I HAVE MY PLACEMENT!

DRUMROLL PLEASE!!!!!!!!!! I'M GOING TO.....

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DAEGU!!!

I can't explain how excited I am that I got my first choice of placement... I had given up all hope... a few weeks ago the EPIK Coordinator posted on the Facebook page that all of the MOE (Metropolitan Offices of Education, which include Daegu) were full, so I had begun to come to terms with being placed somewhere else. 

A week ago, I got an email from my coordinator checking in on me. I didn't want to jinx anything, so I only told a select few people about the email, and made sure NOT to say anything on FB about my small ray of hope.  The title of the email was "Checking in (no placement yet)". In the body of the email, he said he had noticed that I seemed anxious in the FB group (through my questions and responses). He also said that my documents had just been received by the DAEGU (this is when I really started getting excited) MOE and that I wouldn't hear back until this week (this is when my excitement dropped, just a tad). He went on to tell me his success in placing teachers, etc. etc. The best quote from the email, the only thing I've had to cling onto, was 

"I am 100% confident that you will be placed in Daegu, it’s honestly just a matter of time."

First of all, I think it is great that my coordinator noticed me and took the time to check in on me. Secondly, this gave me the hope I needed. I was extremely worried that I may not even make it to SK this semester, but much less the chance of being placed where I really wanted to be? So I just sat back. I had to be patient.  I'm glad that I've had other things to do to keep me busy, but I am definitely glad that I'll be in Daegu. Not that I wouldn't have been happy anywhere else, but the fact that I'm going to be placed in the city where some of the friends I've already made are going to be is awesome. 

So now I'm excited. It is official. I'm going to Daegu. Now I get to wait just a few more days (yes, more waiting) for my NOA (Notice of Appointment) and my contract before I book my plane ticket and get my visa. But for now.... I'll let the count down begin... and continue with the Daegu research!

No updates really...

I realize that I haven't updated in a while... but thats pretty much because there isn't really anything to update about... I'm still waiting for a placement, meaning I have no flight, no visa, and no contract.

I have, however, been on vacation for about a week and a half now, up in Kentucky, visiting friends and family. My first week was spent with my Mom's side of the family... playing cards, ping pong and darts and eating really good southern style food (OMG macaroni and cheese!). I've now said goodbye to that side of the family and am spending some time with my best friend, Jen. With us, we can just pick up where we left off... We have a type of friendship that we don't have to talk every day, we might not tell each other every little detail of our lives, but when we do talk, or are together, we are like sisters. She is someone that I consider family, and will miss just as much as any other family member while I'm gone. We have watched some TV, eaten out, and shopped a little. This weekend we are going to a winery and do a few other things, but we really just hang out when we get the chance. Right now, she is still in school, so during the day I have pretty much been laying in bed with her cat, Smokey (the only cat in the world that I like), and catching up on Facebook and all things internet....

This is where Eat Your Kimchi comes in... EYK is a blog that a couple from Canada started several years ago about their lives in Korea. They are now so popular, they have bought a studio and have become full-time bloggers. I kept hearing about them, but never really watched anything of theirs (I'm not really sure why though), but the last few days I've been watching their videos NON-STOP! First of all, they are hilarious. And secondly, they are quite informative... I've only gotten through a fraction of their past videos, which are pretty much the ones about life in Korea, but they also are super big into all things KPOP. Seeing as KPOP is another subject of Korea that I need to get into, I'm sure that I'll be watching several of their videos on music as well....

So until I have more to say or another update, I'll see you later...

** On a side note, I did receive an encouraging email from my EPIK Coordinator the other day. I don't want to talk about it because I don't want to jinx anything, but keep your fingers crossed that things work out the way he thinks they will!! **

Why English is so hard to learn...

The waiting game continues...

While others are getting their placements, booking flights and have moved on to waiting for their contracts and NOAs, I'm lucky enough to still be waiting for a placement.

I have to admit, every time someone announces on the FB group that they have been placed in Daegu, I cringe a little. Every time someone else is placed there, there is one less spot available for me... I've started to try to come to grips that I probably won't be placed in Daegu.

But while I wait, I have begun to learn Hangul (the Korean alphabet), started packing, continued to shop for items I will be taking, and have become a pro at twiddling my thumbs.

Until later....

MY DOCUMENTS HAVE ARRIVED IN KOREA!!

Got the confirmation last night!

The $100 waiting game

Yesterday morning my apostilled background check and diploma were delivered to my front door!

 

I was super excited, but had to get the rest of my documents together before I could send everything off. So I made the necessary adjustments to my application that I hadn't already done and printed everything out, which included the checklist, application, proof of enrollment for my TEFL course and the Sworn Declaration (promising that I'll finish the course by the given date), copy my passport information page, and gather my transcript and recommendation letters together. 

THEN I had to go to Walgreens to get passport photos made.... 2 photos for $10.99!!! WTF! After waiting for those, I went over to the UPS store to make copies of everything, one set for the EPIK office, one for myself, then packaged everything up and sent it off, which cost a whopping $92 plus the $8 in copies!!!! Wow this endeavor is starting to cost some MULAH! But will be totally worth it WHEN I get a job (notice the positivity).

So 67 copies and $110 later, all of my documents are shipped! Now I have to wait for the EPIK office to receive my documents, then recommend them to an education office (hopefully Daegu's), then either get an offer, or not, and then they would continue to send my documents to other education offices until I get an offer (hopefully). Once I get an offer, they will send me a placement email, and while I'm waiting for my contract to be mailed to me, I'll have to take an online preparation course. THEN, when I get my contract, I'll have to go get my visa! 

Hopefully all goes well, and hopefully this process will happen quickly. And HOPEFULLY I'll get an offer!!

Keep your fingers crossed!

Still waiting...

A month later, and I'm still waiting...

I finally got my background check back (after 2 months)

And now I've paid $$$$$$$$$ to get it expedited (along with my diploma) to be apostilled...

Now I'm just waiting for it go get back.... still waiting...

In the mean time, I've been working on finishing my class...

I've sent in everything I have to send in (including some revisions). I haven't heard anything about my last chapter, Unit 20, because my tutor is on holiday break... so I have to, guess what, WAIT.... oh well... thats what I get for being a procrastinator...

Now I need to start doing my revisions to my application in preparation for getting my stuff back from DC...