That is I printed two copies of my contract, got four passport sized photos done (yup they make me look the average serial killer..great), did my self-health check and printed out my resume (all crossing over to the Far East later this week). I have very DETAILED (borderline OCD) instructions for Kyle, who is going to FedEx them to Korea on Tuesday or Wednesday (once he receives my apostilled FBI check and my apostilled dilpoma in the mail).
To explain a little better, I graduated college (woot woot) on Saturday (I am now edumicated)! Coolest thing ever! Mind you, I stood around from 8:45 am - 10:45 am, then sat falling asleep from 10:45 am - 12:45/1 pm, then walked and got my diploma... by the end of it I was hungry, had to pee, was tired, hot and ready to leave. Since my name starts with T and I am from the biggest college at Oregon State I was the last of the last to get theirs (thanks Dad). But, it was a cool experience, and I had eight people in the stands cheering me on (more like yawning while they waited for the five seconds in which my face flashed across the big screens). Yet, I cannot believe I am done! Afterwards I had a lively graduation party and a fun trip to the coast the next day (although it was very true Oregon style and rained the entire time). Monday though, business as usual....,
Monday I made three (sam) color copies of my diploma. Then I went to MY bank to get a notarization (and they still charged me, the nerve of them!) Then I took the notarized diploma to the State Secretary of Oregon's Corporate Division in Salem, OR and got it apostilled. The latter I thought was going to be awesome, like walk up some tall steps, meet the governor...something like that. Nope, I walked into a cramped office, inside a dull gray office building, with ugly blue carpet and a scratched wooden counter and talked with an elderly gray lady, who was very obviously bored with her job. So, not the excitement I envisioned. Yet, it was so efficient! I went in and paid ten dollars, and literally five minutes later I was leaving with my finished document!
Finally I sent it to Kyle in Corvallis priority. Wow, was this an experience. The ladies here were rude and bitter. Luckily, my aunt took me for a birthday pedicure afterwards which totally livened the mood.
Total for the day: $21.50 (5 for notary, 10 for apostille, 5 for priority mail, $1.50 for copies).
One HUGE misconception of mine before all of this was that:
a) the school would pay for the whole visa process
b) it was cheap
If you are thinking about doing this, be prepared for hella expenses!! First of all, it costs $18 to get a background check, and $10-20 to even get the fingerprints (also be prepared for all the creeps, weirdos and criminals to be at the fingerprinters too, ie: don't go alone). Oh and you have to pay for return mail (when did mail get so expensive? geez, let's go back to the 10 cents stamps please!), it also takes over a month, so get started early! Then you have to get that apostilled which is another $10-20 (I think) if you do it standard, but takes another 4-6 weeks. If you want to get it done faster you can use a company like I did (
uslegalization.com), but that costs $45. And you have to pay for mailing, which cost me $10 because I did priority there and back. Then you have to pay for 4 passport sized photographs ($10-20, I paid $12) and finally shipping it all to Korea, which is one of the biggest expenses. I am doing FedEx and it will cost around $80. Then once you get an issuance number you have to send that and your passport, one passport sized photo, an application and $45 to a Korean consulate (unless you are lucky enough to live in NYC, D.C., Atlanta, Seattle or San Francisco, in which you are super lucky and I am jealous). I will pay for priority for that too so that is another $10. Therefore, my grand total is a whopping $230 for the whole visa process. That with my $500 housing deposit, and there goes almost half of my first paycheck, super!
.... But, it will be worth it when I have an amazing year!! I am not complaining, just making everyone who wants to know aware. I am actually SUPER excited!! Ask my boyfriend, he hears about Korea a good 70% of the time (and a good 90% more than he wants to!)
In other news I talked to my co-worker Lisa a little more, she has been in Korea for four years. She seems really chill (and she is from New Zealand which makes her infinitely cooler than I). She gave me some advice on packing, but its all very vague (a Korean standard). The same-old story...sheets, deodorant ect... she said utilities and everything at the most would be $150 and the least $80. Which sounds pretty stinkin' good!
I also talked to my recruiter, he is pushing for me to leave from Seattle (I am sure that would be cheaper for the school), but I am not biting. Nope, nope nope, I am not a dummy and I want a ticket from Portland! He or the school will pick me up in Incheon at the airport (hope he is not creepy, please please don't let him be some creepy guy with a handlebar mustache or even worse a goatee and a trenchcoat...) and I will start 2-3 days after I arrive. My first day is probably going to be the 11th of July (its coming soon!) From the day I (or Kyle as it is) sends my documents to Korea, it will be 20 days until I get my visa and then I will leave 1-2 days after that! I am so excited!
Anyways, that is it for now! I will update you guys soon! Much love!
-M
