What the Author has been Up To: The Inside Scope

I must say from my deepest regrets that I have not been able to spend any time on my blog for the last two months. I come to check up on it from time to time and always see the numbers steadily climbing. It makes me happy to see that it still has it's potentials. Now that the school year is coming to it's close, there is a lot that I plan to do with this site. I wanted to revamp my blog to make it look cleaner and function better. However, because I'm not a web designer wiz this might be a far fetched idea for a girl who is also really busy with preparing her plans to go to Korea!


Yes! That's right! Part of my reasoning for not being able be active on this page is because I been really busy with applying to this awesome program called TaLK (Teach And Learn in Korea). It's a really unique internship that was offered to me by my university, which seeks out students in the Korean minor program, to fly to Korea to teach children English. It gives these TaLK scholars the opportunity to not only connect with people across the world while embarking on this amazing journey, but also to greatly improve their Korean language skills, in addition to come to understand Korea as a whole by living there for six months to a year.

I cannot express my excitement for this, no matter how tiring the application process was! I had to start from scratch with applying for my passport, which I didn't even have my birth certificate to apply for it! It was a pretty messy start and thought that this was going to be a near impossible process. But as of right now, I have an original copy of my birth certificate, passport, my CRC records all done. But don't let my simplistic words fool you! This was an incredible fest for me to overcome. Some of which lead to some pretty funny moments, though initially stressful.

 
Being a poor college student without a car, I had to get to the post
 office to hand in my application to finally get my passport. My     friend had volunteered to take me. I went on the website of this post office and saw one small detail I never noticed before. *Passport interview by appointment only* I was a bit worried because I didn't want to postpone handing the paper work in the next day. So I called them up right away, the man on the other line agreed to see me, if I would be there within the next 40 minutes. I called my friend to explain the time crunch. He was on his way out to come get me, but time was really ticking away against us.

Once he picked me up and saw my slight disappointment in believing we wouldn't make it, (because I really worked so hard up to that point I just wanted to get it done with) he ever so slightly pushed his car beyond the speed limits through the back roads. We were both pretty amused about what we were up against. We were laughing and cursing ourselves for it, but we didn't care. We were going to try to over come this sinister time crunch.We arrived in the post office lot right on time. I literally swung open the door and gunned for the door with my documents in hand, he still hadn't even come to a complete stop. I pushed through the door and felt a slight irritation wash over me, a line stood at the counter.

When it was my turn at the counter, I explained my reason for being there, "passport please."
The older gentleman, who was grey from his years and having a cold distant dispassion because of them, said "sorry, but I think the time has passed for that. Come back tomorrow." I just stared at him blankly. I know that this man didn't realize what It meant for me to have it done right then, nor know the complications that me and my friend had gone through to really pushed ourselves to get there on time. That because of this line, it caused me to be in an unlucky position of being late in his eyes.

"I'll take care of her." Another older gentleman said, smiling at me. I was saved.

 After that day, I spent countless hours on making example lesson plans, writing personal essays, and research proposals that were all to be submitted to TaLK. I'm also required to conduct research once in Korea. I choose my topic to be on the aspects of Korean film, which will include movies and dramas respectfully. Though K-pop was my first love, the entity that introduced me to Korean culture, I choose K-film because I felt that K-pop would be too easy for me. It's something that wouldn't let me conduct real research. I just know too much about it. Who knows, maybe I will get lucky and be able to interview a small time producer or one of those cute action stunt boys that they're always showing in the dramas... ㅋㅋㅋㅋ ≧◔◡◔≦

When I fly over, Can It be in this plane? =)

 I've completed two interviews. One by the TaLK directors from my school, which went really well and I impressed them enough where they approved my status to go to Korea. I guess it also helps that my Korean language professor, who was also the one who told me about the program in the first place, is one of the directors for the program at my school, and whom also wrote my letter of recommendation to Korea for my acceptance. I had my second interview through a skype chat with someone who worked for the Korean government, CAN YOU SAY LEGIT?! When the woman asked me why I wanted to do this, take a semester away from college and be a part of this program... the only thing that kept flooding my mind was, "This is my actual career goal. Go to Korea and teach English and live out your life there". I also perceive TaLK as my gateway to experience what life in Korea will be like from the safety network of being protected by my school. So I can learn my way there before the big plunge after graduation.  Being there as a teacher is a dream of mine. It is something that I had planned into being before I knew of this program, so not only would I be a great candidate for TaLK, but TaLK is what is right for me.

As of right now... I'm still waiting on Korea's invite, which will finalize the application process. All I can say right now is 아자 아자 화이팅!