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So I’m sitting here, (at work!) with some steamed vanilla soy milk (i can’t have milk) and some delicious caramel sauce on top of the foam, wondering if I’m really going to go to Korea. I’ve started to panic slightly, despite the fact that I’m telling people that I’m leaving the second week in February. And seriously, there should never be any circumstances that force someone to say “February” more than twice a week. It’s a dagum hard word to say in the first place, let alone attaching it to something as important as moving half way across the world.
I haven’t heard anything from my coordinator in more than two weeks. I sent in my completed application by email and he emailed me back a few days later to say that he would let me know about any progress.
Nothing.
I think the next step is the actual physical contracts that I will receive in the mail but I’m not really sure. It says on the website that anytime from October through January is when I could get the contracts so that make me feel a tab bit better but not really that much. I’ve been planning, buying (and not buying things) in preparation for this big move and change in my life and I still don’t have a definite answer as to whether I’m going or not.
However, since I can do absolutely nothing about it, I’ve decided to start exploring the option of Portugal or Mexico City and to not worry about it.
Tonight I’m hanging with my girl from California who is home for a week so we have two years of catching up and future plan explanations to make in just a few hours. So I’m gearing up to talk a bunch so the soy is soothing my throat already.
I did receive just about the coolest backpack for my mac that I could ever have. It’s been in hard use for that last few days and I still love it. It has a million mesh pockets of various sizes for the randomness that is computer crap. I need to buy everything I can from Apple with my handy dandy Starbucks discount like and airport express and an extra power cord since mine has decided to go on the blink. Oh macs. I might even get a new one when I get back. Who knows what goodies they’ll come up with before then.
My parents are planning to buy a new imac (woot!) finally. They one they have now is so old that it’s not an Intel based mac (argh) so much frustration has ensued from that deal. So now they’re going to get a nice pretty new one for me! Woot. Many skype dates ahead I can tell. Also my bestest friend in the whole wide world also bought a new laptop with a webcam for me too! She and her husband were going to buy a new one eventually anyway but decided to get it now so D and I can talk. Excitement! Go J!
Well, I’m done with blogging about absolutely nothing so I will go now and enjoy the rest of my meal break and then off to a competing coffee house to eat with the girl from Cali.
From my first blog almost two months ago this was the list of things I was thinking I needed to do.
1. Pray profusely. - ongoing on this one.
2. Apply for and receive Passport – check
3. Get copies of college transcripts – check
4. Criminal background check – check
5. Authorization of said transcripts and check – check
6. Possibly find a recruiter to help find a school – not necessary
7. Find a school – again, not necessary
8.Send original college diploma and authorized said trans. and check to EPIK
9. Interview with school – with EPIK
10. Sign a contract (waiting for it)
11. Interview at Korean Embassy and subsequently receive a work visa (have to sign a contract first)
12. Acquire plane ticket (have to get a visa first)
13. Give EVERYTHING away (definitely in process of)
14. Pack what’s left (not really wanting to pack anything, but since I don’t have any suitcases the situation is looking grim regardless)
15. Fly to Korea to ensconce myself in a cosy studio apartment and teach chi-dren for a year. (SOOOOO ready to do this one)
16. NEVER COME BACK. (still not sure about this one, I will have to come back after a year for various reasons, so I’ll be back stateside in a year at the most anyway)
So I forgot to tell you about CRCs. A while ago I was confused about what was acceptable for a check, sinc SLED told me I could print off an internet search from home. I decided to go the safe route and mail in my request which turned out to be a good idea since the lady at the Secretary of State’s office told me that was the correct one and the printed off from the internet one wouldn’t have been official. I also requested to have mine notarized since I thought it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Interesting side note. The C told me that if I decide to stay more than a year there are a few things I need to be aware of. If I want to stay where I’m placed then I don’t have to do anything as long as my request is approved. BUT. If I want to go somewhere else I have to resubmit all of my documents, including my apostilled diploma and CRC so just in case, you might want to get more than one copy done. The apostilles cost me $2 a piece but the CRC was a flat $25 made out in a cashier’s check or money order and it took a full week to send it and get it back. So just be aware.
The reason you have to resubmit is that every province has it’s own seperate POE or Provincial Office of Education and since they’re separate they don’t transfer documents. So take them with you in some kind of protected case or something.
Now I need to start deciding what to get rid of and what to keep, pack up or give away.
Fun times.
…is the coolest.
Yesterday, I had to run some errands and since my sweet sister-in-law is what you might call unwieldily with child I thought I’d take one of the other two off her hands for a while. So I got my stuff together and armed with raisins, a banana, a straw and my water bottle I trekked over and scooped up Knox.
I packed him into his booster seat in my car, which is a novelty for him because most of the time he rides in Honey’s van (my mom). When we got to the mall he told me that he likes my car and that it’s a race car. That surprised me not a bit since I can barely get it to accelerate in something like a moderate fashion but he’s decided he wants to be a rally car race driver so I think ever car is a race car.
Well, we walked all over that mall, which ended up being two stores, but still got what we needed to do done. We went to bath and body works and smelled things. We shopped for me a little bit and then sat down for a snack of bananas, raisins and water. During this time, we spilled water, saw three people we knew and talked absolute nonsense as three year olds tend to do. I answered about three million questions and saved the water bottle twice before it succeeded in falling off the chair rail. As we were leaving the mall Knox looked up at me ansd asked, “Are we going somewhere so sit down?” Oh, dear. Small legs get tired so quickly. But yes, we were headed to the car and one more stop and then home. As we drove down the highway he snacked on cheerios and we listened to Bobby Darin splishing and splashing.
We went to AC Moore to get some yarn for two last minute gifts I still have to knit and Knox decided he wanted a scarf too. So we spent about 10 minutes looking at all of the blue and green yarn there was there. Finally settling on one we stood in line and Knox proceeded to ask the lady behind us all about the things she was buying. Gracious as she was she answered all his questions and showed him everything she was holding. I think she has kids too.
After that we headed home! That little man was soooo tired when he got home he couldn’t even make a decision about what he wanted for lunch. His mom said later that one of his friends came over to play and Knox said his legs were ok to run but not to walk. 
After that he crashed a took a massive nap. Score! My plan succeeded!
Oh, I forgot to tell you the best part. As I was putting him in the car at the mall he looked up at me and said,
“You’re the best Emmy in the whole world.”
So the final update on the application process is now here! I know you’re thrilled…
This is a totally dry and necessary blog for those of you applying to EPIK since I do not want you doing what I did. Now, where was I…oh yeah. Apostilles.
I called the Secretary of State’s office and they told me that they can’t make a copy or apostille a copy. She told me they would simply do the same thing they did before. So my advice is to call the office and ask as many questions as necessary to find out what you need to know. Then email your coordinator (hereafter referred to as The C) to make sure it’s alright before you send all the documents.
So after taking my own advice and emailing my coordinator back and forth over more than a week, I ended up sending scans of what I had and he said it was alright so off they all went to Korea.
I finally got everything together(so I thought) and FedExed the whole shebang to the coordinator in ROK (Republic of Korea for the uninitiated). A few days later I got a confirmation email from The C but a very polite ending informing me that I didn’t send something they needed, and quickly.
In the list of documents I read that since I submitted my application by email I couldn’t sign it officially. For the hard documents I sent they needed the two pages of the application signed.
In the explanation of the documents it said just to print off the two pages that need my signature and send them. Well, The C said that he needed my completed application as well as the signed pages. I’m seriously confused because it says explicitly to print off those two pages and include them, not the whole application. I was feeling like an idiot that can’t read but I went back and saw that it said to do just as I did. But if he needs it, so be it.
Ah well. I knew this would be a process and things would go wrong so I’m trying to give it all back to God and let Him deal with it, since I just get frustrated and angry and that does no good to me or anyone else.
I haven’t heard anything else since but I think what comes now is the contract I have to sign, and with that I can go to an interview at the Korean Embassy. After that I should be able to get a visa on my passport. Then we should be able to arrange a flight.
Then I fly to KOREA! woot.
So many things to do…
As the title so aptly puts “I’M TIRED OF BLOGGING ABOUT GOING TO KOREA”
So I’m going to blog about whatever the crap I want to!
That’s how I feel today. I keep getting conflicting information and can’t decided what I should do. The problem with trying to write about anything else is that I can’t think about anything else…..hmmmmmm.
I know! Teaching!
I have now taught my five classes this week and pretty much failed as a teacher today. I was so tired last night I just threw something together and winged it today. I learned in college how to BS my way through anything so the students had no idea I was clueless but I still saw umpteen ways to improve my lesson. It could have been so much better…ah well. In the evaluation part I could tell they understood but I think they would have understood sooner rather than later if I had had a brain last night. I mean, I was on my feet for eleven straight hours so I do have a little bit of an excuse but still…
On the plus side I did buy some new shoes last night! And on sale, no less. This may not seem ama-za-zing to you but to me it’s makes a world of difference. I have three pair of shoes, including the pair I’ve worn to church for the past three months. These three pair of shoes are well loved but also now showing as well worn. It’s not that I’m so poor that I can’t afford shoes (well, that is part of it) but also I just couldn’t find anything I liked (translate – didn’t look like ho shoes) but last night I fell in love. Gianni Bini is my new favorite brand of anything I can get my hands on. I have never worn a pair of high heels that comfy.
Ladies, can I get a witness?
I just gotta say “THEY HOT” .
You know.
Holla.
Apostilles.
Take your diploma to your secretary of state’s office. They will verify that it’s authentic. They will make a copy. They will apostille. Done.
I hope.
What really sucks is that I had my diploma with me in the car and could have done all of this tuesday instead of having to go on another flying trip tomorrow morning, waste another tank of gas and aggravate the poor woman at the secretary of state’s office. Ah, well. This is what happens when I don’t listen to God. I heard him say, “ask what it should be like!” but no, I just went ahead and got my little photocopies apostilled, and now I have to go back. I know it’s all in the plan, but it doesn’t make me any less frustrated with myself.
So as of today I’ve taught 5 classes. So much fun! Even factoring in the two extra surprise classes this week. That’s just means that I need only two more classes and I’ll have all of my hours and I can get my certificate! WOOT!
Today in one of my classes we learned about idoms. I love idioms, they’re so much fun to learn and teach.
Most of the class got the point but there was one girl who just didn’t get it. When we moved to the freer practice she was supposed to come up with a conversation using the “get in my hair” and she thought it was meant literally. I had to sit down with her and give a lot of examples but she got it and the look on her face was priceless.
Later on I was talking about “bite the dust” and she got really excited.
Student: “Teacher, teacher!”
Me: “Yes?”
Student: “So two guys playing game, one guy says “I win!” and I say “No you bite the dust!”
Me: “YES! It means to fail!”
Ahhhhh, that feeling when they get it! I love it!
Just thought I’d tell ya…
Does everyone know what an “apostille” is?
It’s like a notarization except for international purposes. So since I’m sending my documents to another county I have to get certain ones apostilled. To get them apostilled I have to go the the secretary of state’s office, which happens to be 2 hours away in the capital.
So today we’re delving into the meaning of the words “official copy”. What does this actually mean. Well I’m trying to find out.
The document on the documents (hahaha! sorry, just has to) that I need said that I had to get an official copy of my diploma, one either made by a government agency (WTC is that?) or a notary public (WTC does that mean?). So I made three photocopies of my diploma and had them notarized.
I drove all the way to Columbia to get the apostilles on them. I get there and this super nice lady P told me the actual copies could not be notarized. What I had to do was sign as affidavit that the copy is real and actual and not altered, and that’s what the notary has to witness and notarize. So you end up with a copy, and affidavit and an apostille. Three in all. When I got back with my photocopies I was a tad confused so I emailed the coordinator in Korea and asked what an “official copy” was.
He told me that an official copy was something made by an government agency (like the so that I could take my diploma there and they could make a copy for me. So my next question was, what is this “copy”? Is it just a photocopy made by notary? Is is a special copy in some way? Special paper? Hold your mouth the right way and do a little dance? WTC is going on here???
Confusion.
So I’m waiting for a reply before I drive all the way back to Columbia and make them as confused as I am. Again.
It all depends on what your definition of “is” is, or “official copy”.
Oh dear…the saga continues.
I’m a total geek just in case you hadn’t figured that out already. I love technology, my macbook, my palm pilot, my ipod and anything else that runs something with electricity (well, except lamps…cause they’re just plain boring).
That said, I’ve become ridiculously fond of the thought of being a teacher. I’ve seen it done so badly so many times in my life that I feel I can make a difference if I can learn to do this well. Well, in pursuance of that goal I’m completing my TESOL course with practice teaching, 15 hours! Tomorrow is my first day and I’m stinking excited.
I’ve been going to GLA or the Greenville Literacy Association at the downtown location for my observations and assistant teaching. Well the assistant teaching didn’t go very well since the classes I’m teaching were being taught my two Furman students who really had no idea of what they were doing they also had no idea I was coming so I didn’t do much ‘assisting’. Bless their hearts.
Ah, well. All good fun. I’m excited regardless.
I alternate between bouts of my terrified hermit self from highschool and my belligerent, self confident self from college. However, in my right mind I like to think I’ve mellowed and sort of come into my own. I know my limitations and God’s unlimitations (is that a word? it should be). The peace that comes with a walk with God is irreplaceable and I would trade my so-called independence for peace any day of the week, year or lifetime. Sometimes I just forget how easy it is go to him with every little thing. He delights in taking care of me, why do I always insist on doing it my way when I know all that leads to is a big hot mess??? (or as my former co-worker called it a Big, Hot Trany mess)
Well, I’ve done the BHT and it’s not pleasant, fun or helpful to anyone in anyway. So I think I’ll do this God’s way. I mean really, He is God. Don’t you think He might know a better way?
This is me after a day of
lesson planning consisting of jotting nonsense on a legal pad and staring at said nonsense,
work consisting of washing dishes, putting away supplies, making ridiculously expensive espresso drinks and lamenting over the fact that no nail polish will ever survive The Bucks,
dinner consisting of a strange looking but amazing tasting BLT on a millet tortilla (I can’t have wheat) and
more lesson planning (consisting of slight inspiration, much doubt, frustration and ultimately peace that I’ve done my best with His help.
Not really!
