"This Land is Your Land"

When I walked into the Korean Consulate in Newton, MA today, I believe I got a very small dose of what it will be like to be in their country. The sign on the door had huge Hangul writing on the door. The second I opened the door, I was hit with a wave of the unknown. Every document and sign was written in Hangul, but thankfully was also repeated in English immediately beside it. I almost picked up a Korean newspaper to see if I could decipher even one word of it besides today's date. A 60"+ Plasma TV was in the corner showing some sort of funky variety show from back home'. (Most likely a Samsung or LG by the way).

I truly felt like a foreigner, as the only white person in the room and the only one speaking English, it was an interesting experience (one I better get used to!)

For those who are interested this is a list of what is necessary for an E-2 Visa (Foreign Language Teacher) - at least for the one in Newton, MA:

1. Your Passport
2. Your original contract/copy of the contract
3. An extra set of passport pictures
4. $45 for a multiple entry visa (I paid and extra $17 to expedite it and have it mailed to me).
5. A completed visa application with the appropriate information. (You might want to make sure you have contact information for your school or recruiter as you need to list a reference or guarantor that resides in Korea.

I also read that you might need to meet other requirements, in my case, I was already accepted at the school and they had processed my paperwork so I did not need an interview, or to provide transcripts. More info here.

"Funny The Way It Is"

It's official!! My start date is June 1st. This means I will need to be in Korea that day! This only gives me a little over 2 weeks left in the States, and not a lot of time to pack up my old apartment and life from the past 3+ years. (insert deep, yet nervous breath here). The most pressing issue is to get my E-2 Visa application in at the SK Consulate in Newton, MA. This can take some time to process as well, but if I don't have it when I arrive in SK, the school system has to send me to Japan on a visa run until the paperwork comes through (on their dime of course). Hopefully this will not be the case.

I'm going to try and use as many vacation days as possible to get the time to shop, pack, visit family and friends, etc. I don't know if or when I'll have a going-away party, but hopefully I can throw something together on their Saturday, May 30th. It's a hard time for people to get together because of other commitments with family gatherings, graduations, etc. (I totally understand, and apologize for the short notice). I'll send out an e-mail as soon as I make plans.