All Systems Go!

The final part of my preparation was to meet with the Korean Consulate General in Chicago. It was actually a fun trip and the Consulate could not have been any kinder. He asked me questions about where I was from and my teaching experience. Of course, he wanted to talk about how well the Reds were doing this year (glad I kept up with that!) and wanted to know about my family. It was a rather pleasant conversation and then he signed off on my Visa and we were finished! But, let me back up a second...

I may have mentioned in an earlier post just how easily this entire "Korea thing" came together. Please indulge me while I share another "hmmmm, okay" moment and I will let you come to your own conclusion.

Of course, I was able to take the Megabus to and from Cincy, then got a sweet deal on a hotel in downtown Chicago. So, I get off the bus and around the corner comes a taxi. I flag him, he stops and whisks me away for a little $8 ride to my hotel. I check in with no problems and have a room on the 10th floor with a huge king size bed (I sold my bed last week) and am thrilled to plop down on it with all the comfy pillows. ahhhhh...ahem..anyway, as I was saying. (teehee...I really enjoyed that comfy bed!) I opened my binder just to make sure I had everything I needed for the Consulate: Passport. Check. Picture. Check. Copy of Passport Signature page. Check. Uh oh...still need a Priority or Fed-Ex envelope to have it mailed back and a $45 money order for the Visa. Hmmm...It is 8:00 p.m. I decide there is nothing I can do about it now, so I head out to grab some Geno's (mmmmm...) and as I walk out the front door of the hotel, what do I see? A Post Office!! Yes, that is right. Of all the hotels I could have been in, I end up in the one across the street from the post office that opens at 8:30 a.m.!! Oh yeah, they sell Priority mail envelopes as well as money orders.

I then find out the NBC building where I had to go was a short 4 block walk from the hotel. No need for another taxi! Cha-ching!

Now, I don't know about you, but based on the ease of which everything has come together for me while I have been preparing for this big move, one has to believe in some sort of divine being that is watching over me and guiding me through this process. I mean, really?? Call it coincidence if you like, but I call it a God-incident. Just saying.

After I finished with my appointment, I had a few hours to kill so I wandered a few blocks over to the Navy Pier and treated myself to some yummy gelato, deep dish pizza and a ride on an insanely high Ferris wheel! Tall Ships were there (much like Tall Stacks in Cincy), so there were lots of cool ships to see. It was a perfect day. Sunny, breezy, no humidity! Absolutely perfect and relaxing!

I walked back to the hotel to retrieve my stored luggage, hailed a taxi, then hopped back on the bus. The parents picked me up once I arrived back in Cincy and I was home in my own little place by 11:00p.m. Not bad for a whirlwind trip!

I also received confirmation and an e-ticket for my flight. I will be leaving at 6:05a.m. on September 9, 2010, and will arrive in Seoul, S. Korea around 3:20 p.m. the next day. Now, keep in mind they are 13 hours ahead of us in Cincy, so while it is a long trip, it is not really that bad. Once there, I will take two buses to my new place to call home for a year. Wow. In less than 14 days, I will be on my way.

These past few days have been mixed with excitement, fear, uncertainty, anxiety, and peace. It is a strange recipe of emotions and sometimes hard to keep in check. However, I know I have a lot of friends and family who are supporting me, praying for me, and have just been so genuinely encouraging. The prayers and kind words sustain me through those doubtful times of uncertainty and fear. I cannot thank you enough, and you know who you are.

I hope I make each and every one of you proud as I am not only representing myself and my recruiting agency, but also the United State of America. I am representing each of you every time a little Korean child looks at me or mimics my speech. Every time I go to the market and the ladies chopping off fish heads look at me, I am representing you. I am very proud to be an American and will do my best to represent you and America in the most positive way possible.

Q and A

I keep getting a lot of the same questions over and over from various people, so I thought I would take a blog posting and put up some of the most common.



Q: Where are you going?

A: Uljin, South Korea. It is a small fishing village on the east coast of S. Korea north of Pohang. They are known for crab and have a yearly crab festival that is attended by people from all over the country.



Q: What are you going to do there?

A: Eat crab and drink soju! lol...just kidding!! I will be teaching English to elementary students at a private school (called hagwons).



Q: How long will you be gone?

A: I will only be gone for a short 12 months. It will fly by, I'm sure! And with technology, no one will even really miss me!



Q: What about the boys (i.e. my children/kiddos/offspring/etc.)? Are you taking them?

A: Brandon is on his own and doing well for himself. He is young and makes mistakes, but he is working hard to reach his goals. Bryan decided to go live with his dad before I even began entertaining this journey. He is a freshman in high school and will be just fine. Both of the boys are very supportive and have made sure to set up Skype and learn a bit about Korea. They know it is only for a year and I will be available at the click of a mouse!



Q: Where will you live?

A: The school provides an apartment for me at no cost. It is within walking distance of the school, so plenty of exercise for me! :-)



Q: Is it expensive to live there?

A: No. One of the reasons I chose South Korea was because of the low cost of living. I am actually going to be able to save some money.



Q: Are you taking all of your stuff with you?

A: No. I am taking two suitcases and a carry-on full of clothes and teaching supplies I cannot live without! My apartment is fully furnished and I will be able to purchase some things I need once I get there. Everything I am leaving behind is being put into storage and will be here for me when I return. It's kind of sad that I can fit all of my worldly posessions into a 10x10 storage unit!



Q: Do you speak Korean?

A: Nope. Not a word. However, I have purchased a phrase book so I can learn key phrases and will carry it with me everywhere! I also will be immersed into the culture and will basically be forced to learn. It's sink or swim time! (Or maybe it is swim or starve! LOL)



Q: Don't they eat dog over there?

A: I have to laugh every time I hear this question. The answer is, yes, they do but it is not as common as everyone seems to think. It is believed to increase a man's stamina and strength. I am not a man and know that caffiene can give me any boost I need. lol Just like in the U.S., I will be avoiding foods I dislike. Dog will not even be entertained (or eaten) by this girl. I just can't do it.



Q: What are you going to do when you get back?

A: I'm sure I will want to enjoy time with my family and friends I have missed. I will begin looking for a job prior to leaving Korea next year (yay Internet!) so, hopefully, I will have a job to come home to.

These are the most common questions, but if you have others, please feel free to post below as I'm sure others have some of the same questions.

Oh, Where Is My Visa???

I talked to my recruiter from Korea last night and my Visa is "in process" and should be approved by the end of the week. One of the hardest things to do is W.A.I.T. Of course, while I am waiting, it has given me quite a bit of time to prepare myself mentally and get all of my "worldly" affairs in order.

Part of getting my affairs in order has to do with my two boys. Brandon (19 y.o. son) and his girlfriend came over for dinner tonight. I really wanted to get a good feel on what he is thinking of my adventure and how he is feeling about me being gone for a year. Surprisingly, he is very supportive! He works a lot, spends time with his girlfriend, and hangs out with his Grandpa pretty often. I feel good about where he is in his life and believe he is going to be just fine with me being over 7,000 miles away. Wow, that is far!

My youngest, Bryan (15 y.o. son), seems to be excited at the idea of coming to visit me during his summer break in June. He is with his father and starts high school tomorrow. It is going to be a huge adjustment being away from my boys and them being totally away from me, but it is time for them to fly a bit. I want them to know they can do anything and they have the power within themselves to make life happen. I can tell them that until I pass out, but they need to see that it is possible. I believe my current quest gives an example of how to make life happen.

Everything else I need to do seems to be falling into place. Storage unit? Check. Boxes? Check. Big stuff sold? Check (except the piano is still lounging around...) Medical checkup? Check. Dental checkup? Check. School supplies packed? Check. Clothes packed? Almost! Laptop? Not yet, but close. Visa? UGH!!! I am so impatient!

So, again I ask, Where Is My Visa??? Soon, the recruiter says, soon. Stay tuned...