > 5-inch spike heels with hot pants, attracting men's eyes.

barbie~~

[Shantel]

Barbie,
     Men are highly excited by visual. Perhaps too he may have been mentally disapproving the short skirt as they are a predominantly Islamic country. But who wouldn't want to stare at those pretty long legs? 

[barbie]

Barbie,
     Men are highly excited by visual. Perhaps too he may have been mentally disapproving the short skirt as they are a predominantly Islamic country. But who wouldn't want to stare at those pretty long legs? 

Out of topic a little bit, but thanks Shan, always.

He was an East Asian guy. He looked stealthy. I was in a kind of dull mode while some other ladies in the airport were wearing fashionable clothes and shoes. I did not want that kind of attention.

Another guy at Ljubljana airport was a kind of kerb crewer. He continued to speak to me in some broken English with some Slovenianish language. He touched my shoulder while getting off the airplane, and stood and chatted loudly in front of me in the shuttle bus in Istanbul airport. Fortunately, he went to different transit line.

I wore the one-piece minidress intentionally, as I had to show my passport on which my sex is clearly labeled as 'Male' and I thought it would be adventurous. Strangely, they attached 'Ms' and 'Mrs' in my passing board and also in hotel reservation, which I had never requested. I guess they did it based on my passport photo.

No problem at all in the airport. Female security officers ransacked me when the buzz sounded. Immigration officers were just busy comparing my face with the passport photo. Flight attendants looked a little bit surprised at my low voice, but they always called me madam.

I changed my clothes to plain short pants in a bathroom at Incheon airport, as my hometown was approaching, and I feared that any of students at my university might recognize me.

Anyway, it was just funnier than wearing plain short pants.

barbie~~

[Shantel]

Out of topic a little bit, but thanks Shan, always.

He was an East Asian guy. He looked stealthy. I was in a kind of dull mode while some other ladies in the airport were wearing fashionable clothes and shoes. I did not want that kind of attention.

Another guy at Ljubljana airport was a kind of kerb crewer. He continued to speak to me in some broken English with some Slovenianish language. He touched my shoulder while getting off the airplane, and stood and chatted loudly in front of me in the shuttle bus in Istanbul airport. Fortunately, he went to different transit line.

I wore the one-piece minidress intentionally, as I had to show my passport on which my sex is clearly labeled as 'Male' and I thought it would be adventurous. Strangely, they attached 'Ms' and 'Mrs' in my passing board and also in hotel reservation, which I had never requested. I guess they did it based on my passport photo.

No problem at all in the airport. Female security officers ransacked me when the buzz sounded. Immigration officers were just busy comparing my face with the passport photo. Flight attendants looked a little bit surprised at my low voice, but they always called me madam.

I changed my clothes to plain short pants in a bathroom at Incheon airport, as my hometown was approaching, and I feared that any of students at my university might recognize me.

Anyway, it was just funnier than wearing plain short pants.

barbie~~

Hah, yes you are adventurous Barbie! Sorry everyone, we will move back on subject now!