Mostly I write about my life outside of work. Sometimes I write cute stories, but mostly I stick to what I think people will find "interesting" ... aka: what I can illustrate with photos! But, since this is also partly about me and my journey, teaching is what I do and I need to debrief (so to speak).
Showing posts with label TEFL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TEFL. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Rock, Paper, Scissors
A few things hit me today. One, I'm living in Seoul. Like, not just Asia, or South Korea, but SEOUL. It's pretty amazing! I've never lived in a huge city; well, Houston I guess. It is big! But, it felt small. I compare Seoul to New York. I teach kids who are growing up in a city like this. It is absolutely massive. But, the culture, tradition, and homogeneous society all contribute to the distinctly different atmosphere of Seoul compared to a city like New York. I think each day my mind opens a little bit more, and a little bit more to the idea of what I am actually doing here.
Another thing that I realized, even just in a small way, is that I am the TEACHER. Obviously, I stand in front of the class and talk. But, I gave a test in my Leap High class today, and when I was grading their essays, the feeling that I get to decide how tough or lenient I am going to be! I get to make decisions in class. If we are running out of time, I get to choose which item to drop, or if I should assign extra homework. In my mind, it's not necessarily power, but authority. I'm not just controlling the classroom and making the kids do whatever I say. It is legitimately my position to make decisions, which ultimately affect my kids. I think this concept also has a lot of room for growth and development in my time as a teacher.
Today was a really good day. I am learning to love my job. I think I am relatively good at it; I mean, considering I had no formal education in this area and almost zero experience with kids. But, the days go by fast, I feel a great sense of accomplishment after each class (which I LOVE) and I am getting used to the courses and their requirements.
Before classes today, I had a lot of extra time to work. I had prepared for my day's classes, and still had almost 2 hours before my first one. So, Erin Teacher suggested that I work on my lesson plan for 2SAP. This class is my only everyday class, it's the most intense workload, and it's the curriculum that I have to work at the most. Each Unit, the lesson plan in the book must be adapted to our school's specific needs.
I share the class with Sean Teacher (he teaches another group of kids, but we are on the same material at the same time), so we take turns making the lesson plans and homework checklists each Unit. This month was my turn, so I used all my extra time during Office Hours to work on that. It's not needed for another week, but with the time I had I decided to just knock it out.
Erin Teacher walked me through a lot of it, but I also figured it out quickly. I really enjoyed it (despite it being a lot of work) because it required a high level of organization. The lesson plan for that class was something I was quite nervous about doing beforehand, but after I completed it and turned it in for approval from Jackie Teacher, I felt wonderful. Like a real teacher :)
It's too difficult to go into the details of what all I had to do to get this thing just right, but I'll tell you that I had to reference: the Teacher's Guide, the Writing Workbook, the Activity Book, the Student Book, the SLP Writing Workbook (different from the one above), book club workbook, book club storybook, SLP Practice book, and SLP Grammar Practice book. For ONE class... of 7 year olds. My mind cannot grasp the idea that these kids are so organized they actually know the difference in all these books. Most 7 year olds I know can't keep up with 1 book, let alone 9.
Anyway, I also had my 3SAP kids today (similar program as 2SAP, but only T/Th and slightly farther along than 2SAP). They are my best large class. I have 9 or 10 students, and they work as hard as my smaller classes, or sometimes even better. Today was awesome! They read when I asked them to, they all wanted to answer the questions, and almost all of them had memorized the Daily Oral Expression they had for homework.
One part of the lesson involved looking at a poem in their student books. They tried to get me to do some game similar to Rock, Paper, Scissors (which they endearingly called "Po-ta-to!" in the same intonation as R,P,S...) in order to determine the order of which they read aloud. I had no idea how that was supposed to work so I made them all sit down and just went in order down the rows (like any sane teacher would do). They read it through once, each student reading only 1 line. Then, again, with each student reading a paragraph. The poem was very rhyme-y and easy to memorize. It repeated a lot of phrases (the lesson was to understand alliterations...) so the kids got the hang of it quickly. I told them how song lyrics are poems too, so we put the poem to a tune and I got them all singing and participating. I loved it! They were all smiling and happy and learning, too!! Great sense of accomplishment. I also think this is the class that likes me the best. I really try to get animated and involved with them in the lesson. I hope it's working :)
Also, I forgot to mention that yesterday I had a little meeting with Jackie Teacher at the end of the day and she told me her observations from watching my classes. She said she was impressed with my organization and the presence I had in the class. The only real suggestion/criticism was to learn the kids' names. Well, I'm trying! I have 10 classes, many of which are larger with 10 or more students. I feel like I'm doing well, and have almost got all of them memorized. It just so happened that the classes she watched were the classes that I have a hard time memorizing the names of the kids. I think that my lack of having developed prior habits in the classroom (not having gotten an Edu degree or done any student teaching) has actually helped me. The school seems to be pretty set on how things should be done, and without any previous habits, I have none to break! :)
After classes, I graded LH exams. I didn't have much time for anything else, and went home at 9pm. I also got my official work badge! It has my name on it, too! :) I use it to clock in and out. After work, one of the morning teachers made everyone dinner and had a little get together at her apartment. I decided to attempt to be social, and went. It's kind of hard, because while everyone is nice, I don't feel like a connection with anyone. It also doesn't help that there is only one other female teacher in afternoons, so I don't get to know any of the morning teachers at work. I also have a semi-shy personality in that I don't operate well in groups of people I don't know well. I kind of stay quiet, don't want to draw any attention to myself. One-on-one, it's a whole other story! But, I don't know any of these girls in a way where I would feel comfortable. But, I went and stayed for like 30 minutes so it's a start. :)
One final observation: the days go by very quickly, especially once I am in the classroom. I love this! Maybe it's just that I enjoy what I do (for the most part), or it's having to do so much in such a short amount of time, but by 8pm I feel like the day flew by! Tomorrow is mid-week again, and I've got lots to do when I get there in the morning :) And with that, goodnight!
**update: doing some research on the rock, paper, scissors thing. I'm wondering if the kids weren't saying something in Korean, any my American ears just heard "po-ta-to"? I read online some say "kai-bai-bo" which I suppose could sound like "po-ta-to" to the untrained ear. with my students, who knows...**
Another thing that I realized, even just in a small way, is that I am the TEACHER. Obviously, I stand in front of the class and talk. But, I gave a test in my Leap High class today, and when I was grading their essays, the feeling that I get to decide how tough or lenient I am going to be! I get to make decisions in class. If we are running out of time, I get to choose which item to drop, or if I should assign extra homework. In my mind, it's not necessarily power, but authority. I'm not just controlling the classroom and making the kids do whatever I say. It is legitimately my position to make decisions, which ultimately affect my kids. I think this concept also has a lot of room for growth and development in my time as a teacher.
Today was a really good day. I am learning to love my job. I think I am relatively good at it; I mean, considering I had no formal education in this area and almost zero experience with kids. But, the days go by fast, I feel a great sense of accomplishment after each class (which I LOVE) and I am getting used to the courses and their requirements.
Before classes today, I had a lot of extra time to work. I had prepared for my day's classes, and still had almost 2 hours before my first one. So, Erin Teacher suggested that I work on my lesson plan for 2SAP. This class is my only everyday class, it's the most intense workload, and it's the curriculum that I have to work at the most. Each Unit, the lesson plan in the book must be adapted to our school's specific needs.
I share the class with Sean Teacher (he teaches another group of kids, but we are on the same material at the same time), so we take turns making the lesson plans and homework checklists each Unit. This month was my turn, so I used all my extra time during Office Hours to work on that. It's not needed for another week, but with the time I had I decided to just knock it out.
Erin Teacher walked me through a lot of it, but I also figured it out quickly. I really enjoyed it (despite it being a lot of work) because it required a high level of organization. The lesson plan for that class was something I was quite nervous about doing beforehand, but after I completed it and turned it in for approval from Jackie Teacher, I felt wonderful. Like a real teacher :)
It's too difficult to go into the details of what all I had to do to get this thing just right, but I'll tell you that I had to reference: the Teacher's Guide, the Writing Workbook, the Activity Book, the Student Book, the SLP Writing Workbook (different from the one above), book club workbook, book club storybook, SLP Practice book, and SLP Grammar Practice book. For ONE class... of 7 year olds. My mind cannot grasp the idea that these kids are so organized they actually know the difference in all these books. Most 7 year olds I know can't keep up with 1 book, let alone 9.
Anyway, I also had my 3SAP kids today (similar program as 2SAP, but only T/Th and slightly farther along than 2SAP). They are my best large class. I have 9 or 10 students, and they work as hard as my smaller classes, or sometimes even better. Today was awesome! They read when I asked them to, they all wanted to answer the questions, and almost all of them had memorized the Daily Oral Expression they had for homework.
One part of the lesson involved looking at a poem in their student books. They tried to get me to do some game similar to Rock, Paper, Scissors (which they endearingly called "Po-ta-to!" in the same intonation as R,P,S...) in order to determine the order of which they read aloud. I had no idea how that was supposed to work so I made them all sit down and just went in order down the rows (like any sane teacher would do). They read it through once, each student reading only 1 line. Then, again, with each student reading a paragraph. The poem was very rhyme-y and easy to memorize. It repeated a lot of phrases (the lesson was to understand alliterations...) so the kids got the hang of it quickly. I told them how song lyrics are poems too, so we put the poem to a tune and I got them all singing and participating. I loved it! They were all smiling and happy and learning, too!! Great sense of accomplishment. I also think this is the class that likes me the best. I really try to get animated and involved with them in the lesson. I hope it's working :)
Also, I forgot to mention that yesterday I had a little meeting with Jackie Teacher at the end of the day and she told me her observations from watching my classes. She said she was impressed with my organization and the presence I had in the class. The only real suggestion/criticism was to learn the kids' names. Well, I'm trying! I have 10 classes, many of which are larger with 10 or more students. I feel like I'm doing well, and have almost got all of them memorized. It just so happened that the classes she watched were the classes that I have a hard time memorizing the names of the kids. I think that my lack of having developed prior habits in the classroom (not having gotten an Edu degree or done any student teaching) has actually helped me. The school seems to be pretty set on how things should be done, and without any previous habits, I have none to break! :)
After classes, I graded LH exams. I didn't have much time for anything else, and went home at 9pm. I also got my official work badge! It has my name on it, too! :) I use it to clock in and out. After work, one of the morning teachers made everyone dinner and had a little get together at her apartment. I decided to attempt to be social, and went. It's kind of hard, because while everyone is nice, I don't feel like a connection with anyone. It also doesn't help that there is only one other female teacher in afternoons, so I don't get to know any of the morning teachers at work. I also have a semi-shy personality in that I don't operate well in groups of people I don't know well. I kind of stay quiet, don't want to draw any attention to myself. One-on-one, it's a whole other story! But, I don't know any of these girls in a way where I would feel comfortable. But, I went and stayed for like 30 minutes so it's a start. :)
One final observation: the days go by very quickly, especially once I am in the classroom. I love this! Maybe it's just that I enjoy what I do (for the most part), or it's having to do so much in such a short amount of time, but by 8pm I feel like the day flew by! Tomorrow is mid-week again, and I've got lots to do when I get there in the morning :) And with that, goodnight!
**update: doing some research on the rock, paper, scissors thing. I'm wondering if the kids weren't saying something in Korean, any my American ears just heard "po-ta-to"? I read online some say "kai-bai-bo" which I suppose could sound like "po-ta-to" to the untrained ear. with my students, who knows...**
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Actually Teaching...
I would say that today was my first actually day on the job. Yesterday, I was alone in the classroom, but most of the classes were tests. Today, I actually had to teach!
I got to school about an hour early, because I was quite nervous about being prepared for all my classes. It was nice to be there early because it was actually quiet and not chaotic. I got some work done, mostly grading. I felt like there was probably much more I should have been doing but I couldn't even think of what to do! Eventually, the other afternoon teachers arrived and Erin Teacher helped me go through each class and make sure I was prepared.
They say experience is the best teacher and it is so true. The first class, I was a mess. I couldn't find any of the materials on the computer to show on the screen and the kids were crazy. I had a Korean teacher in the class with me watching ("making sure the kids behave and I can find my way" aka freaking me out!). She was helpful, I must admit. The kids are scared of her. Thats a plus!
My second class got a little better. Most of the classes were starting new Units so there was not as much work to do as there will be later in the month. So, most of the classes I got finished with everything I needed to. It felt weird to be the one making decisions. Of course, there are things I need to do, but then there are situations where I can make the call. If we don't finish a page for homework, I can assign it for homework. AND THEY HAVE TO DO IT! Whaaaat!!
Third class was also new curriculum, but my partner Korean teacher made sure we had the correct books. I swear, these kids have so many books. It makes my head spin! This class, I handed out 3 textbook workbooks, 1 story book, 1 bound spiral workbook, and 2 CDs. Are you serious?! How can I keep this stuff straight?!?!?
2SAP class was the worst, I think. We had to catch up from yesterday with the quiz, and the girls were so talkative (per normal.) It was Sarah's last day so we all took a photo. Apparently, she will be back in a month, though. She's probably the cutest kid I have, I will miss her. We finished the quiz, went over a few questions from the exam that many of them missed, and started book club. The girls also go to the Library on Fridays, so I had to squeeze that in at the end. I ended up assigning some extra homework for book club. I felt bad, but hey, they pay for me to give them work.
The last 2 classes are my 1 hour classes. By then, I was absolutely exhausted, but I was getting the hang of things. In many classes, the content is different, but we do very similar exercises on the same day.
Right before I began my classes, I had a moment. I was getting so overwhelmed with absolutely everything and couldn't keep things straight. I literally had to take 10 minutes and talk myself down. I prayed and had to remember that I am here for a reason! Everyone who does this work feels the way I feel at some point. And everyone gets the hang of things! And, as Erin Teacher pointed out, at least our mistakes don't kill people. Reassuring! ;)
After classes, I was POOPED! I sat down and had a piece of cake (it was one of the Korean teachers' last day so we had a little celebration. I just ate some cake.) We walked home, and Brian Teacher helped me get my suitcases (pre-packed from this morning!) and take them to my NEW APARTMENT!
Maggie Teacher was finishing cleaning and she gave me the how-things-work tour. I learned about getting hot water, working the AC, the stove, and the lights. Once she left, my first task was to get my WiFi set up. The apartments have ethernet cables, but no routers. Luckily, I planned ahead and brought an Apple Airport Express!
This little bad boy allows you to set up a WiFi network anywhere you go with accessible LAN or WAN ethernet. I got it all set up; the name is "You Shall Not Pass!" - can anyone guess the reference? ;)
Once that was set up, I got some pizza from the little place around the block and talked with Michael a little. Pretty soon it was time to go meet up with Tab...
I think I will end this post here, and resume my evening on the next edition....
I got to school about an hour early, because I was quite nervous about being prepared for all my classes. It was nice to be there early because it was actually quiet and not chaotic. I got some work done, mostly grading. I felt like there was probably much more I should have been doing but I couldn't even think of what to do! Eventually, the other afternoon teachers arrived and Erin Teacher helped me go through each class and make sure I was prepared.
They say experience is the best teacher and it is so true. The first class, I was a mess. I couldn't find any of the materials on the computer to show on the screen and the kids were crazy. I had a Korean teacher in the class with me watching ("making sure the kids behave and I can find my way" aka freaking me out!). She was helpful, I must admit. The kids are scared of her. Thats a plus!
My second class got a little better. Most of the classes were starting new Units so there was not as much work to do as there will be later in the month. So, most of the classes I got finished with everything I needed to. It felt weird to be the one making decisions. Of course, there are things I need to do, but then there are situations where I can make the call. If we don't finish a page for homework, I can assign it for homework. AND THEY HAVE TO DO IT! Whaaaat!!
Third class was also new curriculum, but my partner Korean teacher made sure we had the correct books. I swear, these kids have so many books. It makes my head spin! This class, I handed out 3 textbook workbooks, 1 story book, 1 bound spiral workbook, and 2 CDs. Are you serious?! How can I keep this stuff straight?!?!?
2SAP class was the worst, I think. We had to catch up from yesterday with the quiz, and the girls were so talkative (per normal.) It was Sarah's last day so we all took a photo. Apparently, she will be back in a month, though. She's probably the cutest kid I have, I will miss her. We finished the quiz, went over a few questions from the exam that many of them missed, and started book club. The girls also go to the Library on Fridays, so I had to squeeze that in at the end. I ended up assigning some extra homework for book club. I felt bad, but hey, they pay for me to give them work.
The last 2 classes are my 1 hour classes. By then, I was absolutely exhausted, but I was getting the hang of things. In many classes, the content is different, but we do very similar exercises on the same day.
Right before I began my classes, I had a moment. I was getting so overwhelmed with absolutely everything and couldn't keep things straight. I literally had to take 10 minutes and talk myself down. I prayed and had to remember that I am here for a reason! Everyone who does this work feels the way I feel at some point. And everyone gets the hang of things! And, as Erin Teacher pointed out, at least our mistakes don't kill people. Reassuring! ;)
After classes, I was POOPED! I sat down and had a piece of cake (it was one of the Korean teachers' last day so we had a little celebration. I just ate some cake.) We walked home, and Brian Teacher helped me get my suitcases (pre-packed from this morning!) and take them to my NEW APARTMENT!
Maggie Teacher was finishing cleaning and she gave me the how-things-work tour. I learned about getting hot water, working the AC, the stove, and the lights. Once she left, my first task was to get my WiFi set up. The apartments have ethernet cables, but no routers. Luckily, I planned ahead and brought an Apple Airport Express!
This little bad boy allows you to set up a WiFi network anywhere you go with accessible LAN or WAN ethernet. I got it all set up; the name is "You Shall Not Pass!" - can anyone guess the reference? ;)
Once that was set up, I got some pizza from the little place around the block and talked with Michael a little. Pretty soon it was time to go meet up with Tab...
I think I will end this post here, and resume my evening on the next edition....
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Not-Goodbye-See-You-Later Party!
Last Thursday, I had my going away party. Aka: this-isn't-goodbye-just-see-you-later party. I decided to keep it small, only my very close friends. I'd love to say goodbye to everyone in my contact book, but that's just not feasible, or an enjoyable attempt. So, 7-8 of my ZTA sisters headed to Luigi's Pizza, a BYOB pizza joint in Midtown Houston. We cracked some bottles of wine, reminisced over old memories at the House, in class, during Recruitment, at meetings, and many many parties... It really reminded me of how great my friends are.
Since I moved back out to Baytown aka Hell, I haven't gotten to see much of my sisters. Some are still in the collegiate chapter, others are moved on to bigger and better things. Either way, we don't see enough of each other. This party was small, but had more than enough love and memories and sisterhood. After dinner, we went out on the town. I won't get into any specifics, but we had a great time. Here are some photos from dinner, taken by my little Katie.
Since I moved back out to Baytown aka Hell, I haven't gotten to see much of my sisters. Some are still in the collegiate chapter, others are moved on to bigger and better things. Either way, we don't see enough of each other. This party was small, but had more than enough love and memories and sisterhood. After dinner, we went out on the town. I won't get into any specifics, but we had a great time. Here are some photos from dinner, taken by my little Katie.
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| It's my party! |
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| Pledge Sisters: Fall 2008 |
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| Eek! My cute little: Katie! Miss Photographer |
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| So I drink champagne...? |
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| Caught in the act! |
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| Me & Jessica |
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| Little #1 Lara |
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| Pledge sister Kelly & I |
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| Me & Steph |
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| Brittany & I |
Monday, August 20, 2012
Dreaming
I just have to share this dream I had last night...
*In my dream...* I was working at vet's office, and walking past a shelty on an exam table. As I passed, the dog bit me. I looked at it's paperwork, and realized it was in because it was rabid. I tell the vet, who informs me that *in my dream* there is no cure, rabies shots are only good before you get bit. So, in a few days I will go rabid as well.
He tells me that I have a choice: wait it out and go rabid, or come back in in a few days and get euthanized. I decide that I'd rather not suffer, so I schedule a time to come back to be "put down." *how horrible, right?*
So, at this point, I'm like, "I need to spend as much time possible with my mom!" And proceed to visit friends, do everything possible with mom, call Michael, etc. When I see people, I don't want to tell them I'm about to die because I don't want to look like an attention-whore.
Don't worry, I woke up before I died.
I think this dream was hilarious mostly because apparently modern medicine for humans and animals was the same. But also, quite poignant, since I am in the process of leaving life as I know it in 2 days. I am doing absolutely EVERYTHING with my parents possible. Things I wouldn't usually enjoy. Even helping teach at children's church this morning. Yikes!
It's kinda sad, kinda funny. But, it's appropriate. And with that, I'm going to go watch a movie with my mom. :)
Packing
I guess I can no longer avoid the inevitable: packing. I've been putting this off for, oh, 3 weeks. "But, seriously, how am I supposed to pack that far in advance? I'll need stuff between now and then!" Alas, "then" has arrived...
My plan involves 1 checked bag, less than 50lb, 1 carryon suitcase, and 1 personal item (backpack!) Since I will be living in a motel for the first week and a half til I get my apartment, I decided to pack my essentials in my carry on, and avoid getting into my checked bag until I get to the apartment. And all my valuable technology goes in the backpack.
In the 3 weeks I've been starting to pack, I've been just dumping things on the spare room bedroom as I remember I need them. Today, I had to sort thru the mess and actually get it in a bag. Thank goodness my dad is a Tetris master, and packing is basically the same thing.
I kept feeling like I hadn't chosen too much to take. I know that there will be plenty for me to buy there; I wear a small enough size clothing that I will find my size there, and shoes are also available for my size 7. (Shoes only go up to a women's size 8 there...!) Toiletries will be fairly easy to find as well. I am making a point to take my Bumble&Bumble hair products and 3 sticks of deodorant. Supposedly you can find it easily now, but I'd rather pay $0.88 at CVS than $10 at E-Mart in Seoul.
Basically, I'm attempting to bring enough of everything (or almost everything) and not too much of anything. I figure, I can bring what I need, when I run out, I'll buy more there. If I can't find anything I do need, I'll have enough time with my small supply to order more online or ask mom to send to me. Must be smarter than the suitcase...
I decided to try the "Army Roll" for my clothing in my carryon. Here is the link if you want to watch the video on this... It worked pretty well, but I'm not convinced that it created a significantly greater amount of space than my usual space bags. Oh well. No harm, no foul. For my checked bag, I packed normally....
In my carryon, I also packed several small bags, a tooth bag (toothbrush, trial size toothpaste, floss, etc), a hair bag (trial size shampoo, conditioner, testers of hair products, etc). I also packed an extra pair of shoes. The ones I am wearing on the plane are great, but I'd like to have an extra pair for that first week.
Speaking of shoes, I packed only like 4 pairs. I am wearing silver snakeskin flats on the plane (totally worn out, will prob throw away before returning home), packed my silver crochet Toms in my carryon, and in the checked bag, 1 pair of Sperry's, 1 pair of worn out New Balance, and ... well, I think that's it! I plan to buy my fall/winter boots there, as well as rainboots and hiking shoes. Luckily, I will be living in the same neighborhood as Dongdaemun Market, where I will have access to 24 hour shopping at 23 malls, 30,00 vendors, 50,000 manufacturers. Um, Yes.... this is real. And all within 10 blocks. *heaven!* So, being a "normal" Korean size, I am confident in my ability to get cheap, fashionable shoes in my neighborhood.
I also decided to pack my Canon Rebel DSLR camera and extra lens in my checked bag. I'm not so sure about this decision, but my dad says he got it extremely snug, it's in it's special packaging, and my suitcase is a hard-side. So, cross your fingers it stays safe.
Once I got everything stuffed in my checked bag, sorted out what to put in the carryon, we attempted to weigh this sucker. The limit is 50lb... this stupid thing was 55lb!!! So, we had to eliminate a few things... most of this consisted of vitamins and medicine, school supplies, and some electronic converters and stuff. My mom says we will just pack the stuff up and mail it out this week. So, I'll just have to wait for it and hope I don't need my Aleve Cold and Sinus between now and when it arrives. I think I'll be okay!
So, at this point, I have successfully got everything confined to 2 suitcases (1 significantly smaller than the other), and a backpack. I still have a few things to put in: makeup, hair products, all stuff I need on the morning I leave to get ready. And a few tops are in the wash, so they will get stuffed in the carry on as well. That checked bag is not getting touched, 49lb is incredible!!!!
At this point, I am trying to soak up every moment with my parents possible... and, trying to not have a panic attack.
My plan involves 1 checked bag, less than 50lb, 1 carryon suitcase, and 1 personal item (backpack!) Since I will be living in a motel for the first week and a half til I get my apartment, I decided to pack my essentials in my carry on, and avoid getting into my checked bag until I get to the apartment. And all my valuable technology goes in the backpack.
In the 3 weeks I've been starting to pack, I've been just dumping things on the spare room bedroom as I remember I need them. Today, I had to sort thru the mess and actually get it in a bag. Thank goodness my dad is a Tetris master, and packing is basically the same thing.
I kept feeling like I hadn't chosen too much to take. I know that there will be plenty for me to buy there; I wear a small enough size clothing that I will find my size there, and shoes are also available for my size 7. (Shoes only go up to a women's size 8 there...!) Toiletries will be fairly easy to find as well. I am making a point to take my Bumble&Bumble hair products and 3 sticks of deodorant. Supposedly you can find it easily now, but I'd rather pay $0.88 at CVS than $10 at E-Mart in Seoul.
Basically, I'm attempting to bring enough of everything (or almost everything) and not too much of anything. I figure, I can bring what I need, when I run out, I'll buy more there. If I can't find anything I do need, I'll have enough time with my small supply to order more online or ask mom to send to me. Must be smarter than the suitcase...
I decided to try the "Army Roll" for my clothing in my carryon. Here is the link if you want to watch the video on this... It worked pretty well, but I'm not convinced that it created a significantly greater amount of space than my usual space bags. Oh well. No harm, no foul. For my checked bag, I packed normally....
In my carryon, I also packed several small bags, a tooth bag (toothbrush, trial size toothpaste, floss, etc), a hair bag (trial size shampoo, conditioner, testers of hair products, etc). I also packed an extra pair of shoes. The ones I am wearing on the plane are great, but I'd like to have an extra pair for that first week.
Speaking of shoes, I packed only like 4 pairs. I am wearing silver snakeskin flats on the plane (totally worn out, will prob throw away before returning home), packed my silver crochet Toms in my carryon, and in the checked bag, 1 pair of Sperry's, 1 pair of worn out New Balance, and ... well, I think that's it! I plan to buy my fall/winter boots there, as well as rainboots and hiking shoes. Luckily, I will be living in the same neighborhood as Dongdaemun Market, where I will have access to 24 hour shopping at 23 malls, 30,00 vendors, 50,000 manufacturers. Um, Yes.... this is real. And all within 10 blocks. *heaven!* So, being a "normal" Korean size, I am confident in my ability to get cheap, fashionable shoes in my neighborhood.
I also decided to pack my Canon Rebel DSLR camera and extra lens in my checked bag. I'm not so sure about this decision, but my dad says he got it extremely snug, it's in it's special packaging, and my suitcase is a hard-side. So, cross your fingers it stays safe.
Once I got everything stuffed in my checked bag, sorted out what to put in the carryon, we attempted to weigh this sucker. The limit is 50lb... this stupid thing was 55lb!!! So, we had to eliminate a few things... most of this consisted of vitamins and medicine, school supplies, and some electronic converters and stuff. My mom says we will just pack the stuff up and mail it out this week. So, I'll just have to wait for it and hope I don't need my Aleve Cold and Sinus between now and when it arrives. I think I'll be okay!
So, at this point, I have successfully got everything confined to 2 suitcases (1 significantly smaller than the other), and a backpack. I still have a few things to put in: makeup, hair products, all stuff I need on the morning I leave to get ready. And a few tops are in the wash, so they will get stuffed in the carry on as well. That checked bag is not getting touched, 49lb is incredible!!!!
At this point, I am trying to soak up every moment with my parents possible... and, trying to not have a panic attack.
Friday, August 10, 2012
School Supplies!
Something I've noticed in my endless digging through teacher blogs and expat websites is that Korean kids love American school supplies. They go ga-ga over stickers, kookoo for posters, etc. Since it seems to me like getting such things is not too easy in Seoul, or that their selection is limited, I decided to track down some good ol' American goodies...
I have many friends who are teachers, most of which teach youngsters like mine. I posted on FaceBook with the question: "where should I get teacher supplies?" - several commented that I should check out the Dollar Store. I was surprised, and skeptical... but, why not?
So yesterday when I was on the nice side of town (aka: not where I live) I decided to see what the local Dollar Tree had in stock. I walked in and the first aisle I happened to check was the teachers supplies (and students' supplies down at the end).
First thing I found were rolls of "motivational stickers" (like, Great Job! on homework, etc.) I started looking around the box for the price, and my friend informed me that, unlike many other "dollar" stores, Dollar Tree ACTUALLY only has one price - $1. My eyes lit up! The whole roll of 180 stickers was only $1... I grabbed 5. (Hey, they had a variety!)
The next of my finds was posters... a Happy Birthday banner. You know, each month, swap out the names? Well, I wasn't too convinced I needed that, but I kept digging through the posters and found some that WERE what I needed. Each pack had two posters. I got "Opposites/Positions" to learn things like "in/out" or "happy/sad" - these could be great for vocab lessons, right? Right behind that was "Animals" with one poster being marine life and the other wild life (think African safari...) Some of these animals might be a little more complicated in their names, but it won't hurt! Plus the pictures are GREAT! Finally, the jewel in my poster-crown... the name chart. You know what I'm talking about... A chart where all the names go down the left side, and accomplishments across the top. Each time one of the students completes something, they get a coveted STAR. I LOVED this when I was in school... I couldn't wait to see my stars kick all the other rows of stars' butts! (Call me competitive...) Luckily, right after grabbing that set of posters (the other side was a Happy Birthday poster with each month and a box to write the kids names, much better than a banner...) I happened upon packs of foil stars! Goldmine! I grab two boxes of 440 stars each, and considered another, but decided to hold off...
My last finds were some cute motivational erasers (prizes??), some Mickey Mouse flashcards for colors and shapes (gotta know that stuff, right?) and finally, "Grow Your Own" capsules... wild life variety. I figure kids like that kind of sciency weirdness, and we can do them when learning animal names. :)
Man... these kids are so lucky that have an awesome teacher like me! ;) I spent a whole $15 on them! LOL I'm pretty proud of my spectacular finds... I'm sold on Dollar Tree!!
I have many friends who are teachers, most of which teach youngsters like mine. I posted on FaceBook with the question: "where should I get teacher supplies?" - several commented that I should check out the Dollar Store. I was surprised, and skeptical... but, why not?
So yesterday when I was on the nice side of town (aka: not where I live) I decided to see what the local Dollar Tree had in stock. I walked in and the first aisle I happened to check was the teachers supplies (and students' supplies down at the end).
First thing I found were rolls of "motivational stickers" (like, Great Job! on homework, etc.) I started looking around the box for the price, and my friend informed me that, unlike many other "dollar" stores, Dollar Tree ACTUALLY only has one price - $1. My eyes lit up! The whole roll of 180 stickers was only $1... I grabbed 5. (Hey, they had a variety!)The next of my finds was posters... a Happy Birthday banner. You know, each month, swap out the names? Well, I wasn't too convinced I needed that, but I kept digging through the posters and found some that WERE what I needed. Each pack had two posters. I got "Opposites/Positions" to learn things like "in/out" or "happy/sad" - these could be great for vocab lessons, right? Right behind that was "Animals" with one poster being marine life and the other wild life (think African safari...) Some of these animals might be a little more complicated in their names, but it won't hurt! Plus the pictures are GREAT! Finally, the jewel in my poster-crown... the name chart. You know what I'm talking about... A chart where all the names go down the left side, and accomplishments across the top. Each time one of the students completes something, they get a coveted STAR. I LOVED this when I was in school... I couldn't wait to see my stars kick all the other rows of stars' butts! (Call me competitive...) Luckily, right after grabbing that set of posters (the other side was a Happy Birthday poster with each month and a box to write the kids names, much better than a banner...) I happened upon packs of foil stars! Goldmine! I grab two boxes of 440 stars each, and considered another, but decided to hold off...
My last finds were some cute motivational erasers (prizes??), some Mickey Mouse flashcards for colors and shapes (gotta know that stuff, right?) and finally, "Grow Your Own" capsules... wild life variety. I figure kids like that kind of sciency weirdness, and we can do them when learning animal names. :)
Man... these kids are so lucky that have an awesome teacher like me! ;) I spent a whole $15 on them! LOL I'm pretty proud of my spectacular finds... I'm sold on Dollar Tree!!
Friday, August 3, 2012
Lazy
Since I got home from Florida, I've been simultaneously lazy and overwhelmed. I want to revel in my soft and comfy bed, cook the foods I want to eat, and watch all the Netflix and Hulu I can handle. Unfortunately, I need to be preparing for my imminent departure in, oh, just like, 20 days.
AHHHHH!!!
Some things I've been doing this week to prepare (which doesn't amount to much...)
- Throwing random little things I want to take, such as adaptors, converters, power strips (I think those will be very handy!), medicine, and some spices (Italian seasoning, garlic powder, rosemary, etc), into a suitcase laying permanently open on my bedroom floor.
- Mentally putting together outfits which I think would be appropriate for work, and also noting which clothes I couldn't live without (aka: Victoria's Secret PINK Boyfriend sweatpants for lounging around my apartment).
- Begging insurance to let me get my annual eye exam 2 months early and not pay for the appointment or order while abroad (BTW the answer was no... but if I can get an itemized receipt in English they will cover a whopping $35...) The good thing is I think medical care there is relatively inexpensive. Maybe I won't go broke getting contacts...
- Ordering replacement heads for my Clarisonic face brush. These are way too expensive but I found a twin-pack on Amazon with free shipping, so that will last me 6 months then I can ask my mom to send me more hehehe
- Making a massive list of the movies and tv shows to get put on an external hard drive for me. Nothing illegal here, folks. Just a friend doing me a favor... So far, the list is 1 page, 3 columns, 12-point font...
- Making sure my laptop is up to date with all my files and music and photos from my iMac.
- Researching places in Seoul such as an eye doctor, a church, where to buy cheese, etc.
- Emailing with a guy who is also going to teach at my same school. My recruiter (bless her heart) gave me his email and he seems like a nice guy. We're even Facebook friends, and he doesn't seem to be creepy so that's a huge plus! ;)
- Picking the brain of my friend Tab who leaves for her Seoul adventure TOMORROW! We grew up in the same small town in North Texas, but were put in touch by a mutual friend. I'm so happy we could talk before we got to Seoul, and we will have each other to keep us company all those lonely times.
- Attempting to decide what items are of emotional or symbolic value that I must take. So far, I KNOW I must take my turquoise blue embroidered ZTA blanket from my Big, Kristen. My pillow (nothing beats it), and trying to determine what best reminds me of Michael. I would love to take photos, but I hate not having frames - I would need to buy frames over there, and would hate to print photos in a size they don't have frames for in Korea. I'm mildly OCD about this, but frameless photos annoy me for some reason. My mom crocheted me some winter slipper booties, and I must take those. Also, she made the cutest little scarf and I talked her into letting me have it :) After all, she will probably need it far less than I will.
- Turning off my Verizon cell phone service. Good thing I broke my phone so close to needing to cancel service anyway. I have gotten a Google Voice number and finally got Talkatone and Gmail set up to allow my iPad to function as my phone for the next 14 months.
- Selling my car. Well, not actually. I told my mom to sell her car and take mine. She's always loved my car and still has payments on hers; I am such a nice daughter :) Haha! So, no more mode of transportation for me!
Well, for now, that's what I am up to. I can't wait to hear from Tab once she arrives in Seoul and gets relatively settled. Hopefully she can give me some advice!
Comment if you have a recommended movie or tv show I should take with me!
AHHHHH!!!
Some things I've been doing this week to prepare (which doesn't amount to much...)
- Throwing random little things I want to take, such as adaptors, converters, power strips (I think those will be very handy!), medicine, and some spices (Italian seasoning, garlic powder, rosemary, etc), into a suitcase laying permanently open on my bedroom floor.
- Mentally putting together outfits which I think would be appropriate for work, and also noting which clothes I couldn't live without (aka: Victoria's Secret PINK Boyfriend sweatpants for lounging around my apartment).
- Begging insurance to let me get my annual eye exam 2 months early and not pay for the appointment or order while abroad (BTW the answer was no... but if I can get an itemized receipt in English they will cover a whopping $35...) The good thing is I think medical care there is relatively inexpensive. Maybe I won't go broke getting contacts...
- Ordering replacement heads for my Clarisonic face brush. These are way too expensive but I found a twin-pack on Amazon with free shipping, so that will last me 6 months then I can ask my mom to send me more hehehe
- Making a massive list of the movies and tv shows to get put on an external hard drive for me. Nothing illegal here, folks. Just a friend doing me a favor... So far, the list is 1 page, 3 columns, 12-point font...
- Making sure my laptop is up to date with all my files and music and photos from my iMac.
- Researching places in Seoul such as an eye doctor, a church, where to buy cheese, etc.
- Emailing with a guy who is also going to teach at my same school. My recruiter (bless her heart) gave me his email and he seems like a nice guy. We're even Facebook friends, and he doesn't seem to be creepy so that's a huge plus! ;)
- Picking the brain of my friend Tab who leaves for her Seoul adventure TOMORROW! We grew up in the same small town in North Texas, but were put in touch by a mutual friend. I'm so happy we could talk before we got to Seoul, and we will have each other to keep us company all those lonely times.
- Attempting to decide what items are of emotional or symbolic value that I must take. So far, I KNOW I must take my turquoise blue embroidered ZTA blanket from my Big, Kristen. My pillow (nothing beats it), and trying to determine what best reminds me of Michael. I would love to take photos, but I hate not having frames - I would need to buy frames over there, and would hate to print photos in a size they don't have frames for in Korea. I'm mildly OCD about this, but frameless photos annoy me for some reason. My mom crocheted me some winter slipper booties, and I must take those. Also, she made the cutest little scarf and I talked her into letting me have it :) After all, she will probably need it far less than I will.
- Turning off my Verizon cell phone service. Good thing I broke my phone so close to needing to cancel service anyway. I have gotten a Google Voice number and finally got Talkatone and Gmail set up to allow my iPad to function as my phone for the next 14 months.
- Selling my car. Well, not actually. I told my mom to sell her car and take mine. She's always loved my car and still has payments on hers; I am such a nice daughter :) Haha! So, no more mode of transportation for me!
Well, for now, that's what I am up to. I can't wait to hear from Tab once she arrives in Seoul and gets relatively settled. Hopefully she can give me some advice!
Comment if you have a recommended movie or tv show I should take with me!
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Mistake?
When I first began my job search for teaching in Korea, I didn't know what to look for. Still today, I feel unprepared. But, I consoled myself that I would be making slightly more than several other jobs I'd seen (2.1 mil Korean Won, vs. 1.8-2.0 mil at other schools). But today I realized and admitted to myself that I may have been too hasty in accepting a job. I will be working in a private school, which means...
Pros: smaller class sizes, more foreign teachers to connect with
Cons: significantly less vacation (8-10 days in a year, vs. 4 weeks at a public school), significantly less sick leave (3 days vs. 15 at a public school)
These are only the ones that I know of at the moment. My friend, Tab, is working at a public school and I can already tell she's got a better deal. She arrives 3 weeks earlier than me, but also gets a week vacation before she starts teaching! Ugh...
I hope I am not going to regret my decision to go private. Just telling myself that fewer students means I can connect with them more and make a difference. *fingers crossed...*
Pros: smaller class sizes, more foreign teachers to connect with
Cons: significantly less vacation (8-10 days in a year, vs. 4 weeks at a public school), significantly less sick leave (3 days vs. 15 at a public school)
These are only the ones that I know of at the moment. My friend, Tab, is working at a public school and I can already tell she's got a better deal. She arrives 3 weeks earlier than me, but also gets a week vacation before she starts teaching! Ugh...
I hope I am not going to regret my decision to go private. Just telling myself that fewer students means I can connect with them more and make a difference. *fingers crossed...*
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Booked
A few days ago I received my airline ticket itinerary from my school. I will be leaving Houston at 8:50am on Wednesday, August 22, arriving in San Francisco at 11am, continuing to Seoul at 1:10pm on Wednesday and arriving at 5:25pm Thursday, August 23. Basically, I lose 2 whole days, accounting for flight times and time zone changes. It will be 3:25am in Houston when I land. Good grief!
Seeing my itinerary, with my real name on it, with actual flights, is insane. Is this really happening?! All my preparations are actually paying off. I am MOVING to ASIA for a YEAR! I can't believe it. I also can't believe I will have to pack so little for an entire year!
I looked up my airlines, and the international portion of the flight is through Asiana Airlines. They allow 2 checked bags up to 50lb. Alright,no problem there. However, getting to that flight I have to fly through United which, besides the fact that I hate basically every domestic carrier besides Southwest, allows ZERO free checked bags. So, I must pay $25 for the first, and $35 for the second. Now, most of the time, if you book an international flight and your domestic carrier doesn't allow for the same baggage as the primary carrier, they must accommodate you. However, I did not book this ticket. A travel agent did, who worked with my school and recruiter. So, I have a dilemma...
If he booked my flights separate (which may have been cheaper), not only must I pay for the bags to get to San Francisco, but if my first flight is delayed and I somehow cannot make my international flight, I am screwed. I will have to attempt to get in contact with my school/recruiter and get another flight, which could take FOREVER (literally). However, if it was booked as one ticket, the airline must help me get to Korea.
Of course, when I emailed my recruiter to ask about how the flight was booked, she had no information. She said that the travel agent will call me this week to make sure everything is good to go. However, I have yet to receive this phone call...
Ah, well, such is life. I am more annoyed about the baggage and more scared about missing the international flight. I could be so screwed! :/ Yikes!
At least now I know that I can have 2 50lb bags, and may or may not have to pay an extra $60 to get them there. Now I can really start planning my packing...
I have read that I should not worry toooo much about clothes. Being a female, and a fairly style-conscious female at that, this is a dilemma. I want to bring ALL my clothes, not a few! I've read that the clothing there is inexpensive; also, if I buy it there, I know I will not make some horrible faux-paus of wearing a low-cut shirt to a traditional dinner or some other terrible ordeal. I still have no idea what my school's dress code is, but I guess I will just find out. So: pack only a week or two worth of clothes.
Now this is disturbing: Koreans do NOT, I repeat, do NOT wear deodorant. "How is this possible?!" you ask?? I too would like that question answered. But, it matters not. Because I DO wear deodorant. Thus, I will be bringing 3 sticks of deodorant.
I can't seem to figure out if Korean women use certain feminine hygiene products... Sorry, guys! But we ladies are picky about what we use, and if they don't have some Tampax Pearl, I might die. Well, not really. But if anyone can answer that question, I'd be grateful. Should I pack my own preferred brand of tampons?
I am prone to body-aches and headaches and all kinds of aches, especially when I am not sleeping in my usual bed which has 2" foam padding. Therefore, I have determined to bring my own Ibuprofen. I know it can be gotten in Seoul, but I would rather not take the risk of getting the wrong thing, and would rather not pay through the nose for it. So, Economy-size bottle of pain killers, vitamins, sleep aids, and other necessary medications.
Of course, my carry-on will contain my laptop, iPad, iPod, iPhone, and other various i-Devices. As well as their chargers! The great thing about Apple is their chargers are conveniently already equipped as power-converters. All I need is the Korean adaptor piece. The world travel adaptor kit that Apple sells contains one of these magic items, but with all my iStuff, I really need more. If you or anyone you know owns the travel adaptor kit made by Apple, and do not foresee going to Korea within the next 13 months, I'll happily take it off your hands. I can pay you for it, or return it to you after my time abroad. Please comment if you want to help me get Apple adaptor plugs for Korea. I suppose I will also need a few converter/adaptors for normal plugs, and of course some Korean plugs with USB or Mini-USB input. I am crossing my fingers I can find some either online at an expat buy/sell/trade site or some cheap ones at mini-marts in Seoul.
I am certain there are more things I will need to remember to pack, but for now, I will leave it at this. If you have any suggestions or ideas of what I desperately need for a year in Korea, comment! :)
I will be on a cruise next week and the following week returning to Houston for the Big Pack-a-thon, and will be updating you all further with my musings and findings of what I will need. Til then...
Seeing my itinerary, with my real name on it, with actual flights, is insane. Is this really happening?! All my preparations are actually paying off. I am MOVING to ASIA for a YEAR! I can't believe it. I also can't believe I will have to pack so little for an entire year!
I looked up my airlines, and the international portion of the flight is through Asiana Airlines. They allow 2 checked bags up to 50lb. Alright,no problem there. However, getting to that flight I have to fly through United which, besides the fact that I hate basically every domestic carrier besides Southwest, allows ZERO free checked bags. So, I must pay $25 for the first, and $35 for the second. Now, most of the time, if you book an international flight and your domestic carrier doesn't allow for the same baggage as the primary carrier, they must accommodate you. However, I did not book this ticket. A travel agent did, who worked with my school and recruiter. So, I have a dilemma...
If he booked my flights separate (which may have been cheaper), not only must I pay for the bags to get to San Francisco, but if my first flight is delayed and I somehow cannot make my international flight, I am screwed. I will have to attempt to get in contact with my school/recruiter and get another flight, which could take FOREVER (literally). However, if it was booked as one ticket, the airline must help me get to Korea.
Of course, when I emailed my recruiter to ask about how the flight was booked, she had no information. She said that the travel agent will call me this week to make sure everything is good to go. However, I have yet to receive this phone call...
Ah, well, such is life. I am more annoyed about the baggage and more scared about missing the international flight. I could be so screwed! :/ Yikes!
At least now I know that I can have 2 50lb bags, and may or may not have to pay an extra $60 to get them there. Now I can really start planning my packing...
I have read that I should not worry toooo much about clothes. Being a female, and a fairly style-conscious female at that, this is a dilemma. I want to bring ALL my clothes, not a few! I've read that the clothing there is inexpensive; also, if I buy it there, I know I will not make some horrible faux-paus of wearing a low-cut shirt to a traditional dinner or some other terrible ordeal. I still have no idea what my school's dress code is, but I guess I will just find out. So: pack only a week or two worth of clothes.
Now this is disturbing: Koreans do NOT, I repeat, do NOT wear deodorant. "How is this possible?!" you ask?? I too would like that question answered. But, it matters not. Because I DO wear deodorant. Thus, I will be bringing 3 sticks of deodorant.
I can't seem to figure out if Korean women use certain feminine hygiene products... Sorry, guys! But we ladies are picky about what we use, and if they don't have some Tampax Pearl, I might die. Well, not really. But if anyone can answer that question, I'd be grateful. Should I pack my own preferred brand of tampons?
I am prone to body-aches and headaches and all kinds of aches, especially when I am not sleeping in my usual bed which has 2" foam padding. Therefore, I have determined to bring my own Ibuprofen. I know it can be gotten in Seoul, but I would rather not take the risk of getting the wrong thing, and would rather not pay through the nose for it. So, Economy-size bottle of pain killers, vitamins, sleep aids, and other necessary medications.
Of course, my carry-on will contain my laptop, iPad, iPod, iPhone, and other various i-Devices. As well as their chargers! The great thing about Apple is their chargers are conveniently already equipped as power-converters. All I need is the Korean adaptor piece. The world travel adaptor kit that Apple sells contains one of these magic items, but with all my iStuff, I really need more. If you or anyone you know owns the travel adaptor kit made by Apple, and do not foresee going to Korea within the next 13 months, I'll happily take it off your hands. I can pay you for it, or return it to you after my time abroad. Please comment if you want to help me get Apple adaptor plugs for Korea. I suppose I will also need a few converter/adaptors for normal plugs, and of course some Korean plugs with USB or Mini-USB input. I am crossing my fingers I can find some either online at an expat buy/sell/trade site or some cheap ones at mini-marts in Seoul.
I am certain there are more things I will need to remember to pack, but for now, I will leave it at this. If you have any suggestions or ideas of what I desperately need for a year in Korea, comment! :)
I will be on a cruise next week and the following week returning to Houston for the Big Pack-a-thon, and will be updating you all further with my musings and findings of what I will need. Til then...
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Visa
Today I got my Visa back from the Korean Consulate. I already began describing all the preparations that go into preparing for a trip such as mine, but receiving this reminded me of all the hard work that went into getting it.
After all my paperwork was gathered (detailed more in "Redtape"), I had to mail it all to my school in South Korea. I say it again, MAKE COPIES of your papers before you mail them! I mailed my stack of papers via DHL, and it cost $54 to send priority. Holy crap! It is worth it though, because once they receive the papers, the school must submit them, as well as their own paperwork, to the Immigration office. Immigration then reviews everything, makes sure I am not a criminal or a dropout, then gives the school back a visa-issuance number. That process took almost 3 week after the school received the papers. This is not even the last step! That's why I put a rush on the papers' delivery.
The waiting periods during this whole process are obnoxious. Waiting for the background check, waiting for the apostille, waiting for some approval, waiting for a signature. Now I have to wait for the country of KOREA to tell me it's okay that I come.
Finally, I got the email back from my recruiter giving me the issuance number. The email thankfully included lots of other documents about what to do from here. Basically, I fill out 2 more forms, pay some more money, and give the copies of everything as well as the documents to the Korean Consulate. I was extremely lucky because there is a Korean Consulate in Houston. I looked it up and there are like less than a dozen in the country, and one was 45 minutes from my house. Thank goodness! If I hadn't been able to drop my stuff off at the Consulate, I would have had to mail it in, and that just scares me. Lost mail, wrong or incorrectly filled out documents, etc. Yikes!
The funny thing was that when I took my paperwork to the Consulate, the processing guy told me that all he needed was the application, photo, and the money. (ps - here is where an additional passport photo is needed. You now have used 5/6 photos, 4 in the packet sent to Korea, 1 here) I thought it was hilarious that I went through all the trouble making sure I had copies of everything, gathering all of it up, and triple checking my checklist. He needed basically none of it. If I had mailed my application I would have included all this and they wouldn't have even needed it. So, at least now I still have copies of all my stuff (just in case!).
Once I submitted my application for the visa at the Consulate in Houston, it was ANOTHER waiting game. For one more time, I had to wait and hope they would not stamp my application with a big, fat "DENIED".
Four business days later, it was ready to be picked up. Unfortunately, it was ready about 7 hours after my flight left for Miami. Really?! Thankfully I have amazing parents who went to get it for me. :) They mailed it to me here in Miami since I will need it on my cruise in a few weeks. So, I finally laid eyes on my long-awaited Korean Work E2 Visa. Wow! All that hard work for a little sticker in my passport (granted, it is a badass sticker!)
Now I wait for my school to book my ticket to Seoul! I want to say this is my last step, but realistically it isn't. I still have to pack, take a lonnnnng plane ride, go through an extensive health exam, apply for an Alien Resident Card, go through orientation, and then actually begin learning how to do my job. THOSE are my last steps.... Ha!
But for now, I have an awesome addition to my passport. :)
After all my paperwork was gathered (detailed more in "Redtape"), I had to mail it all to my school in South Korea. I say it again, MAKE COPIES of your papers before you mail them! I mailed my stack of papers via DHL, and it cost $54 to send priority. Holy crap! It is worth it though, because once they receive the papers, the school must submit them, as well as their own paperwork, to the Immigration office. Immigration then reviews everything, makes sure I am not a criminal or a dropout, then gives the school back a visa-issuance number. That process took almost 3 week after the school received the papers. This is not even the last step! That's why I put a rush on the papers' delivery.
The waiting periods during this whole process are obnoxious. Waiting for the background check, waiting for the apostille, waiting for some approval, waiting for a signature. Now I have to wait for the country of KOREA to tell me it's okay that I come.
Finally, I got the email back from my recruiter giving me the issuance number. The email thankfully included lots of other documents about what to do from here. Basically, I fill out 2 more forms, pay some more money, and give the copies of everything as well as the documents to the Korean Consulate. I was extremely lucky because there is a Korean Consulate in Houston. I looked it up and there are like less than a dozen in the country, and one was 45 minutes from my house. Thank goodness! If I hadn't been able to drop my stuff off at the Consulate, I would have had to mail it in, and that just scares me. Lost mail, wrong or incorrectly filled out documents, etc. Yikes!
The funny thing was that when I took my paperwork to the Consulate, the processing guy told me that all he needed was the application, photo, and the money. (ps - here is where an additional passport photo is needed. You now have used 5/6 photos, 4 in the packet sent to Korea, 1 here) I thought it was hilarious that I went through all the trouble making sure I had copies of everything, gathering all of it up, and triple checking my checklist. He needed basically none of it. If I had mailed my application I would have included all this and they wouldn't have even needed it. So, at least now I still have copies of all my stuff (just in case!).
Once I submitted my application for the visa at the Consulate in Houston, it was ANOTHER waiting game. For one more time, I had to wait and hope they would not stamp my application with a big, fat "DENIED".
Four business days later, it was ready to be picked up. Unfortunately, it was ready about 7 hours after my flight left for Miami. Really?! Thankfully I have amazing parents who went to get it for me. :) They mailed it to me here in Miami since I will need it on my cruise in a few weeks. So, I finally laid eyes on my long-awaited Korean Work E2 Visa. Wow! All that hard work for a little sticker in my passport (granted, it is a badass sticker!)
Now I wait for my school to book my ticket to Seoul! I want to say this is my last step, but realistically it isn't. I still have to pack, take a lonnnnng plane ride, go through an extensive health exam, apply for an Alien Resident Card, go through orientation, and then actually begin learning how to do my job. THOSE are my last steps.... Ha!
But for now, I have an awesome addition to my passport. :)
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Technology
I have arrived in sunny Miami, Florida! I know this blog is about my experiences in going to and preparing for Korea, but I am so excited to be here! I will be here all of July, taking an extended vacation to spend time with my boyfriend before I leave for Korea in August.
So far, I have managed to be extremely lazy, get a sunburn (curse of the fair-skinned) and eat. A lot. I thought I would use a portion of my obscene amount of free time to continue my blog, which I apologize has been neglected for a week or two... oops!
I certainly do not claim to be a technology guru, but I would say I am a bit of a junkie. Especially following my last job, where I learned about TONS of awesome stuff you can do with your technology, I now have a bit of everything. So I thought I would share my preparations for Korea regarding technology.
I am a Mac. I hope that I do not offend anyone, but if you are a PC, your life probably sucks. ;) JK... kinda. Hehehe
Well, I am a Mac, and following college, I got a desktop iMac (27" if you must know). It is my beautiful wonderful magically baby. I guess it was the extended amount of time spent with my 13" MacBook (white) on my lap in bed in college but I just don't like laptops anymore. I like the big screen, big power comfort of a beast of a machine. So with the prospect of moving to Korea, to a itty bitty apartment, I realize that toting along my iMac is impractical. Actually, it's almost impossible for me. I do have an iPad, but since I am not a 70 year old woman who only uses email, I need a computer. I was lucky enough to be able to work out a deal with my mom wherein she buys a new MacBook Pro (for herself) but loans it to me for my year abroad. While I am away, she is at liberty to use my iMac. Basically, we switch for the year. This works because her iMac (about 6 years old) is getting, well, old. So, after much hoo-ing and haw-ing (ps, where does that expression come from...?) we decided on a new 15" MacBook Pro. It is NOT the retina display (damn! too much money...). I originally wanted the Air, due to the weight, but I simply wanted a larger screen. My mom agreed. We know it is more of a computer than either of us will probably ever need, but oh well! Now I just need to find a Korean plug for the charger.
By way of a phone, here is where my problems begin. I am spoiled on my iPhone. Absolutely spoiled! As you may have guessed with my introductory sentence above, I am loyal to Apple. This includes phones. I don't understand other smartphones. I'm sure there are good ones, but I don't want to try them. I like my iPhone. However, I use an iPhone 4 (I know, I need to upgrade...) The 4 is NOT a world phone. Mine is also tied to Verizon. I have been desperately trying to search forums and websites about using an iPhone in SouthKorea. Apparently, iPhones are available, but the way their networks work is different from America (and the rest of the world) AND if you bring your own, you have to register the phone with the GOVERNMENT to get the serial number approved to use on a line of service. I found some service plans that would work, and are certainly cheap enough. However, even if Verizon unlocked my phone, I believe the network will not work due to the technology that goes into the phone. So my options are thus: bring the phone and try to get it approved and put on a line of service (about a 30/70 chance of working, not in my favor) OR buy an iPhone there (cons being that i have to sign a 2 year contract which I cannot do, or pay full price for the phone, can't afford) OR buy an iPhone 4S here (world phone!) but we all suspect a new phone in the coming months, plus would have to pay full price which i just cannot do.
So, being the devious little imp that I am, I start talking to my crazy-smart coworkers about my dilemma. One of the suggests, in a tone which implied that I should have already known this, that I could use Google Voice thru Talkatone app to make free calls to US numbers (also texts and voicemail). This is so unbelievably brilliant, I can't help but doing a happy dance. Now my only problem is to get data on my iPad. I will need to obtain the same approval from the government for my device (I do NOT understand this process) and then purchase a SIM-card for the iPad. So far, I am not 100% sure I can do this, but it is possible in almost every other country in the world, so I am crossing my fingers. If this works, I will buy a cheap flip-phone for local use over there, but keep iPad with data to make international calls to America (taking away the need for calling cards or international calling plans). Can I just say that technology is INCREDIBLE. Seriously, it just keeps getting better!
What do you think of my plan? If you have any insider knowledge that I need to know, please comment! I want to cover all my bases before I get there. BUT please do NOT comment that I need to stop being so picky and get a phone over there, that that is the land of technology, or some other negative-nancy comment. I know what I want! So there :P
Oh, also, this is neat. I bought an AirPort Express router (Apple also). This little baby is awesome! It is about the size of a deck of cards, and I expect will be extremely helpful over there. When I get my internet hooked up, my American AirPort Express will be able to use English (without the horrible attempts at translations). I am excited to have an English router. It just hooks up into my modem or my ethernet and broadcasts my internet :) I can control it in English settings from my iPad. This way, when I am at my apartment, I can use the iPad (or iPhone in WiFi-only settings) to call home, thru google voice also. Finally, I can take the AirPort Express with me when I travel. Anywhere that has ethernet, I can plug this baby in and create my own little WiFi network. Brilliant!
If you don't speak techno, I probably just simultaneously bored and confused the hell out of you. But, if you can follow that, I hope I gave some good information. Please feel free to comment questions or advice! I welcome all help! :)
So far, I have managed to be extremely lazy, get a sunburn (curse of the fair-skinned) and eat. A lot. I thought I would use a portion of my obscene amount of free time to continue my blog, which I apologize has been neglected for a week or two... oops!
I certainly do not claim to be a technology guru, but I would say I am a bit of a junkie. Especially following my last job, where I learned about TONS of awesome stuff you can do with your technology, I now have a bit of everything. So I thought I would share my preparations for Korea regarding technology.
I am a Mac. I hope that I do not offend anyone, but if you are a PC, your life probably sucks. ;) JK... kinda. Hehehe
Well, I am a Mac, and following college, I got a desktop iMac (27" if you must know). It is my beautiful wonderful magically baby. I guess it was the extended amount of time spent with my 13" MacBook (white) on my lap in bed in college but I just don't like laptops anymore. I like the big screen, big power comfort of a beast of a machine. So with the prospect of moving to Korea, to a itty bitty apartment, I realize that toting along my iMac is impractical. Actually, it's almost impossible for me. I do have an iPad, but since I am not a 70 year old woman who only uses email, I need a computer. I was lucky enough to be able to work out a deal with my mom wherein she buys a new MacBook Pro (for herself) but loans it to me for my year abroad. While I am away, she is at liberty to use my iMac. Basically, we switch for the year. This works because her iMac (about 6 years old) is getting, well, old. So, after much hoo-ing and haw-ing (ps, where does that expression come from...?) we decided on a new 15" MacBook Pro. It is NOT the retina display (damn! too much money...). I originally wanted the Air, due to the weight, but I simply wanted a larger screen. My mom agreed. We know it is more of a computer than either of us will probably ever need, but oh well! Now I just need to find a Korean plug for the charger.
By way of a phone, here is where my problems begin. I am spoiled on my iPhone. Absolutely spoiled! As you may have guessed with my introductory sentence above, I am loyal to Apple. This includes phones. I don't understand other smartphones. I'm sure there are good ones, but I don't want to try them. I like my iPhone. However, I use an iPhone 4 (I know, I need to upgrade...) The 4 is NOT a world phone. Mine is also tied to Verizon. I have been desperately trying to search forums and websites about using an iPhone in SouthKorea. Apparently, iPhones are available, but the way their networks work is different from America (and the rest of the world) AND if you bring your own, you have to register the phone with the GOVERNMENT to get the serial number approved to use on a line of service. I found some service plans that would work, and are certainly cheap enough. However, even if Verizon unlocked my phone, I believe the network will not work due to the technology that goes into the phone. So my options are thus: bring the phone and try to get it approved and put on a line of service (about a 30/70 chance of working, not in my favor) OR buy an iPhone there (cons being that i have to sign a 2 year contract which I cannot do, or pay full price for the phone, can't afford) OR buy an iPhone 4S here (world phone!) but we all suspect a new phone in the coming months, plus would have to pay full price which i just cannot do.
So, being the devious little imp that I am, I start talking to my crazy-smart coworkers about my dilemma. One of the suggests, in a tone which implied that I should have already known this, that I could use Google Voice thru Talkatone app to make free calls to US numbers (also texts and voicemail). This is so unbelievably brilliant, I can't help but doing a happy dance. Now my only problem is to get data on my iPad. I will need to obtain the same approval from the government for my device (I do NOT understand this process) and then purchase a SIM-card for the iPad. So far, I am not 100% sure I can do this, but it is possible in almost every other country in the world, so I am crossing my fingers. If this works, I will buy a cheap flip-phone for local use over there, but keep iPad with data to make international calls to America (taking away the need for calling cards or international calling plans). Can I just say that technology is INCREDIBLE. Seriously, it just keeps getting better!
What do you think of my plan? If you have any insider knowledge that I need to know, please comment! I want to cover all my bases before I get there. BUT please do NOT comment that I need to stop being so picky and get a phone over there, that that is the land of technology, or some other negative-nancy comment. I know what I want! So there :P
Oh, also, this is neat. I bought an AirPort Express router (Apple also). This little baby is awesome! It is about the size of a deck of cards, and I expect will be extremely helpful over there. When I get my internet hooked up, my American AirPort Express will be able to use English (without the horrible attempts at translations). I am excited to have an English router. It just hooks up into my modem or my ethernet and broadcasts my internet :) I can control it in English settings from my iPad. This way, when I am at my apartment, I can use the iPad (or iPhone in WiFi-only settings) to call home, thru google voice also. Finally, I can take the AirPort Express with me when I travel. Anywhere that has ethernet, I can plug this baby in and create my own little WiFi network. Brilliant!
If you don't speak techno, I probably just simultaneously bored and confused the hell out of you. But, if you can follow that, I hope I gave some good information. Please feel free to comment questions or advice! I welcome all help! :)
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Redtape
After the excitement of actually getting a real job offer, I had to start collecting all my paperwork. Actually, before I had my interview I started this process because it is a somewhat long and tedious one. I just REALLY had to make it happen once I had signed a contract. My recruiter sent me a list of things to get done...
I suppose for those out there who don't have the benefit of a recruiter, I will go into some detail here.
First thing to request: Background check from the FBI. This takes the longest to complete, so request it straight away! I got my fingerprints done at the local police office (check with your station because they may do fingerprints only on certain days). They have official fingerprint cards there, but you do have to pay a fee to have them done. You will later need to get an apostille from DC of your completed background check, so be sure to request a "pre-authenticated" check. I typed out a short letter to "whom it may concern" requesting it, printed and signed. Include that letter, your background check request application (found here the FBI website), and your fingerprint card, and payment (no personal checks accepted, you can print a cc authorization form from their website which is probably easier than money order or cashiers check). Include all this and a completed FBI checklist in a priority mail envelope (I believe you need to include a prepaid for return envelope, but check on the FBI checklist!)
Second most time consuming process: requesting an apostile copy of your diploma from the Dept. of State. You must take a photocopy of your actual diploma to a notary, each of you sign and date, and send that off to your capitol, Austin in my case. Unfortunately, the first time I did this, I forgot to sign (actually, I didn't forget, i just didn't know!) This process should take a few weeks or less (mine was about 2 weeks).
Make sure you have 2-3 copies of your transcripts
You should definitely have ALREADY obtained your passport (you want to work OVERSEAS, right? hehe) You also need several copies of a passport photo; HOWEVER, most countries need it in their standard form. For this, rather than trying to get the Walgreens photo specialist to understand why I didn't want US-standard sizes, I went to the website here. You can select the photo size you want, upload your OWN photo (yay!) and choose how many. For the standard 2 photo sheet, the prices is about the same as Walgreens. But I needed 6 photos, so their "best value" of 6 photos was DEFINITELY cheaper! I was very happy with this service.
To be honest, this is a process I went thru about 2 months ago, and I am now staying in Miami (rather than Houston) so I don't have immediate access to all my paperwork to refer to. I will try to go back and edit this post when I get all my information back at hand.
Oh, don't forget - make photocopies of EVERYTHING! Make 2 copies just in case! You will need copies for the Visa office later down the road... ;)
I suppose for those out there who don't have the benefit of a recruiter, I will go into some detail here.
First thing to request: Background check from the FBI. This takes the longest to complete, so request it straight away! I got my fingerprints done at the local police office (check with your station because they may do fingerprints only on certain days). They have official fingerprint cards there, but you do have to pay a fee to have them done. You will later need to get an apostille from DC of your completed background check, so be sure to request a "pre-authenticated" check. I typed out a short letter to "whom it may concern" requesting it, printed and signed. Include that letter, your background check request application (found here the FBI website), and your fingerprint card, and payment (no personal checks accepted, you can print a cc authorization form from their website which is probably easier than money order or cashiers check). Include all this and a completed FBI checklist in a priority mail envelope (I believe you need to include a prepaid for return envelope, but check on the FBI checklist!)
Second most time consuming process: requesting an apostile copy of your diploma from the Dept. of State. You must take a photocopy of your actual diploma to a notary, each of you sign and date, and send that off to your capitol, Austin in my case. Unfortunately, the first time I did this, I forgot to sign (actually, I didn't forget, i just didn't know!) This process should take a few weeks or less (mine was about 2 weeks).
Make sure you have 2-3 copies of your transcripts
You should definitely have ALREADY obtained your passport (you want to work OVERSEAS, right? hehe) You also need several copies of a passport photo; HOWEVER, most countries need it in their standard form. For this, rather than trying to get the Walgreens photo specialist to understand why I didn't want US-standard sizes, I went to the website here. You can select the photo size you want, upload your OWN photo (yay!) and choose how many. For the standard 2 photo sheet, the prices is about the same as Walgreens. But I needed 6 photos, so their "best value" of 6 photos was DEFINITELY cheaper! I was very happy with this service.
To be honest, this is a process I went thru about 2 months ago, and I am now staying in Miami (rather than Houston) so I don't have immediate access to all my paperwork to refer to. I will try to go back and edit this post when I get all my information back at hand.
Oh, don't forget - make photocopies of EVERYTHING! Make 2 copies just in case! You will need copies for the Visa office later down the road... ;)
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Preparations
It has been a few months since I have started my preparations for my adventure in Seoul. All the while I have been scouring the internet for others' experiences in preparing paperwork, obtaining a visa, packing, etc. While I have found some information, I feel like there were still many questions that remained unanswered, despite an enormous amount of Google searches.... Hopefully this blog can assist those future teachers of Asia in their preparations.
First I will tell you about where I am going. I will be teaching at a private school in Seoul, South Korea. It is a language school, and I will be a foreign English teacher. (Pardon me if my blog does contain some grammatical or spelling errors; yes, I can be anal about these things, but this is also a personal blog that I write on my spare time for FUN. So I may not be too picky as I type... bare with me.) I decided that before I settle into a career and family, I wanted an adventure (preferably one that can also pay the student loans stacking up...) So, I did a 60-hour TEFL certification (which I came to find out I did not really need...) and started applying at recruiting sites. I applied at several, but the one I ended up working with was the one who personally reached out to me to set up a time, and worked with my chaotic retail schedule. I worked with gone2korea.com out of Canada. I have not had any complaints, but go with whichever recruiter floats your boat.
After an initial interview with some guy in Canada, who wanted to know basic things like Why teaching? Why Korea? etc, they confirmed my place with their agency. I did NOT pay for this service! If anyone tries to get you to pay them, DON'T DO IT! These recruiters make their money from the schools that we work for; do not pay them a dime! Anyway, after that interview, my primary contact was a Korean (I assume) who also spoke great English. I think of her as my middle-man. She basically found out what levels I wanted to teach, what type of school (public or private), my resume/qualifications, etc. Then she basically found school(s) that fit my criteria, and I fit theirs.
Once a suitable school was found, she emailed me some information on them. If the sample contract looked good to me, she would set up an over the phone interview with the school directly. (I accepted an interview from the first school she asked about - how was I to know the difference?!) The interview has been my ONLY direct contact with the school. I'm not sure how I feel about this, but it seems pretty normal when you work with a recruiter.
One other thing my contact did was put me in touch with another teacher currently at the school I was interviewing with. This was a HUGE help! There are many websites that "rate" schools and work experiences, but I have found that those are biased and only the very unhappy seek out the sites to vent to. So, after reading some unsettling claims on one website, I was able to email my contact at the school and talk candidly about my concerns. She definitely gave me a better perspective. I felt much better after speaking with her.
During my interview, the director of the school asked normal interview questions, some of which I had prepared a little bit for. I kept my resume in front of me (since I knew she was also looking at it) and referenced that. She asked a few questions that threw me off such as "What is the most important aspect of learning English?" and "What do you do to relieve stresses of daily life?" I had to think on my feet but it ended well. I felt very good about the interview!
Only 2 hours later, I received an email from my recruiter saying that the director liked me a lot and has decided to offer me a position. She sent a contract offer with all the details for me to look over. I only had about 2 full days to look it over and make a decision. The schools are usually in need of people year-round, and are trying to fill spots ASAP. I had no idea what I was looking for, so I signed and faxed my signature back. (Since this time, I found a website where veterans of teaching abroad will look over contracts for loop holes and pit falls that inexperienced teachers may fall victim to. It is here at "Dave's ESL Cafe." Thank goodness by the time I found it and uploaded my contract, no one found any major flaws!
In my next blog, I'll go into all the details of collecting paperwork! What a tedious business... Hope you're either very interested or have nothing else to do! ;)
First I will tell you about where I am going. I will be teaching at a private school in Seoul, South Korea. It is a language school, and I will be a foreign English teacher. (Pardon me if my blog does contain some grammatical or spelling errors; yes, I can be anal about these things, but this is also a personal blog that I write on my spare time for FUN. So I may not be too picky as I type... bare with me.) I decided that before I settle into a career and family, I wanted an adventure (preferably one that can also pay the student loans stacking up...) So, I did a 60-hour TEFL certification (which I came to find out I did not really need...) and started applying at recruiting sites. I applied at several, but the one I ended up working with was the one who personally reached out to me to set up a time, and worked with my chaotic retail schedule. I worked with gone2korea.com out of Canada. I have not had any complaints, but go with whichever recruiter floats your boat.
After an initial interview with some guy in Canada, who wanted to know basic things like Why teaching? Why Korea? etc, they confirmed my place with their agency. I did NOT pay for this service! If anyone tries to get you to pay them, DON'T DO IT! These recruiters make their money from the schools that we work for; do not pay them a dime! Anyway, after that interview, my primary contact was a Korean (I assume) who also spoke great English. I think of her as my middle-man. She basically found out what levels I wanted to teach, what type of school (public or private), my resume/qualifications, etc. Then she basically found school(s) that fit my criteria, and I fit theirs.
Once a suitable school was found, she emailed me some information on them. If the sample contract looked good to me, she would set up an over the phone interview with the school directly. (I accepted an interview from the first school she asked about - how was I to know the difference?!) The interview has been my ONLY direct contact with the school. I'm not sure how I feel about this, but it seems pretty normal when you work with a recruiter.
One other thing my contact did was put me in touch with another teacher currently at the school I was interviewing with. This was a HUGE help! There are many websites that "rate" schools and work experiences, but I have found that those are biased and only the very unhappy seek out the sites to vent to. So, after reading some unsettling claims on one website, I was able to email my contact at the school and talk candidly about my concerns. She definitely gave me a better perspective. I felt much better after speaking with her.
During my interview, the director of the school asked normal interview questions, some of which I had prepared a little bit for. I kept my resume in front of me (since I knew she was also looking at it) and referenced that. She asked a few questions that threw me off such as "What is the most important aspect of learning English?" and "What do you do to relieve stresses of daily life?" I had to think on my feet but it ended well. I felt very good about the interview!
Only 2 hours later, I received an email from my recruiter saying that the director liked me a lot and has decided to offer me a position. She sent a contract offer with all the details for me to look over. I only had about 2 full days to look it over and make a decision. The schools are usually in need of people year-round, and are trying to fill spots ASAP. I had no idea what I was looking for, so I signed and faxed my signature back. (Since this time, I found a website where veterans of teaching abroad will look over contracts for loop holes and pit falls that inexperienced teachers may fall victim to. It is here at "Dave's ESL Cafe." Thank goodness by the time I found it and uploaded my contract, no one found any major flaws!
In my next blog, I'll go into all the details of collecting paperwork! What a tedious business... Hope you're either very interested or have nothing else to do! ;)
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