The Visa: Update #3 AND Final USA Post

Alright, so the time has finally come for me to leave the country. After revealing the punch line let me do a rewind of what occurred for this to have happened.

After having sent over all the documentation needed for my visa, immigration processing only took one week instead of the expected two weeks. I was given a visa issuance number by the Korean government which allowed me to finish the final process of visa application: asking nicely at the Korean Consulate in NYC and also taking an ‘visa interview’ with a consul.

Having travelled down to the city (my dad decided to come along with me too), we made our way to the Consulate’s 6^th floor visa processing office. Unfortunately, when I got there a very soft spoken Korean lady told me that I needed to have an appointment for the interview. “Is there any way you could take me today?” I said. They promptly took me immediately (HOLY LUCKY!).

I was then led through a few hallways to the consul’s office, which was furnished much like a living room with a desk. I was asked the same very generic questions I was asked on my phone interviews to the schools. “Why do you want to go to Korea?” “Do you have experience teaching?”…etc. At the end of the interview the consul told me to have a nice stay in Korea. I guess that means he’s letting me go.

The same soft spoken Korean lady, who was able to get me the interview, then handed me a receipt to pick my passport up the following day. It was Tuesday, I had to come back Wednesday.

Wednesday rolled in and I (this time alone) made my way back down to the city to pick up my passport and visa. I literally walked into the visa processing office up to the counter, handed them my receipt and then handed me my passport. It takes about an hour for me to get into the city by train and getting my visa couldn’t have taken more than 45 seconds. What a trip!

Upon arriving back home, I got in contact with my agent. She initially tried to have me leave earlier in the week, but I asked to have the date to push back to Thursday, October 29^th. Conveniently, it is also my sister, Marissa’s, birthday. What a gift that is for me to give her. My agent called the school and they agreed to pick me up at the airport, so I scheduled my flight right there on the spot. My flight time is set for 1:40 PM in the afternoon.

Now, for those who are unaware as to how far away Korea is from New York, the time difference is 13 hours (soon to be 12 hours during US DST, which Asia does not partake in). That means that my 14 hour flight into Seoul, will actually take 27 hours off of the clock. I leave at 1:40PM on the 29th and don’t arrive until 5:20PM on the 30^th. Yeah, it’s long.

So as of now, I trying to compile a list of what needs to be packed and what amenities I need to bring and what can be bought there. And additionally, I need to say goodbye to a number of people. So my next 6 or so days will be really, really busy.

Wish me luck, because this is the last post coming from Chester, New York, USA!