I Miss My Nose Piercing

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I've moved on to the next stage of the application process!

Things have been a little hectic around here as I get ready to depart for a fine adventure halfway around the globe.

I finally finished my TEFL certification. I should be receiving my certificate in the mail sometime soon. I have also been mailed the material for the other, "bonus" certificate that Kate and I got when we signed to get our TEFL certificate-- the Certificate for Teaching English to Young Learners. Fitting, considering this is exactly what I will be doing when I complete training after touching down in Korea on November 27th.

I received my visa code earlier this week-- it was much sooner than CDL had expected. Because of this, Ben, my contact at CDL, told me that my school wanted me to come in for training starting the 23rd-- which means I would have to arrive in Korea the 20th... which means I would have had to leave on the 19th. I told him I wouldn't be able to do this-- there's so much material that CDL sends for us to go over, so much packing I need to do, and my parents are already foaming at the mouth. I just was not able to go over a week earlier.

I have an appointment with the Korean Consulate in NYC on Monday afternoon. Calling the office was a little wild, actually. Once I phoned them, a very enthusiastic receptionist picked up the phone and greeted me:
Lady: "Annyong haseyo! <>"
Me: "*dumbstruck* Oh, hello. Uhm, I need to make an appointment for an interview for an E-2 visa."
Lady: "Oh. Okay. Hold on."
Different Lady: "Annyong haseyo! <>"
Me: "Ah. Hi. I need to make an appointment to have an interview for my E-2 visa."
Lady2: "Ah, yes. Okay. When would you like it for?"

I swear, she didn't even blink at my inarticulateness. If this was a tweet, I'd hashtag this conversation as #thingsIshouldgetusedtoforwhenIgettoKorea (i.e. being the stupid American girl).

More about the appointment, you ask? Well, sure thing! The appointment is an interview about my work intentions, etc. as well as forking over a couple documents and $45 so that they can process my visa. Ah! bureaucracy. Colleen, my awesome Aclipse recruiter tells me that these are the things I need for my appointment with the consulate:

1) A completed visa application form (attached), with passport size photo
2) Your passport
3) A sealed, university transcript
4) The visa code emailed to you by Chungdahm
5) The visa application fee (usually around $45, check with your consulate)

Also, if anyone reading this is wondering about the New York office, the website is super mysterious. For one, the web page for the Korean Consulate Visa Services doesn't actually have a phone number posted. Another thing is that no one answers the email! Do yourself a favor and call. ALL of the good contact info is as follows:


Korean Consulate General
460 Park Ave. 6th Fl., New York, NY 10022
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

Nothing too exciting to bring. One fellow recruit was nice enough to elaborate on what I should expect time-wise for actually picking up my visa, which was nice:

"To speak to the visa situation, I just went to the NYC embassy yesterday, had my 5 minute interview and handed in the paperwork/visa code. I'm picking up my visa today. So the turnover can be super quick, if only I could say the same about my original contract/placement situation."

He also reminded me to make sure I have cash or money order on me:

"I though it might be hard, as if the visa office would be this bustling place, like the DMV on steroids. But I called and made an appt. for two days later. And the woman at the visa window was patient and helpful and wouldn't stop smiling at me (probably because I'm 6'7). It's very relaxed; just remember cash of money order only for processing fee."

Looks like everything moved pretty smoothly for him, though. Here's to hoping that's the case for me, too! I think Jimmy might be coming into the city with my on Monday when I go for my appointment. We're thinking of hitting up the MOMA.

=D

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Photos

Me and Jane
I didn't mention this here, but I went to Boston last weekend with my aunt, uncle, and cousin. =D My journal is looking awfully bare, so I figure maybe a recent picture of me might spice things up a bit!

Comments

[Julia]

ANNYONG
OH MY GOD YOU'LL SAY ANNYONG ALL THE TIME THAT'S SO FUCKING GREAT. Watch Arrested Development.

[Gary Schmitz]

What?
I'll be curious to hear more about what it's like to teach people English when you are not fluent in their native language. I remember back in the day (college, many moons ago), foreign languages were for a period of time taught by the immersion method. In my case, this twenty-something curly-haired guy named "Marc" ("Ich heisse Marc" were his first words) bounced into the classroom and rattled off German and nothing but German for the next 16 weeks. I imagine you'll be using a somewhat similar method, or no? I'd be curious to know more about the methods you'll use. And good luck!