A Crash Course in Patience

Just when you think everything has finally come together, it turns out I have to get more paper work done and have to wait... some more...

So I have been waiting at home for my Visa issuance number from South Korea.  Not my E2 Visa, but the Visa issuance number.  Apparently these are two different things which I did not understand when I was sitting at home waiting for this.  The reason it took so long was because Korea celebrated Thanksgiving and apparently the government offices took about a week off which made my issuance number come later than it would have had there been no vacation time.

So now what is going to happen is that I have to apply for my E2 Visa through the South Korean consulate in Vancouver with my Visa issuance number.  If I was living in Vancouver I would have to go for an interview with the consulate, but because I'm outside I can send a CD of me answering the questions via a recording on my webcam.  I send the CD with my E2 application form to the Korean consulate and they proceed to take 5 to 7 business days to process and then send my Visa to me.  It is not necessarily faster for me to fly to Vancouver for the interview, because apparently the wait time will be the same whether I mail a recorded interview or not.

If I can get everything together today, make the CD, get a passport photo, everything... the very earliest, most optimistic time I would receive the Visa will be Monday.  Monday, October 4th.

Now, that was the day I was supposed to start teaching in Korea.  Unfortunately that is not the case anymore.  My recruiter has tried to reassure me that the school wants me and will not replace my contract with another teacher, but because the last contract fell through I do not necessarily believe her.  Yet I am going to try and believe her because it's less stressful that way.

I guess I'm back to being patient.  And trying not to think about it every moment of the day.  Which is hard because I'm not working right now and my life is kind of on hold for this.  That gives me a lot of time to think.  And I never know when I see someone if that will be the last time for a year.  And I'm not even sure if I believe it's going to work out.  Which will be really weird as I have said very heartfelt goodbyes to so many people.  But I might be sticking around a bit longer.  Who knows how much longer?  Maybe I'll be here for Canadian Thanksgiving because I missed the one in Korea.

All this to say is I guess you could still help me by praying.  Don't bother asking when I'm leaving, because I still do not know.  And also someone could buy my vehicle.  That could help too.