Now it's my turn to be guilty....

I have definitely not posted to this blog nearly enough in the last few months but I blame it on the insanity of documents, bureaucracy, numerous reliances on snail mail (tho it is actually called Expresspost, it is not QUITE express enough for my liking!), weekends (which get in the way of business transactions/operations), and also many last minute hang out sessions with fam and friends. However, here I sit, on this, the fourth last night on Canadian soil. Yes, that's right. My Korean adventure begins in: .......................FIVE days!!!!!!!!!!!

Because of delays and such, I will be arriving a day after my contract was to start which means training might be minimal or non-existent SO I go in blind! For those of our readers who are inclined to pray, I would appreciate your words to God on my behalf!! I am fully excited, partly nervous and just READY. Ready to start a different chapter--the post-university chapter--and I'm pumped to be living on my own again (tho I have an awesome roomie, Katie, there is something really independent about having your own place and I know she agrees!!)...

Anyways, I will be in Montreal for two nights awaiting the interview and Visa stamp that Katie was talking about in the previous post. I'm just doing it in person b/c I can't afford to wait the two extra days it would take for them to send my passport back....SO, while I am sitting in my hotel room in beautiful Montreal, I may find time and presence of mind amidst the excitement and dawning realization that this is, in fact, happening, to write another post .... we shall see!

Either way, I will definitely be updating when I get to Korea and can find some internet! WOOOOO, KOREA HERE I COME!!!! :D (that was for you Katie!)

Peace all!

And all the documents are sent…

Today I sent off my final batch of documents. I will be very happy if I never have to send out an Xpresspost envelope ever again. The final round of mailings involved filling out the actual Visa application, sending a set of transcripts, photos, the 55 dollar money order, my passport, and the application itself complete with the Visa confirmation number I received back from Korea to the Korean Consulate in Montreal. In about 5-10 business days I will have had my Visa interview via webcam, my passport stamped with the Korean Visa and returned. All in all, that stamp will have been the most expensive stamp I’ve ever obtained – but I hear the benefits will be great and plentiful :)

I’ve had some questions lately from friends back home about what is included when signing up for a contract to teach in Korea, and so I thought I’d post it on the blog here to help answer some of these questions. In all the research that I’ve done, I’ve not found a place more highly recommended for ESL teachers than Korea. When employed by one of their private schools, they will pay for your flights at the beginning and end of your contract (to Korea and back to Canada – or USA, etc), as well as provide your accommodations (minus utilities). With the low taxes over there, living costs are significantly cheaper than here in Canada, and this allows for more savings (in my case they will go towards student loan repayment). I’ve heard countless stories of teachers who have gone to Korea and loved the area and the experience and we’re hoping that we love it just as much as they did.

If anyone knows anyone who might be interested in this kind of opportunity, they should get in touch with ParkEnglish.com – I’ve LOVED this recruitment agency and they have been insanely helpful as we’ve been getting ready to head off!

If all goes well with the travel arrangements and the visa arrives in time, Jen is leaving in less than a week (wow!), and I will be heading off around three weeks later. It’s crazy to think that this is all going to become reality soon. I went in to the bank and ordered some Korean Won (thus emptying my account of Canadian Dollars) and it felt pretty surreal. I’ve also been preparing clothing wise, and making sure that I have a variety of work outfits for each of the seasons. It’s been an experience already!

As for fun things I’m looking into once I arrive in Korea, I’ve found the English website for the Global Missions Church (conveniently in Bundang) and looks pretty sweet. Check it out HERE.

That’s about all for now! Soon I’ll be blogging about the packing experience and how I managed to fit a years worth of living into two bags (+ carry-on) and under 100 lbs total.

~Kate

Woah! It’s JUNE (almost)!

Wow. So I realized today that I’ve really been neglecting this blog. I can’t even say I have a good excuse. Since graduating, I’ve been spending most of my time puttering around my parents home, daydreaming about the future, and preparing documents to be sent to/from Korea itself and their Montreal consulate. *Warning* to anyone who might be considering TESL as a possible post-graduation option: prepping/FedExing/Express Posting documents is a wee bit expensive so you might want to plan ahead in terms of funding (check out costs of things such as passport photos -we needed six photos total including the two needed for actual passport renewal/creation, the passport itself, Express Posting/Fed Exing of documents, for a Criminal Record Check –vulnerable sector-, for notarization of this record check by a public notary – ex: lawyer, for consulate notarization of the record check by the Korean consulate, and for sending all documents to Korea later, and then resending all of this to the Korean consulate for the actual visa and the cost of the visa itself).

Whew. Expensive stuff, but I’m sure it will pay off in the end. I’ve also been trying to organize myself enough to have some sort of idea of what I am going to be packing. I have determined that my bags will be large enough to hold all my necessary belongings (lucky – they fit the size restrictions of both Canadian and Korean airlines), however the weight restriction (50 lbs max for each of the 2 suitcases) is going to cause some issues. I’m finding myself weighing everything that I add to the case, and am shocked when something as simple as 1 pair of winter boots takes up TWO whole pounds of precious weight! I’ve already reached half of my total weight allowance and have yet to add any clothing. I’ve concluded that this will be a fascinating challenge. Anyone know where I can find super-light-weight towels and sweaters?

On the other side of my life (the one which remains focused on events of the present day), I’m looking forward to the month of June. Promising to bring many exciting events (such as the birth of my nephew), June is sure to satisfy my longing for excitement. I’ll be traveling up to Ottawa for the last week of the month to visit with my awesome brother and sister-in-law and their son, and then, upon my arrival home, I’ll have less than two weeks before my next big life adventure begins :)

Jen is heading off in less than a month for Korea and I am thrilled to be able to live vicariously through her for a couple of weeks before I head out there myself. Jen, you are a brave soul! I look forward to all the international airport advice and the great catch-up session we’ll have once I have conquered the flight for myself! I’m hoping that you’ll be able to post some pictures of the apartment and area up here for us!?!? I’ll be so excited to check it out!

Well, that’s it for now I guess! Thanks to everyone who’s been keeping up with the blog ~ I’ve loved being able to catch up with some of you since I’ve been home!

~Kate~

Change of Plans!!

Ok, folks....so for once I have the presence of mind to post up on this wall a little about where we find ourselves at today!
So, on Sunday night I received a call from our lovely contact at ParkEnglish informing me that she had "good news and bad news, which I wanted first??" ...so of course, I said the bad news. Turns out the teachers we were to be replacing at LCI had decided to renew their contracts....which meant the positions were no longer open to Katie and I. I was taking this setback rather well, understanding that I still had some good news to hear. So then she informs me that they had found a replacement school for us....After getting off the phone with her, I immediately contacted Katie and we proceeded to look at the school's website, etc and the best part is: we are getting more positive vibes off of this opportunity than we were with the previous school (not that LCI was giving us bad vibes!)....so in terms of salary, it is a tad lower I think (? Katie, enlighten us all if you know something I don't!), but the hours are not as overwhelming as they would have been at LCI. The area of Bundang looks fabulous and nature-y and is right on a subway line to Seoul! The apartments also look pretty inviting--Katie and I will most likely be sharing a 2 bedroom aptm....
Now came the hard part: the catch with the positions was that they had different start dates: one at the end of June and the other in mid July...so we had to decide who would go it alone for a few weeks and through various factors we arrived at MOI! So in the relative time frame from now till then, I have major VISA application work that needs to be done!!!

Well, we have received our contracts (I am waiting to hear back from my sisters who have both been to Korea to teach and are offering their help by looking over the contract for possible downsides, etc) and will be going for our police record checks tomorrow as far as I know (as well as handing in our requests for transcripts sometime this week)....so things are beginning to pick up the pace!

*Jenz*

PS. On a funnier note: I had a crazy short little dream. I was at home and suddenly realized that my flight was leaving at 9 pm (please note that in the dream it was 830 and since I live an hour and a bit away from the airport there was no way I was making my flight) and I still was not packed nor did I have luggage within which to pack everything. So my sister, who was supposed to drive me, whips out her luggage from underneath the bed (random!), tells me to throw all my clothes into a garbage bag and pack it all into the luggage bags on the way to the airport...so then we are in the car and realize all of a sudden that my flight wasn't going to leave until the following morning!!!
OK, so we are going to hope and PRAY that this doesn't actually happen but something tells me it won't because I'm the type of person who packs three weeks in advance, especially with a big thing like this...anyhow, just thought it was funny how stressed I felt in the dream. Cheers!