Thursday, September 29, 2011

Keeping Minutes,

I'm waiting for mr.kang to come on line. He is now officially 3minutes past due. I was of course ready 1/2 hour before just in case he came on early. He didn't. My mom wants to know why her hptouch is in my room, and really intently listening to someone speak in english as a 2nd language over mom dad and tv and humming fridge and buzzing lights just seemed too much, so that's why. Of course now i can hear the traffic clearly on the street and the various noises of my machine. Also my face is oddly red. I think there was wheat in my mashed potatos. I totally regret eating them. Must take benedryl after or IF i talk to mr, kang who is now 5minutes overdue. I even lamely typed hello, hello... on the off chance he was there but not there. He didn't respond. Meanwhile the two burning questions seem to be busan or seoul and december or february. I honestly can't see lasting 5 months, let alone 3... and then interviews and contract negotiations? dare i? dare i?

It's difficult with mrkang. He is damon's friend. So i don't know what the protocal is in terms of him being the only one to help me or trying to find stuff online. I know some sites recommended I submit my resume to places myself and consider engaging 1 or 2 recruiters but i've never been one to hedge my bets. Is that the term? Really it's alot to be skyping with a complete stranger and trying to be available at a specific time because of the 16 hour difference. Honestly 4 hours ago would've been better. I would be less impatient and foot tapping. I've got all my online time out of my system and this frankly seems to be torture. Tick.tock. But then the abyss of recruiting agencies, hagwan companies and korean characters i can't download bcs of my language pack seems like a lot too. It's like you might as well be throwing bottles into the sea or well into a vacuum tube which seems like it could land anywhere.

So i'll copy and paste my chat with him from yesterday. Which is amusing because i start being hyper aware of either typing in broken english, or being ridiculously formal. And then you know, mr,kang finally getting my busan hints with a... oh you prefer? ah, i see... what does that mean!? I have previously mentioned it like 5x. So much that i began to doubt whether or not busan was good or not because he kept suggesting jobs in seoul. Nevertheless. Anyway meanwhile my transcripts are in and now i'm waiting for my diploma... ticktock.

kang: Schu..I would like to talk to you asap.
kang: Schu...I am available anytime...
kang: Plz let me know.

schu: Hi! Yes. I am sorry I  missed you. When is best with the time difference? I am most available in the morning 8am my time? but could also do 3pm? 4pm? Is that too early for you?

kang: are you there ? [oh crap he's there! i can't blow him off!? i should talk to him]
schu: hello
schu: i can't skype right now. but i can chat  [parents are home. i am now self-conscious about my hair. for-getIT]
kang: OK...
schu: Later tonight i can though
kang: Job # SangDo : Female Only
#Qualification: Bachelor’s degree in any major
-Location: SangDo(상도: 739) Subway Line 7
-Starting date: End of December, 2011
-Teaching days: Monday~Friday (No Saturday)
-Working Hours: 1:00PM~9:00PM
-Student Type:  Elementary + Middle
**benefit;
-Pay: 2.2 mil won/month
-Air ticket: Round-trip air ticket
-Medical Insurance: 50%
-Accommodation: Single furnished accommodation
-Paid vacation: 10 days/year
-Severance pay: one month Salary after the completion  of the contract

kang: Can you consider it ?
schu: Yes. It was just that I had wanted Busan first as an option.
kang: Ah you prefer Busan Job?
schu: Yes, i had heard it was less crowded and more like Los Angeles.
schu: I am from Los Angeles and so thought a more laid back relaxed life style.
kang: I see...
kang: When can we talk again ?
schu: Are jobs better in Seoul?
schu: We can talk in 2 1/2 hours or i can talk tomorrow morning my time?
kang: Tomorrow is better.
schu: That's good for me. It's good to chat you finally!
kang: Me..too...
kang: I would like to talk to you soon again.
schu: Tomorrow is good. Or the next day. Whichever.
schu: I am up around 8am my time. I can talk in the late evenings also--
kang: Can we talk 4 hours later ?
kang: I am not sure it is good for you?
schu: from now?
kang: yes..
schu: maybe too late. I am usually up till 1130 my time though.
kang: ok...then....
kang: your time 8 am means... my time is late night 12:00am ...hehe...
schu: oh yes...
kang: what shoudl we do ...
schu: ah!
kang: how about this ...
kang: the same time tomorrow...
kang: 12pm here..your time 8pm there.
kang: OK ?
schu: that sounds good.
schu: i will write it down.
kang: OK....then exactly 24 hours later...
kang: 12pm/8pm...
kang: nice talking with you.
kang: bye now.
schu: yes, sorry i can't now. but tomorrow is good.
schu: see you then.
kang: good night~~

[He is now 27minutes past due.]

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Korea, right? Maybe?


I've already set myself to: Let's go. Am totally going to be bummed if that teacher recruiter doesn't call me or if he's like sorry, all the contracts i have for you sort of suck, so. Or what if they're all no, we don't want someone who's 35 with a masters degree, and we're not going to let you adventure in our country and pay off your debts and work in our country and warp young minds who desire a conversational ability in speaking english.

I'm already looking forward to someone asking me my blood type (B+), going to an abandoned amusement park on a small island, touring southeast asia, paying most of my CC bills off, and part of my car, and taking a trip into Japan, and eating lots of korean bbq and finding the sbux in busan and the gf pizza options i've heard about, and standing like a slightly larger pocahontas against the backdrop of the mighty, ...uh sea of japan?ocean crashing against the jagged rocks of the shore of my destiny.

Oddly most of my obstacles are money related. Go figure. And my finger prints don't come back until end of october... i hope sooner? But more on that when i feel like meticulously laying out my beurocratic journey in detail for you, because you care. I know you do.