Yeson voice feminization surgery

[MeganChristine]

Thank you, Jessray

The pinnacle of my trip was obviously the DMZ and Panmunjom (JSA) Tour. Standing there in the conference room on the North Korean border was - awesome. If you want to do that tour, I advice you to make a booking several days in advance. The UN need a photocopy of your passport to get you into the Joint Security Area (make sure you book DMZ & Panmunjom, not just DMZ).

I was also considering taking a real spa treatment, but my camera wanted otherwise :p Spent most of my time walking around the city

[AshleyL]

I'm hoping to join a group that's going out to Jeju Island actually.  My parents and some of their friends are doing a trip down to Japan and South Korea and hopefully I've timed my VFS right so that I can hop on over and join their tour group for a few days.

[Livvykins]

I was planning on staying at the Princess hotel because its within walking distance to the voice center.  I don't want to worry about trying to communicate with a taxi driver or something while being unable to talk.

Out of curiosity, what exactly was said about the hotels that was so bad?

Hi Ashley,

That was where my friend stayed... she said it was the WORST place she had ever ever stayed in her life! For a start her room had no windows and it stunk of old smoke... it went down hill from there 

The Metro is the easiest thing in the world to use, far quicker than the Taxi's  If you do use Taxi's just show them the address, it's very easy for them to find.

I haven't been to the Princess... I'm just going on what I was told.

Livvy

[AshleyL]

Hi Ashley,

That was where my friend stayed... she said it was the WORST place she had ever ever stayed in her life! For a start her room had no windows and it stunk of old smoke... it went down hill from there 

The Metro is the easiest thing in the world to use, far quicker than the Taxi's  If you do use Taxi's just show them the address, it's very easy for them to find.

I haven't been to the Princess... I'm just going on what I was told.

Livvy

Yeek!  I hope it's not that bad when I go!  Even so it will only be for a few nights then I'm checking out to go stay with my family so hopefully it will be bearable.  If I may ask how did you get from the airport to your hotel?  Does the subway go there or is it easier to take a taxi considering you have your luggage with you?

[Livvykins]

Yeek!  I hope it's not that bad when I go!  Even so it will only be for a few nights then I'm checking out to go stay with my family so hopefully it will be bearable.  If I may ask how did you get from the airport to your hotel?  Does the subway go there or is it easier to take a taxi considering you have your luggage with you?

Oh I'm sure it will be fine, the important thing is the surgery, there's so much to see in Seoul anyway... you won't be at the hotel for long!

We just hopped in a taxi, they're cheap... I think it was £14 for us from the airport and it took 45 minutes.  I really didn't want to muck about with the Metro or buses after a 14 hour flight...

[Jessray]

Thank you, Jessray

The pinnacle of my trip was obviously the DMZ and Panmunjom (JSA) Tour. Standing there in the conference room on the North Korean border was - awesome. If you want to do that tour, I advice you to make a booking several days in advance. The UN need a photocopy of your passport to get you into the Joint Security Area (make sure you book DMZ & Panmunjom, not just DMZ).

I was also considering taking a real spa treatment, but my camera wanted otherwise :p Spent most of my time walking around the city

Is that tour part of whatever tour Yeson offers, or is it from somewhere else entirely? Details!

Also it looks like I'm currently booked to stay in the same hotel you were at, barring finding a better hotel for a comparable price, so thanks for the recommendation!

[MeganChristine]

Not a part of the tour yeson offers, the DMZ Panmunjom your takes a whole day booked it through viator.com found the link through tripadvisor

I'll post more details as soon as I'm within my four walls at home in about an hour

[MeganChristine]

Here is the Tour page

it's $134 for the tour, but that includes hotel pickup (not drop off), and lunch between the DMZ tour and the JSA-tour.

[Jessray]

Hmm thanks!

Decisions decisions.. suddenly I wish I'd booked a few extra days stay in Seoul.

[Aphaea]

Can confirm Princess Hotel as being a dump as I stayed there for two weeks.  Another hotel I saw was Artnouveau City and learned that it would have only cost 10$ more.  Artnouveau City is a step above most hotels/motels you will use in America.

[barbie]

Hmm, I'll find out for you... We booked it as a package on Expedia with the flights... I've just done a quick search on Expedia and for two people flying from the UK and staying 10 nights in August at the Sheraton it's pretty much spot on £1500... £750 each and 10 days at such a lovely hotel is a complete bargain!  You'll get it a lot cheaper if you book it with the flights on Expedia than if you go direct to the hotel for room bookings

You'll love it there though!

Livvykins,

You seems to have been lucky to find the hotel. The area (guro-gu) was once occupied by apparel and semi-conductor plants, but recently changed to a digital-industry center.  It is not an area for tourism or shopping.

I guess the price is relatively inexpensive, because it is not located in the downtown areas of Seoul. Artnouveau City is located in Gangnam, the most expensive area in Korea. In Gangnam, you need to pay at least USD 100 per night, and even USD 300 for hotels like Sheraton. The Princess hotel is also located in the downtown of Seoul, although it is relatively less expensive than Gangnam.

If you prefer accessibility, the hotels in downtown area are fine, although they are not so much comfortable. I think the Sheraton is a nice option if anybody is willing to study Seoul metro network, and can enjoy a half or one hour transportation by the train or taxi.

barbie~~

[barbie]

I'm hoping to join a group that's going out to Jeju Island actually.  My parents and some of their friends are doing a trip down to Japan and South Korea and hopefully I've timed my VFS right so that I can hop on over and join their tour group for a few days.

Oh. If you are ever going to Jeju island, please send PM to me. In summer, I receive guests from the main land at least once per week.

barbie~~

[EchelonHunt]

Thank you so much, Jenny and Abby for documenting your experiences. It has given me confidence in working diligently on training my voice and if I can, hopefully get VFS with Yeson in the future.

Thank you!

[Livvykins]

Livvykins,

You seems to have been lucky to find the hotel. The area (guro-gu) was once occupied by apparel and semi-conductor plants, but recently changed to a digital-industry center.  It is not an area for tourism or shopping.

I guess the price is relatively inexpensive, because it is not located in the downtown areas of Seoul. Artnouveau City is located in Gangnam, the most expensive area in Korea. In Gangnam, you need to pay at least USD 100 per night, and even USD 300 for hotels like Sheraton. The Princess hotel is also located in the downtown of Seoul, although it is relatively less expensive than Gangnam.

If you prefer accessibility, the hotels in downtown area are fine, although they are not so much comfortable. I think the Sheraton is a nice option if anybody is willing to study Seoul metro network, and can enjoy a half or one hour transportation by the train or taxi.

barbie~~

Hey Barbie!

I think the thing we liked most (aside from the hotel and rooms being lovely) was having the convenience of a large mall and subway station attached to the hotel... It was actually the best mall we went in (and we visited a LOT!) it was large and had pretty much everything you could ask for   We didn't really spend much time in the immediately surrounding area, although every evening we went to the park and chilled out with all of the other couples.  The metro station bellow is on lines 1 and 2, it was 15 mins to Seoul station (where there was a massive Lotte outlet/supermarket and only a short walk to the HUGE market at Namdaemun) and then only 2 stops east on line 4 to Myongdong (which we LOVED!)

We did consider hotel Shin Shin, which looked lovely and was bang in the centre of Myongdong, but went to Sheraton based on it's No1 Trip Advisor rating... we were honestly SO pleased with our choice, it was a bargain as well

[AshleyL]

Oh. If you are ever going to Jeju island, please send PM to me. In summer, I receive guests from the main land at least once per week.

barbie~~

Hey Barbie!  I think we'll be flying to jeju island on the 20th, but the tour includes hotels/lodging.  Not sure how much free time we'll have, but I imagine we'd be free in the evenings.  I'll definitely try to send you a PM when I'm there.

I was wondering, has anyone tried using a text-to-speech program to communicate during their periods of post op silence or prerecorded any commonly used phrases on their phone for quick playback?

[Livvykins]

I was wondering, has anyone tried using a text-to-speech program to communicate during their periods of post op silence or prerecorded any commonly used phrases on their phone for quick playback?

That's what I've been doing, it works pretty well... it's still exceptionally frustrating!  Only 5 days left till I can speak... Whoop whoop!!!

[Apollymi]

Hi Livvykins
It's hard to believe that's it been almost a month since we had surgery! I don't know about anyone else but not speaking has been really hard especially being a people manager. I'm so looking forward to being able to talk again! 
I was wondering if any of the girls that have had the surgery have any advice for starting to talk again? Should a person just talk normally or talk in a higher voice? Does recording your voice help? Etc etc etc.....

Thanks
Dana

[MeganChristine]

OMG, I'm so excited to hear your recordings triple Whoop whoop!

Just 10 days left before I can start working out again 17 days until Short Convo

[Livvykins]

OMG, I'm so excited to hear your recordings triple Whoop whoop!

Just 10 days left before I can start working out again 17 days until Short Convo

Ok so I was a little naughty as I haven't said anything in a whole week... none of my 1-4 words a day... I thought I'd do a very quick sentence from the start of Rainbow passage....

I wasn't concentrating on flow, phonation or resonance... just trying to get the words out! lol

Pre-op I started at 143, the average of this was 211hz although I started at 235hz and got a little horse by the end.  No more till Friday now, when I can start properly

What do you think? It's very early days....

https://soundcloud.com/hedstatic/olivia-yeson-vocal-test-200714

[anjaq]

No attention to resonance or anything? That is way cool - totally feminine in pitch and sound. I guess you have done some subconscious changes to your voice as many who use a trained voice pre op do, but still - I find this ia very nice and I am happy for you