The wait is over.
Guys, I'm moving to Korea in exactly 3 weeks. I've been meaning to update you all on everything buutt I figured I'd wait until everything was in order. As in Visa received and Flight booked.
Where do I begin. This EPIK process has been long. And I've had to understand and learn the importance of being patient. On my last update, I was waiting. Waiting to here back whether or not I had received a placement. I sent my documents to Korea in November and was told not to expect to hear anything back before mid December. December rolled around and I was so anxious. Checking my email every day. Then finally it came. EPIK: Placement Results. Congratulations and Welcome to the EPIK program... I screamed. I danced. I cried. It was setting in. I was moving. Leaving behind family, friends, and my boo thang [boyfriend whom which is so very supportive and that's why I love him so]. Leaving behind all that I know. And believe it or not, as much as I want to get out of Florida, out of my job.... I am not that big of a friend to change. And this is a big change happening.
I will be working as a teacher. I've never been a teacher. What if I like suck? I'm moving to a country I've never been to where I can only speak a teeny bit of the language. What if I get severely homesick. All this change that I must embrace. But I'm going to embrace it and I'm claiming that it will be the best decision I've ever made and an experience that I will grow a lot from.
Anyway, I was placed in the 2nd location I wanted. Gwangju!! If you read my first post you know I originally stated Daegu. However I received notice that Daegu was no longer planning on having intake for new teachers in February so I was able to pick another location I wanted and I went with Gwangju. I hear it's a great city and has a great foreign community. It's 4 hours from the 2 largest cities Seoul and Busan .
I am still studying Korean with my tutor and by myself. I have two now. One helps more with grammar and the other with helping me to get comfortable with speaking the language. I know a good amount. My tutor even said I'm pre-intermediate but I am not comfortable actually speaking it and I also struggle with listening. Koreans talk so fassssttttt! But I'm confident that I will be able to get by and ask for help and food as needed.
As the time is winding down, I still have so much to do. Luckily my last day at my job is on Friday so I can spend my days studying Korean and packing, selling stuff, and relaxing with my love ones until the big moving day is here.
Timeline.
August 6 | Submitted application
Oct 1 | Received email that I passed the first phase and would be schedule for an Interview
Oct 7 | Had interview
Oct 9 | Received email that I had passed the interview!
Oct 16 | Application for CRC received by channeler [nationalbackgroundcheck]
Oct 28 | Received CRC back from channeler
Oct 28 | Sent CRC to get apostilled through US Legalization
Oct 30 | US Legalization emailed that CRC had been received and would be return on Nov 5th.
Oct 30 | US Legalization emailed that CRC had been received and would be return on Nov 5th.
Nov 7 | Received Apostilled CRC
Nov 12 | Sent documents off to EPIK office.
Nov 14 | Email that documents had been received {quicker than expected!)
Nov 14 | Email that documents had been received {quicker than expected!)
Dec 16 | Placement results [Gwangju!]
Jan 1 | Contract packet sent from S. Korea
Jan 5 | Received contract packet
Jan 20 | Sent off for Visa
Jan 27 | Received Visa & Booked flight
**Feb 17 | Goodbye USA
**Feb 18 | Hello Asia
안녕히 계세요 [that's bye in Korean :)]
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