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Back to Korea~
After all the stress of thinking my documents were lost in the post cos of the stupid post office man, they finally arrived with my EPIK coordinator last week! Received an email today saying my documents have been processed and now I just need to wait until end of May/early June to see if and where I get placed.
Already booked my flights to Korea and will be leaving end of June!!! :D
Yaaaayyy! I just got the email from my recruiter that he sent me my appointment package. I’m not sure when I’ll get it, but by later today I’ll be able to start tracking it. Still waiting on my pension money from El Sal, but I can definitely say I have much more peace about this all. I’m sure Phil Robertson can relate to that “happy happy happy” feeling. Thanks for your prayers and support!
Waiting, waiting, waiting...
That's my life ever since I began the process of applying to EPIK last year. I won't get into all the details of how to apply to EPIK right now, but I'll give you an update of where I am and what kinds of things I'm waiting for.
I have been accepted as an EPIK teacher for the Spring 2014 intake, and I'll be hired by the Seoul Office of Education (SMOE). I'm currently waiting for them to send my Notice of Appointment (NOA) and contract so I can apply for my visa at the Korean Consulate in Chicago. And because I decided early in application process to apply with the help of a recruiter, my NOA/contract will be sent to my recruiter first, and then to me. I just heard from my recruiter a few days ago though, and he hopes to receive the documents from Korea early this week, so I'm hoping to have them by the end of this week.
Once I get the contract, I'll be able to apply for my visa. This should only take 5-7 days, but if there are any issues, it could take longer. I'm praying that it comes quickly, because I'm leaving in only 3 weeks. Better sooner than scrambling at the last minute to get what I need, right?
Now, I'm also waiting for a whole different process that's going on in El Salvador. During my trip there in December, one of my main goals was to withdrawal the money that I had earned for my pension. As a foreigner in El Salvador, you're able to take that money with you when you leave the country. So when I came back home after my trip, the money was scheduled to be deposited into my salvadoran bank account by January 15th. Long story short, I'm still waiting for it. I've worked it out so they can wire the money directly to my U.S. bank account, but I had to send them some signed documents for them to approve the transfer.
The documents won't arrive in El Salvador until maybe Thursday of this week, and from there, another few days before the money is available in my account. I'm just praying this gets settled as quickly as possible because I can't really buy my flight to Korea until I get that money.
Waiting, waiting, waiting...I'm at that point where there are so many things I want to do but I can't yet because I'm waiting for other things to be taken care of. And the reality that I'm leaving the country in three weeks is really beginning to hit me. I go between states of utter excitement and fear thinking to myself, 'What in the world have you gotten yourself into, Nicole?' But really, I haven't chosen this for myself, God has. He's calling me to come to Him, walking on the water of unknown, uncharted territory and trusting that He will make it possible. He wants me to venture outside of my comfort zone where there is no app for that. Where Google isn't enough. Where I can't make everything happen. Where I must simply keep my eyes on Him and let Him work.
So as I keep waiting, waiting, waiting, I would definitely appreciate your prayers. For everything to fall perfectly in place in God's timing, for me to keep my eyes on Him and hold on to the peace only He can give, and to enjoy these last several weeks I have in the United States. What about you? Are you waiting? Is God calling you to walk on the water of the unknown? I'd love to hear from you!
Received an email from my recruiter today, and all of my documents are in order and correct. (I will still have to send in my diploma, once I receive it, but I was able to send in my final transcripts, my teacher's cert, my TEFL cert, and all the other required documents...) She even thanked me for being diligent (a term that is quite the compliment in Korealand) in making sure my documents were prepared correctly.
She said that they don't typically hear about placements until the end of June/ early July...
Rawr! That's a long time to wait! But, at least I know that I have done everything I can on my end... it's in EPIK's hands now!
Korea update
(Disclaimer: Not much to update, but I decided to document every step for posterity.)
I stopped by Records and Reg to get some paperwork taken care of. I ordered my transcripts and a letter stating my intended graduation date (so I don't have to wait until my diploma comes to mail documents in- I'm anticipating EMU buggering things up). I'll have them in a bit (popped by around 4:50, ha! So there wasn't much time before closing to actually GET the documents).
My prints were at the FBI as of yesterday, so I believe I'll start making a tit of myself to them either Friday, or Monday... depending on how I'm feeling. If there's one thing I've learned through Uni- it's that the squeaky wheel gets the grease- and one can never underestimate the power of a bewildered, earnest plea! (is that two things, or does it count as one?!)
Hells yeah, Korea.
