More on visa

I just learned that there's a way to work without visa legally in Korea. I learned it from the lady from the agency that I'm dealing with and I confirmed with a lady at the Ministry of Justice in Korea. I am completely amazed. I don't need to do anything but show up with some paper work and about $70 and in 10 days I'm able to work. The ticket is taken care of by the agency so my last trip to SF will be takend care of. So I will go to San Francisco on the 17th and continue on to Korea from there. Miraculous!

Mom's recent dream about her Dad also seems to indicate that this is the right thing to do. More confirmation is always reassuring.

Yesterday I spent a day with 4 ladies from a previous seminar at a country house. It was fun to hang out share the ups and downs. One of the lady calls me that I'm like a WD-40 for relationships. I seem to smooth out the edges between people she says. Food was delightful and the walk nice when the sun peep through in the afternoon.

As my agreement to be a coach comes to end, there was a conference call to acknowledge the coaches. I was so happy to find that my coachees all completed the courses and most of them completed the coursework. I never thought some of them would make it. Miraculous!

Pictures: 1) Me and Gretchen 2) Eva, Gretchen, Ginette and Janice 3) Gretchen, Eva and Ginette pointing at the bread that looks like buns.

Becoming emotional

As the time for the departure approaches, both Mom and I started to reminisce about the good old and not so good old days. In some ways, I feel as though I'm going back to revisit some dark memory lanes of night-mares. However, I tend to forget that I'm not the same person and Korea is not the same country from that memory. I know that I may not have enough courage to do something like this if I settled into a comfortable place. So I can understand the adamant refusal on my part to look for something here.

My friend's accident reminds me also how important for Mom it is to live in a safer environment among more enjoyable companies for her older days.

I will send off all documents tomorrow. I'm signing the deal and not turning back.

LODI (Long Over Due Item) - Done!

Just filed my income tax and mom's. I feel so light. Each year I dread it so much. This time it took me 2 hours - that is including losing all my data and re-keying it all over again.

I had another interview with Canadian Language Institute. They are more interesting of course, I'll be working with fellow diverse individuals from Canada. But now that I have something in the works already, I did not feel extremely needy and that made me feel good too.

Today there was an incident where 32 (or more) kids were shot to death in Virginia Technology University. It is unthinkable why shooting would happen in schools so often.

Paperwork 2

I have been working to get the documents - 12 of them. I was super annoyed that I needed to go to the consulate 3 times to get my degree notarized and confirmed. In their web site, it just says get the degree notarized at the consulate. It doesn't say that I need to copy, get it notarized and bring a transcript to get it confirmed there. I got off it. I'm not working and I have time to do it so why get angry and annoyed?

I called my half sister for the first time since my Dad passed in August 1999. I needed the "Original Address" and I did not remember it and my mom did not either. I knew that she would know it. Mom fished out a phone number from a very old address book. I called and there was no answer and the answering machine did not come on. 3 hours later, I get a call and it was her voice. It turned out during the past 8 years, her mother passed away and so has 2nd sister's husband and 2nd brothers wife also passed away. I got the original address and got something more, a possibility to be able to connect to her. Mom was also considering visiting her in Vancouver. My life is almost coming to a full circle.

Paperwork

I got an offer in a record time. This reminds of me of the time I got hired at Cognicase. I went in shook hands, handed over my CV, had a chat for 10 minutes and signed the contract all in one sitting. Then again this was true as for my last job. I called on Monday, went in for the interview on Wednesday handed over my CV and started working the Monday after.

This time, I sent out my CV on Good Friday evening to an agency, I got a call at 10 p.m. from the agency on Easter Sunday evening and got a contract by Tuesday a.m. The employer did not even bother to interview me but my co-teacher was eager to call me and let me know of all the wonderful things awaiting me. She was very reassuring and seemed relieved that I understand Korean.

Tips for those who are renewing their passport - go to Service Canada website and fill out the application on-line as much as possible. This short-cuts 2 hours waiting at the passport office. Mom and I lined up downstairs yes, but as we got to the reception desk and got grudgingly ready to wait for the next 2 hours sitting, she said "You're next! because you filled out your applications on-line". Hooray - Viva Internet!

Another tip, if you ever need a security clearance, you need to go to International Fingerprinting Services Canada (at Complexe Guy-Favreau) and pay 40 dollars. Prince Edward Island Police (why them?- I don't know) will do the investigation and send you a certificate.

Wirlwind of thoughts

As I am getting some more nibbles, I'm feeling a bit more confident. I got all the papers ready to renew passports but I forgot to ask mom to sign. This will cause one more day of delay. I may have to just apply for mother's only and renew when I get to Korea.

There are some public school positions - that sounds nice. Also this Canadian school - nicer except for the fact that I'll have to work till late in the evening.

My aunt says I have nothing to worry about - that God will provide the best for me.
I learnt that lesson when I walked across northern Spain but I keep forgetting.

My note from the universe told me to "buy the shoes" - which I did yesterday. I had to laugh out loud.

http://www.tut.com/mmm.shtml

31st Anniversary

Today is the 31st anniversary of my family arriving in Canada. Mom and I celebrated in China town and I bought - yes, a new pair of sandals to commemorate. It feels just like yesterday that we arrived at the Dorval airport. Interestingly, today we are making passport pictures to get ready for the trip back home.

I had a nibble - an agency from Korea called me last night and I am interested in the position she was suggesting. As I am waiting for the confirmation call, my monkey mind is running 100 miles an hour. There are all these financial matters I need to settle before I go. Plus making sure mom is OK, plus getting ready for taking care of aunt's affairs are totally taking up my brain space. One good news is that I can get the type of Visa in Korea that will allow me to work and live there for 2 years at a time just like a native. Which means that my visa status is not linked to an employer. I wanted to find out right away but all government offices were closed today because it is the Easter Monday.

The trip to San Franciso was a memorable one as well. I ran into another participant from New York at the SF airport and we went into town for some fabulous seafood and window shopping. The weather was unbelievably beautiful and the view of the harbor made us feel like we were in a movie. Tarantino's is the name of the fabulous seafood restaurant.

During the course, one other Korean lady publicly gave up making Japan/Japanese wrong. Her wailing woke me up to what we're up to creating in the world. Yes - some of us are immature, unreliable, and the job in front of us is immense. But I don't know of any other bunch of human beings engaged in creating and committing to the impossible promise for all humankind. I'm humbled, privileged and overwhelmed.

Listening to Bill Clinton on Tedtalks, made me want to find out about this man Dr. Paul Farmer, who could cure the world. I am after all, a student and a teacher who has learnt to communicate not just problems but solutions.

March to remember

March started out fine - with mom's birthday celebration. On March 10th however, as I was taking the first day of TESL course and looking forward to my birthday celebration, I got a message that my dear friend fell and broke her hip - but she has my cake and should come and get it. Frantically I found the hospital where she ended up and cancelled my party. I found her screaming every 3 minutes with excruciating pain. It was just terrible. By the 11th, I got the news that her surgery went well and found her sitting up.

On the 20th of March, as I wasn't dealing with enough stuff in my head, my mom was having some suspicious symptoms - she felt tightness of chest and her left arm was feeling numb. So off to the emergency. She came back home the next morning with some pills. It was some minor heart condition and she just needs some pills, but nothing to worry about. I felt completely wiped and exhausted.

Thank Goodness March is over! My friend is back at home - and mom is stronger than ever.

Some pictures - flowers, cake and eggs - that survived Susan's fall.