waiting to leave

Today is Monday.  I would have been leaving today.  I’ve got about 3 weeks till I leave (I hope).  I haven’t done much to get ready.  I am kind of in disbelief that I am really going.  I suppose I should start doing the things I need to do to get ready. 

Getting the actual visa

I picked up my visa today from the Korean consulate.  So I guess I am all ready to go, I just need to get my plane ticket and then hurry up and wait.  

Once you get the paperwork from Korea getting the actual visa is not a problem.  You just go to the Korean consulate and give them your passport and the documents you need and they tell you to come pick it up on a certain date.  Mine took two days.  If you don't live near a Korean consulate I heard you can mail the stuff to them. 

Because I am working at a public school I did not need an interview.  When my friend got a job at a privately owned hakwon he had to have an interview at the consulate, but the interview seemed to be more of a formality.

I didn't know what the visa would look like.  It's a sticker that takes up a whole page in your passport.  It has your name, length of time the visa is valid, when you must enter Korea by, how many entries you can make, your employer, and some other info.  

It's a single entry visa, which means once you enter Korea, you cannot take a trip outside of Korea and come back with that same visa.  If you plan to travel outside of Korea during your contract you must get a multiple entry permit before leaving Korea.  (**EDIT**  I have heard all visas now allow multiple entries and it is no  longer necessary to get the multiple entry sticker.  I have only been told this by a friend, I have not verified it)

I think getting the visa was the easiest and most straight forward part of the process so far. 

one problem after another

How typical of this whole experience so far... I got an email this morning from my recruiter with the subject "urgent."  Whats urgent?  She wants me to cancel my plane ticket and get a new one for the 19th.  The school won't have housing ready for me till that date.  They will pay any cancellation fees for me to change my ticket. 

I wasn't sure what today's date was, I had just woken up, so I was thinking when is the 19th? Tomorrow or something?  Nope, today's the 23rd.  So April 19th?  I emailed her back and asked.  Yes, April 19th.  Almost a month from today.  I have to wait another month.  I cannot believe this bullshit.  Actually I guess I can totally believe it.  I was thinking at this stage it's set, no changing it now, I got my plane ticket and I'll get my visa Thursday.  Apparently for them, its never too late to change things. 

So I called priceline.com and canceled my ticket.  since I was doing it within 24 hours of making the purchase there were no fees.  Which is good cause I don't trust that the school will pay me back for them.  I think I forgot to mention that the school had me buy my own plane ticket and they will reimburse me once I arrive.  I decided to just go ahead and trust them on that. 

I'm sick of waiting.  Sure I could use the extra time, but I would rather be totally rushed this week and leave Monday than keep waiting.  This really makes me wonder if i am going at all.  I mean now the date is set for the 19th, but what will the next problem be?

I got my plane ticket

So I am going. I applied for my visa and will pick it up Thurs. Got my plane ticket for Monday at 12:25pm. That was the latest they said I should come. They wanted me to leave Friday, but that is impossible, I have too much to do.  Wow I guess I am really going. I have so much to do in the next week. I am really feeling stressed. 

I'll arrive next Tuesday and well see if they take me to Paju or if they surprise me with a new location.

I can't believe I am really going. 

I made a new decision

I calmed down and said ok to Paju.  The recruiter says I should write the school name on the contract.  It doesn't make me feel that much better.  I mean I still feel that they will switch schools on me if they want.  On their copy of my contract school location is still blank.  But I really need a job, so I am just going to go and see what happens. 

I like to be in control, to plan, to have everything worked out and know what to expect.  But it seems Korea doesn't like that attitude.  I feel like their goal is to keep me in the dark not knowing whats going on. 

Today I will go to the Korean consulate to apply for my e2 visa. 

I guess I will be leaving next week.  I still expect something to come up and stop it from happening. 

WTF?!?!?!

I got the visa package today.  Fucking contract still doesn't show a school name.  I emailed the recruiter and asked why, and said I don't feel comfortable taking the job if that is left blank.  She says she talked to her staff and found out they had to change schools on me.  The school in Icheon doesn't want a male teacher with no teaching experience because it's a girls HS.  The new school is a high school in Paju and a "much better location."

I am pissed.  My first thought was to just reply telling her to go fuck herself.  When were they going to tell me about this?  If I hadnt said anything were they going to tell me before I left or just wait till I arrived? 

I havent replied to her email yet.  I am not sure what to say.  I don't want to burn bridges yet, but I do want her to know I am not happy with this.  If I wasn't so stressed about money and finding a job.  I would just start looking for a hagwon job or wait till the end of summer to apply with EPIK or SMOE.  But I really need a job and I need to get out of here. 

visa stuff is coming

I got an email from my recruiter saying the visa stuff has been sent to me and she gave me the tracking number.  She said something like I should be leaving for Korea within a week of getting the visa.  I have just gotten a new surge of nervousness and excitement.  A lot of nervousness.  

I have a lot of stuff to do before I go.  I am still expecting something to happen to prevent me from going. 

contract has been sent

After deciding on the school the recruiter sent me the contract and said to print three copies and sign all of them, and also print and sign another GEPIK application and send it all to her office in Korea. 

Maybe it was a mistake on my part, but the contract had the school info left blank.  So I emailed her back and asked about it and asked if it was likely the school would change.  She said it wouldn't change, but GEPIK wants them to leave it blank.  I'm not comfortable with important info on the contract left blank, but I decided fuck it.  I signed it and sent it off.  If they switch it on me and put me in what I consider to be a worse location I will cause a problem and I will fucking quit. 

The contract should arrive in Korea today.