I talked to BRIAN JOO on the phone today!

I know, I know, it seems too good to be true. But it is!

I very recently started listening to Arirang Radio, a station in Korea that is in English. Now, I am not in Korea yet, so I have to listen to it online, via streaming radio. There's this one segment I find interesting called the Evening Groove. Brian Joo is a special guest there often and the station puts fans on air so they can talk with him and the DJ. Well today, I was that lucky fan!

The story is pretty amazing. I only found out about that site and radio station a couple of weeks ago, when I saw something on facebook on a friend's page. I checked it out and then went to youtube and lo and behold-- there were recordings of Brian's segment on the show ("Kickin' It With Brian") where he is calling fans! I could not believe my ears when a black girl from GA was on air with Brian! 'I want that to be me!' I thought. So I endeavored to make it happen.

I joined the Arirang site as well as the Evening Groove facebook page. I sent in my request to be called. However, one of my friends told me that Brian is on for 2 weeks at a time, then switches with someone else. And what do you know, my luck was that the day I found out about it, he was about to start his 2 weeks AWAY from Evening Groove. And over the next two weeks, the shock and hope that he might call me kinda wore off...

But today (the start of his 2 weeks again), I decided to tune into Evening Groove. It airs at 8pm Korean time, which is 7 IN THE MORNING here, but yes, I was up and listening. Although I had already sent in my number a couple of weeks ago, I sent it in again, and even wrote a wall post on the Evening Groove facebook page. And then I waited, hoping to get a call, but logically knowing it probably wouldn't happen...

My phone rang. It was an international number. It was Kate from the Evening Groove calling to ask me a question: "Would you like to be on air with Brian Joo and DJ Dorothy?" My reply: "Nah, I'm not really in the mood to talk to a hot celebrity today... Can I take a raincheck?" No way did I really say that! I was more than happy to accept the offer!

So, about 15 minutes later, I was ON AIR WITH BRIAN JOO. It was amazing. I have been a huge fan of Fly to the Sky for about 6 years, so talking with Brian was a dream come true :) Actually, Brian and I do correspond through MySpace and Facebook once in awhile, so it's not like I haven't had a conversation with him before. But obviously talking on the phone with someone is a lot more personal than that. And Brian REMEMBERED me! I am a pretty unique person, so it can be hard to forget me haha, but you gotta think that Brian probably gets thousands of messages from fans. The fact that he replies to a lot of mine does make me feel special, but it was cool to know that he remembered me. So cool.

And DJ Dorothy invited me to come to the studio when I come to Korea! She even said I could bring some of my students who are trying to learn English. So that is so awesome. Hopefully, I will be able to meet Brian too. :D

But the best part about this whole thing? BRIAN SANG HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! My birthday is coming up on July 11th, and when I told Brian this, he sang for me. I was so happy to hear his voice "Happy Birthday dear KeAndrea...." :) I swear I almost fainted. I mean it really is not everyday that you get to have happy birthday sung to you by a famous, very attractive Korean celebrity.

I am going to post the recorded conversation. Enjoy! ^_^

Visa!

It's only been 3 days and I already have my visa! I am so happy. I feel like this is the final big step towards being able to go Korea. If I wanted to, I could head on over to Korea right now haha. But yeah, I think I'll wait for that free ticket from the Korean government.

Looking at my visa (it's attached inside of my passport), I feel so excited. It's just an amazing feeling to know that I am only a few weeks away from realizing my dream of going to Korea.

Visa Application Process

I know a lot of people are a little nervous about this part of the process, because there are always rumors going on about how complicated getting a visa can be. Well I think it really depends on your consulate. For me, things weren't that complicated.

After receiving my acceptance notification, I had to wait for the admission package because that contained my contract and invitation letter, which I needed to apply for the visa. Now because I am not of Korean nationality, I was going for the E-2 visa, which is for foreign teachers. I know some people who got accepted into the TaLK Program who are Korean are going to apply for the F-4. I am not entirely sure what the deal is with that, but as it does not concern moi, we're going to move on.

So I finally got my admission package and discovered I was going to Incheon! Yay! You can read all about my joy over that in my previous post... Moving on...

Now depending on what kind of teaching program you are doing, you may or may not get a visa confirmation number. I didn't receive one of these, but I think it's okay since I am in the TaLK Program. I looked at the Atlanta Korean Consulate website to get some information on the visa process and was dismayed to find out that I would require another interview. Oh, fiddlesticks!

I emailed the Korean Consulate directly to make sure of the required documents and the interview schedule, and soon after I got a reply. Lo and behold, I did NOT need another interview because as a TaLK applicant, I'd already had one! HOWEVER, other TaLK Applicants in other cities were not so lucky. (I know of one guy who just called the consulate in California today, and they told him he would have to come in for another interview...) Well... poor them... But lucky me!

The email also contained a list of required documents and things that I would need. I will go ahead and list them just in case you're curious. But remember, this is obviously not going to be the same for everyone. (Copied and pasted from the actual email)

List of Required Documents:

· TaLK Contract

· TaLK Invitation Letter

· Notarized copy of diploma OR official transcripts

· Completed Visa Application (see attachment)

· Completed Consul Checklist (see attachment)

· Completed Health Statement (see attachment)

· One passport size photo

· Passport- YOU MUST SEND YOUR ACTUAL PASSPORT. THE VISA ISSUING OFFICER MUST STAMP DIRECTLY IN TO THE PASSPORT.

· $45 (cash or money orders only made payable to Korean Consulate. Personal checks are NOT acceptable)

· Postage paid self-addressed EXPRESS MAIL envelope for return of your documents & visa. NO FedEx RETURN ENVELOPES!!!!

Now, I was pretty sad because I had to get another academic transcript (That is 5 whole dollars people), since apparently they had sent the first one to Korea... As for the contract, I'm supposed to print 3 copies of it, so one went to the consulate for my visa application, one is for me, and the last one I am supposed to give to somebody important in Korea- I think the director of my school...

The application itself is pretty easy to fill out. It looks cool though because it's in Chinese- don't worry there is English too. You would think it would be in Korean right? Nope, Chinese. I guess because it is so official. (Back in the old days, everything official was done in Chinese- even newspapers were in Chinese. Old habits die hard, I guess haha.)

Now the thing that irks me the most is that you have to pay like $18.50 or something to purchase a return express mail envelope. They won't let you get a cheaper one, like the priority mail envelope (think that's about 5 bucks). I know that it is for the good of my visa and stuff but still- geez so expensive...

So... Today I got up and found my way to my school campus. My school campus is awesome because I did EVERYTHING there. Oh except for get the money order- I got that at a gas station before I went to campus. But I'm pretty sure I probably could have found somewhere on campus to do that, too.

Adventure to Send Off My Visa Application

My first stop was to the Registrar's office on campus to get another transcript. I had to take a slight detour to the bank across the street from the office to pull some money out... :(

Next, I was on my way to the student center, which has a shit ton of stuff that you'd have to drive all the way across town to get to conveniently in one central location. Seriously- we have a place you can get your passport pictures done, a post office, a copy/print center (think Kinko's or something), etc etc etc.

So my first stop at the student center was the print/copy center. I printed out my contract/invitation, visa application, health statement, and consul checklist and got to work in filling things out. Like I said, it wasn't that difficult. But then-- PANIC! The visa application needs to know the address of where I will be staying in Korea, as well as my guarantor and a few other things. I know from the email that the woman from the consulate sent me that that is no big deal- just put the address of your school and your director. Easy right? Nope! It hits me like a ton of bricks that I don't KNOW the address of my school, or my director. The way the TaLK Program works is that they will tell you which city you've been placed in, but they won't tell you till the middle of July the other information. Well the visa application has to be in by the 26th. Plus I had gone through all the trouble of getting onto campus (I don't have a car, so it isn't easy to just come and go as I please to campus). And, I had just spent all that money on the money order (and the transcript). So I frantically tried calling the Korean Consulate. But I guess they were out for lunch or something, because all I kept getting is this very polite Korean answering machine sounding recording. Now, My Korean is not good so I'm not sure what it was saying. But to me it basically sounded like: "Obviously we're not here right now- oh did you think pressing that button was going to do anything? Nope, the message is just going to continue... So yeah, like I said, obviously we're not here right now so just call back later and by the way, we don't care about whatever question you have." But I finally got through to someone who told me that if I didn't know the information, I could just leave it blank. Yay! Because I really hadn't wanted to leave and come back later or something. I wanted to get this stuff sent off TODAY!

Okay so after I look back and forth between the email and the items on the table in front of me about ten times to make sure I have everything, I make my way to the campus post office(about 40 seconds away from the copy center). I freak out again, making sure I have everything, and then eventually everything is how it should be. I decided to send the documents in a priority mail envelope. I got tracking(I think it was like a dollar extra) so I could see when it gets there, and everything came out to just under 25 dollars. Lucky for me, I got there early enough that it shipped out later on the same day. Woo woo!

Now, I didn't need to get my passport photos done again because I still had a picture leftover from when I got it taken for the TaLK application (they normally come in sets of 2), as that application only required one as well.

Then I went and ate bimbimbop at the Korean restaurant close to campus. Then I waited for the bus, and then I got off the bus and walked back to my apartment. Then I took a nap. Then I woke up and checked the mail. Then I came back and ate some ramen. And then I decided to write a blog post.

So that was my great adventure. All in all the visa application process cost me about $75. I guess that's not toooo bad. If you have to get passport photos done again, that won't add to the price too much. I think they only cost me 8 bucks to get done on campus.

The documents should reach Atlanta in a day or so (I only live about an hour away), and then they will ship back out to me within 2 business days. That means that.. definitely by next Friday I should have my visa in hand. After that, it's smooth sailing... All I have to do is wait for my plane ticket and then go to Korea!

I think I am allowed to have 2 suitcases and it has been hinted at that many things you THINK you need to bring a ton of, you can find in Korea. So I am going to attempt to pack lightly. Heh like I have any choice-- I don't have that many things anyway!

Well I know this post was really long. I just thought people might like to have an inside view of the application process. All in all, I think things went well. I know other applicants might have to do a little bit more work than me to get their visa, but I'm happy that I just had to send in my stuff. I'll keep you guys updated! Have a great night!

My Placement

Okay, so I've just received my placement...

I'm going to Incheon! I am very happy about this because this is the place I requested to be sent to, and I was really afraid that they would send me to Jeju Island. Since the TaLK Program sends scholars to rural areas, Seoul is out of the question. So Incheon is the closest you can get to being placed in Seoul (apparently Incheon is classified as a rural area, haha even though it is the third largest metropolis in S. Korea-- I mean it is practically a part of Seoul!).

Now to be honest- and I told the lady from the Seoul TaLK Office this too- I didn't really care where they put me, as long as I could go. BUT... In my opinion, Incheon does have its advantages over say... Jeju-do. First off, as everyone can tell, I'm Black. It is really important to me to be able to find someplace I can get a relaxer or something done to my hair. Incheon is ideal for that since it is so close to Seoul-- and I'm assuming Itaewon (a lot of foreigners are in Itaewon and I heard that a lot of people go there to get their hair relaxed). Another advantage would be that I would be more in a city, than in the middle of nowhere. This appeals to me because I want to be able to have lots to do, especially at night.

I feel so happy right now. Unfortunately... I am home by myself and it's a Sunday night... so I guess there will be no raucous celebration at the moment :(

Now that I have my contract and acceptance letter, I better get this visa thing underway. It shouldn't be a terribly arduous process but when you don't have a car, things tend to be a bit more difficult. But I'm sure things will all work out. After all, I have until July 26th I think to apply for the visa. And once you get the documents in, it only takes a few days. Hopefully everything will go smoothly.

But regardless... Come August, I'll be flying out of here for South Korea!

I'm accepted!

Well, I just got some awesome news! I have been accepted into the TaLK Program! I am going to Korea for a year in August.

Now that I have been accepted, it's time to go through the process of applying for a visa. I am a bit nervous because I have heard that people have a lot of trouble sometimes when it gets to this part... But hopefully, it won't be too crazy and everything will go smoothly.

I just cannot believe it. I am so happy. It is 4 in the morning and boy am I gonna be pissed if I find out that this is all a dream and I wake up soon haha.

Waiting

The waiting is killing me. It's been hinted at that I am going to get in by an actual person in the TaLK Office of S. Korea, but with no acceptance email or anything, my doubts start to creep back at me.

I start thinking about the mistakes I have made. One thing that I was really bothered by is the fact that I didn't have a chance to show them my level of written and spoken Korean. I mean, it's not anything close to fluent, but I know a lot of people that apply to this program don't know a lick of the language (which isn't necessarily a bad thing and I'll say more on that later). During the interview, the Korean man asked me how good my Korean was. And I could have started wowing him by jumping into a very short but very properly pronounced conversation with him (Korean people are ALWAYS amazed that I even speak a little Korean, and mind you, that's all I can speak). But instead I said (in Korean): "Oh, my Korean is not good." WHY did I do that?! However, I know that in Korean culture (as well as other cultures such as Japan) being humble is the social norm. Or at least acting humble. The fact that I told him in perfectly pronounced Korean that my Korean wasn't good-- the irony must not have been lost on him. I thought it was the proper thing to do then, but now I wonder if I had just started counting to 10 and saying "hello, goodbye, I'm hungry" would it have been better?
Oh and by the way, that was not me being stuck up haha. Korean people always say that when I speak it sounds like a Korean person and the pronunciation is really good. Even my Korean language partner (a native Korean speaker assigned to us by my Korean teacher to help us practice Korean and do homework) gets confused when I call her on the phone. She always thinks it is my Korean teacher calling her (they are friends), and has to check the Caller I.D. haha.
Those two are actually the ones who wrote my recommendation letters. You know, my language partner let me read a copy of it before she sealed it up, and I cried. She really thinks highly of me. I expected it be half bullshitted, but you could tell it was genuine.


But overall, I think I've done well. I got my documents to the Consulate in a timely fashion. I didn't screw up during my interview. And the woman from the TaLK Office who did my phone interview seemed to genuinely like me. I'm pretty sure they are probably not allowed to say things to applicants such as "I know good news will be coming your way soon" and "Well I've already made my decision already". I felt confident at the beginning of this week when I had that phone call, but it's days later now and my anxiety is not letting me win this one so easily.

Right now, I'm not worried about the horror stories I've heard about racism. I'm not worried about having a bad co-teacher. I'm only worried about getting on to S. Korean soil, breathing S. Korean air (which I heard isn't really all that good anyway, mind you), and walking beneath a S. Korean moon.

저는 한국애 가고싶어요... (I want to go to Korea.)

And So It Begins... Hopefully

So... I applied for this program to teach English in S. Korea for a year, and I think, I really think I'm going to get into the program. I'll know for sure in a matter of days.

So hence, the blog. What?? You still don't understand why I am starting a blog? Okay, I'll break it down for you:

1) I think it will be a great way to record all of my adventures and mishaps, which I can look back on later and laugh/feel bad about.

2) This way, my family and friends can have peace of mind knowing that clearly I am NOT dead, since I have just recently posted my latest experience of getting lost.

3) I like to do research before I go anywhere, and you will not believe how hard it was to find information on Black women living in South Korea. Damn near impossible! So this will be another rare and valuable resource for the next poor soul who is spending countless hours on the internet looking for information about foreigners living in another country.

Anyway... I hope those were enough reasons to convince you that I do indeed have a reason for creating a blog. :P


Oh we like lists, do we? Well how about a list of reasons why I want to go to Korea?

1) My minor is Korean Language& Literature (There was no Korean major!), so I figure this will be some nice first hand experience with the language and culture.

2) It's almost like a free vacation from college- I only work 3 hours a day, so I'll have a lot of free time on my hands, and my accommodation is provided so I won't be homeless. Yay!

3) I seriously need a break. There is so much drama in my life here which is causing me so much stress-- family drama, man drama, KeAndrea drama... My life is practically a Korean drama! Why, it's enough to make a girl just wanna pack up and move all the way to the other side of the globe. Wait... that's what I'm trying to do.

4) I have a serious case of Yellow Fever. No need to go into detail on that. Suffice to say that those Korean mothers better lock up any handsome sons they have :P


Well it has taken me forever to set up this blog more or less the way I want it (for now), so I'm gonna cut this short and go ahead and send my first post on this blog out into the world.... I'll try to update as often as possible-- unless I don't get accepted into the program, then I might be too embarrassed to post that, so I might wait for awhile until I stop crying and until I synthesize some happiness and end up telling myself that 'it wasn't really meant to be', and 'I'm sooo much happier here in America.' Bullshit- I really wanna go to Korea.