3.5 months...

Well, I've been here for about 3.5 months now. I'm settled. At first it was awful. I was jet-lagged and sick... homesick, and physically sick.

I'm good now, and have been posting to my new blog at http://mikeinkorea.wordpress.com

More delays, but got my visa.

I picked up my visa from Toronto on Friday, July 18. Finally.

However, my flight is further delayed because the school will be on vacation for a week. They don't want me to be in Seoul all alone, so my flight has been delayed until Friday, August 1st.

The extra delay in my flight is kind of a blessing in disguise. I wasn't really ready to leave last week, because I haven't packed nearly enough, among other things. This also allows a good friend of mine to see me after her big test. She's studying in Seoul to be a police officer.

I've included a picture of me with my visa. Sorry I had to censor it, but who knows what people can do with that kind of information.



My next blog post should be from Seoul, or written on the plane. Again, my blog is moving to http://mikeinkorea.wordpress.com/ , since I intended this blog to be informative about the process required to teach English in South Korea. My experience in Korea will be posted on http://mikeinkorea.wordpress.com/

And so, 안녕!

Delays

Well, the Korean Consulate in Toronto didn't have my visa ready. Just goes to show that you shouldn't believe that you're told if it sounds ridiculously good.

I was told that I would be leaving this Saturday, July 26th. I got a call while watching The Dark Knight (good movie by the way) that I would be leaving NEXT Friday. This is because the school will be on vacation next week, and they don't want me alone in a city of 26,000,000 people. This is understandable, and I feel it is a demonstration of how much the school actually cares about me. By all means, they could have just had me arrive alone and figure things out for myself.

The director and my recruiter will meet me at the airport on Saturday around 4pm Seoul time, which is 3am Canadian time. I hope my first impression on them isn't so bad. I will look like a train wreck coming off the plane after 17 hours of travel.

By the way, when I finally arrive in Korea, I will be posting at: http://mikeinkorea.wordpress.com/

The purpose of this blog is to inform those who are looking to teach in Korea, and are curious about the process one must go through to get a job and a visa.

Flight booked

My flight is booked, and leaves on Saturday, July 19th at 10:00am. I have to stop for a couple of hours in Chicago, and then it's 14 or so hours to Seoul.

I am nervous and excited. Yesterday I was so nervous and under-slept that I had body aches and nausea.

Consulate interview, departure date

I have finally submitted my visa application, and went to an interview with the Korean consulate in Toronto.

I went to submit my application on July 14th, and scheduled my interview for July 15th.

The interview was unreal. I walked in, and a little man at a desk asked me why I chose Korea, and whether or not I like children. That was pretty much it.

I told my recruiter about the interview, and that they said it would be 2-3 days until I get my visa. She is booking my flight for Saturday, July 19th.

So, today I will work for a bit, and spend most of the night packing.

Visa approved (so far), arranging interview

My recruiter emailed me tonight to inform me that my visa has so far been approved. She gave me a confirmation number and instructions on how to arrange an interview at the Korean consulate. It's kind of crazy that no matter where you're from, you need to visit the Korean consulate in Toronto for an interview.

It doesn't matter to me though, because I live about 1.5 hours from Toronto. But if I were from BC or Nova Scotia, I'd be pretty screwed.

Here's what is required for my interview:

1. One completed visa application form attached
2. One recent passport-type colour photo (3.5*4.5 size, white background)
3. Original and a photocopy of passport (remaining validity of at least 6 months)
4. Cdn $55.00 visa fee (Cash or Money Order Only)
5. Additional items required for this type of visa:
6. Visa issuance confirmation number (Clearly stated on the bottom of the visa application form
7. Sealed university transcript

I will be calling the Korean consulate tomorrow morning to arrange an interview.

I'll keep you posted.

Frustration and Excitement

Well, I have all my documents that I need to send for my visa. However, just as I was going to send all my documents, neatly gathered in a FedEx Pak, I called the Korean consulate just to be sure I'm doing the right thing in terms of all the documents I have and whatnot.

Apparently I wasn't.

The criminal background check, which I had to drive around with all day to get notarized, must also be notarized or "verified" by the Korean consulate before it can be sent to the school in Korea. After the school receives the documents, they take them to immigration.

A little bump in the road, yes, but also an excuse to go to Toronto for a day.

So my documents will be sent out via FedEx on Thursday, as early as possible.

My recruiter said if things continue to go as smoothly as they have, I should be in Korea on or around the 14th.