Arrival and First Couple Days

Well after a mad day running around Seattle to get my passport and visa together (again!) I was on a plane Wed at 1:30 to get myself to Korea as fast as possible. The flight was pretty simple, I just read and slept. We landed early in Tokyo where I went and ate some GREAT sushi... what a concept. Sushi at the airport! YUMMY! The weirdest thing by far was the the number of people wearing medical masks... it was so weird. def made me realize that I was in Asia. That and omg the uniforms worn by Asain stewardess are soo awesome and fashionable! I would wear them for a day! After Toyko I arrived Thurs night at 8:30 in SEOUL, whre I meet up with Beks and Eunjung and we took a us bakc into the city. After arriving at our hotel (where we have been placed until today, monday, in order to make sure we dont have swine fu and infect the other teachers and kids) Beks and I walked around the main street and stopped and got some food... at 11:30! Things are open soo late here its crazy.

We had this chicken soup thing and some great little side dishes.. I ATE KIMCHI! haha, it definitely made me realize that I am actually here. My knowledge of korean is really quite small but it is nice that I can at least say hi, thanks and goodbye. Better than nothing!

Yesterday or Sunday, Beka took me to this cute little cafe were we had waffles and coffee for $60. Things are so cheap here it is crazy. We stayed there for awhile then went and hit up the mall. Now that was an experience. People generally stare as they walk by but at the mall, the workers followed us. Really creepy. Anyways we wen there and bought some umbrellas as it had rained a bit that morning and we explored the 10 stories that the mall held. Then Beka walked me to our school and our apt to point them out. Them we got lost! We started walking around, just looking at stores and street food vendors and ended up somewhere completely else. It was actually kinda fun getting lost and finding out way back. We keep trying to find a map of our area but to no luck!

Later that day we meet up with Eunjung applied for my cell phone and went out to dinner. OMG we had some AMAZING Korean food. Three dishes (a rice cake-sauce thing, kimbop, a egg-rice dish, dumplings and side dishes all for about $10! It was crazy. Beks and I soon after retired back to the hotel and passed out for the night.

OMG people. Coke here is the same as in the States... kinda sad about that. No new info for my "book".

Today I am off to the hospital for my health check and we move into the apt today! Very excited.

Miss you all dearly and hope all is well back home. Will update and post pic either later tonight or tom after our first day of work!!!

lol!

What A Life!!

So as most of you thought I was supposed to leave Wed Aug 26th.... after figuring out the visa thing (it was a minor headache to say the least) I got my passport and visa Tues. just in time to catch my flight. Thank God I thought, what a weight lifted off my sholder... or so I thought untill a couple hours later I realize that my passport is no where to be found. MAJOR PANIC INSUES! Needless to say, passport #1 still lost.

So I freaked out. MAJOR. and thanks to some smart words from a friend I was able to calm down and make a solid plan B which today I executed. The morning started with a passport run to the State Passport people. By 11am I had a passport. ( I know, who knew that you could get one so quick in an "emergency"!) Then crossed town to return to the Korean Consulate where they were so nice, but couldn't believe my bad luck!

I am now at home, finally preparing to peace out for a 1pm flight tomorrow (Friday) to meet up with Beka. According to her messages it looks like they have us up in a hotel for a couple days to make sure that we do not contract the Swine Flu.... (why flu's always make more noise in Asian countries I've yet to find out) and I think we start work either Tues or Wed. Most exciting about flight will definitely be the two hour layover in Tokyo, where I will most definitely be eating some SUSHI!

That's it for now... will update you more when I am in Seoul!

Yet another set back...

Ok, now if any of you have ever been aboard you will have already encountered the frustration that accompanies Visa requirements... and having already gone through more than enough (in my opinion) to get to Korea, yet another arrives.. in the form of a simple yet annoying Interview.

Last night I FINALLY received my "pin" number from my school in Korea, and first thing this morning call the Seattle consulate to finalize my visa and am told (quite rudely) that the first available appt in Sept 3. which for those of you paying attention is one week AFTER I am schuleded to fly fly away... difficult no? Well as of now they are being most uncooperative and not helping me out.

Tomarrow I go to beg the Consulate to take pitty on a poor girl and help her out... Keep your fingers crossed!!!

Visa Headaches and Life Realizations

Well, as you know I still have not yet left! But dang Korean Visa people are strict! We sent off all of our docs to Eunjung (a small bundle which cost us each $60!), only to hear that our transcript, as it didn't have the words "completion of graduation" didn't count. They were afraid we didn't graduate. Even though they ALSO have our diploma! That and they didn't believe Beka's California apostille was "as powerful" as my Washington one. (We are thinking that they maybe confused and think my Washington, is Washington DC so we are keeping that hush hush!)

So finally after a couple days of hectic calls back and forth we have mostly figured it all out... mostly!

We have officially crossed into the month left countdown. CRAZY! Sometimes I can't believe I choose to do this!

But I am so excited to get outta here and explore and live aboard again, most of my fears go away... Those of you who know me know I love plans, so I have once again been planning out my next few steps. After my yea in Korea I am hoping to have saved enough money to return to the UK for about a month to visit family and take a short trip back to "home" in France after which I would return to the states, either that or try to work in an NGO in Vietnam that works against Child and Women Trafficking.

I have been looking into soccer for development programs and have found an AWESOME program through Right to Play where I can coach soccer in war torn areas working with children who have been trafficked or have been forced into slavery, soldiering etc. Which is basically a perfect marriage of my two passions! After that year, I am hoping to be ready for grad school in England doing something in Econ. development, post-conflict studies and public policy at either University of Manchester, LSE or perhaps University of York (mainly cause I love the city!)

So yes, that is the current plans! Finally think I've got this whole thing sorted... kinda. I cant believe it took me this long to realize that I can use my love for soccer and marry it with my wish to help unfortunate children worldwide! It's this rather recent realization that makes me hesitant to go to Korea now because this trip started with the original intention of buying me time to figure stuff out and now that I have, it doesn't give me much except another abroad experience and some teaching experience in a realm outside of coaching soccer. But then again, I certainly do not know where it could take me so! I'm ready for another adventure!