And Now To Wait

After sending all of your documents to your recruiter, assuming that she doesn't find anything that you missed and have to correct, you will now wait. You're almost done! There are only a few more steps to this process before you're set to fly to your designated country to work.

During the wait, you would be wise to do a little more research on the country where you will be staying. I will be staying in South Korea, so I got my hands on this book and a Korean dictionary. The Culture Smart series is great for me because I'm awkward enough in settings where I have a good idea of the customs, so reading up on them beforehand makes it less likely for me to embarrass myself completely.

There are other cultural sources to rely on aside from books. For example, Youtube can provide examples of music from that country, or maybe even short documentaries from people who have been there before. Google can bring up blogs from other people who are also teaching abroad, where you can read to compare and contrast their experiences. From here on out, aside from the final bit of processing to go through, it becomes a rather anthropological experience.

There are other things to plan as well. For example, if your recruiter has told you when to be at the designated country, now is the time to book your flight. Planning ahead means you have the time to compare prices and figure out which airline is the best for you, and whether it will be a direct flight or you will be making a stop in between. It's generally cheaper to use an airline that's native to the country. For Korea, I bought my ticket using the Orbitz website with Asiana Air, choosing a direct flight because it will save time. Considering it's a 13 hrs flight, you can also plan on getting some reading material or games to pass the time.

As I mentioned a few paragraphs before, there's also a tiny bit more of paperwork to do once the recruiter gives you your VISA number. That will be what my next entry is about.

I also used this time to tell everyone concerned where I'm going, why and to say my goodbyes. I reassured everyone that I will be coming back, and it was kind of heartrending all around. My words here cannot justify the depth of the emotions to be felt: how much I will miss everyone, especially my boyfriend, and my anxieties and excitement concerning the future. I feel alive.