I came to the United States from Korea in May 2019. My dependent visa (H4) of my spouse (H1B) does not allow me to work in the United States, so I am legally and financially dependent on my husband. I chose to come with my husband (to be honest, I wanted to come), but the fact that I have to be dependent on my husband in many ways still annoys me.

Before I came to the States, I had worked as a content marketer and a people operation manager at small start-ups in Korea. I had three years of work experience and did not have a language barrier because I went to college in this country. Still, I cannot work here with my current visa status.

In Silicon Valley, I have met many talented women who were in the same situation. They had an excellent education and had worked in great companies in their country, but they cannot work here.

Since I went to college in the States, I had some resources to find what to do in my inevitable “gap year.” Plus, I am lucky to have my husband, friends, and mentors around me who helped me to find what I want to do. I volunteer at local organizations, take a class from a local adult school, and have fun by myself! I will share these experiences in this blog 🙂

If you have focused on your work, sometimes, it is not easy to find what you want to do when you have time. I hope the record of my life as a legally and financially dependent woman helps anyone who is going through a similar experience.