Between one side and the other

Blue screen of death (and link to Season 5)

2009-12-03T23:38:00.002-05:00

Well, I tried a few times to reinstall Windows on my computer. But, um, it’s not going so well. So, I’m just going to go ahead and close this season with this post.

As with the end of the first season, there is no feeling that anything is coming to a close, so I don’t have any final thoughts to wrap things up.

But some things are changing in my life, so I think it does feel like it’s time to start a new season. Not sure when I’ll start it but I do think I know what I’ll call it.

When it’s ready, I’ll post a link to between helping and hurting.

I’ll write something soon, I think

2009-12-02T03:55:00.000-05:00

*This was supposed to be posted Sunday night. I’m back from the orientation now. And Season 4 should be over now. I’ll try to write a proper closing for the season. But for now, you can read the belated following.*

I’m going to GEPIK orientation tomorrow. I was told by my co-teacher that this orientation is optional. But I’m pretty sure my contract requires me to attend it. But either way, I’d like to break up the monotony of my daily routine. Things are still going fine here, but I’d just like to do something different.

I’m not expecting much from it. The orientations for the JET Program were pretty useless…actually, they weren’t. There were some good ideas given for classroom activities. I just never got to use them at my school. But I did get to meet people. So, I’ll at least be able to do that tomorrow.

Anyway, if it’s interesting, maybe I’ll write something about it.

My winter break is fast approaching. I’ll get, like, more than a month off between late December and February. It’ll be a bit broken up because of English Camp, but I’ll get about a week in December. Then English camp the first two weeks of January. Then the last two weeks of January I have off. Then school will be back in session for, like the first 8 days of February until graduation. Then I’ll get two weeks off again.

Not bad for a winter break. The trade-off is that there won’t be a spring break later (not that I’d expect more time off) so the next long break won’t be until July.

Anyway, thinking about making a trip to Japan this winter. Not the best time of year to go, but, hey, this is when I’ve got the time off and there are people there I haven’t seen in a while.

I’d like to maybe see more of Korea, too. And the nice thing I’ll mention again is, I only have to use my paid vacation days when I leave the country. If I stay in Korea, I can use my “research leave” if I don’t want to sit at school over the vacation. Didn’t have that option with the JET Program. I don’t know if I’ll need to use any leave for December or January, but I will in February. Most of the teachers will still come to school after the graduation.

(If I’m not accurate on any of this, I’ll correct this entry later. And speaking of making coprrections, my bank, Shinhan, does not give international debit cards to foreigners. They only give domestic debit cards. But it doesn’t look like it costs much to transfer money to my American bank, for which I do have an international debit card. I could open an account at KEB, but honestly, it’s not that big a deal. It’s still way nicer to have a debit card than to have to carry cash all the time, and I’m in Korea most of the time anyway.)

Hmm…looks like I did write something. I should change the title of this entry. *sigh*

Currently reading…

2009-11-21T09:36:00.003-05:00

Same author of Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television. This book is a good follow-up but goes much more in depth into the problems of a corporate world. Mander’s points are incredibly articulate and well thought out. Some points in this book parallel Alcabe’s ideas in Dread.

You can look inside In the Absence of the Sacred on Amazon.com.

I’m not dead

2009-11-07T05:00:00.000-05:00

He says’s he’s not dead.

I feel fine. I think I’ll go for a walk.

*Ahem* Um, yeah. I, uh, haven’t written in a while. But just thought I’d let know to whom it may concern, I’m still here and doing fine. Just been working a lot and haven’t had many interesting things to write about. That’s not as bad as it sounds. Things are going well, and I’m still liking it here. Just no profound thoughts of late and I haven’t done anything significant that’s worth blogging about. I’m just getting too used to living in Asia to write about cultural experiences.

Anyway, that’s my update. I still haven’t fixed my computer or gotten internet, but…whatever.

Hmm…just realized this will be the last month of Season 4. Hope I remember to close this season and open the new one. Gotta start thinking about what I’ll call Season 5.

Experiencing technical difficulties. Please standby…

2009-09-10T23:00:00.002-04:00

Um, yeah. If you check this blog much then you’ve probably noticed I haven’t posted in a while. The main reason is because the main wireless signal I had been, uh, borrowing is no longer available to me.

I had been planning to get my own internet service anyway, like, before the school year started, but, well, things kept getting delayed. And now my computer is having difficulties (probably from using unsecure wi-fi signals), so I’ll need to reinstall Windows since my anti-virus isn’t doing crap.

To be honest, I haven’t missed being online much. But I know I won’t want things to stay this way. Anyway, I’m working on it.

Things are going well, though.

Oh, and I did get my ATM card when I went in…uh, whatever Monday it was that I mentioned in my last post. I don’t know if I misunderstood whether it would be mailed or not or if they just needed me to wait four days before I could get the card. But, whatever. I have it now. And it’s made life more convenient. (I still need to wait another few months to get a debit card with a VISA logo.)

I can read! …a little

2009-08-21T06:26:00.005-04:00

I haven’t written in a little while. I got paid Monday so that’s let me get out a bit more. It was such a relief. I was getting down to the wire with the money I’d brought over. I’m not sure how they figured the amount I’d get paid. I think it was pro rata, but still was more than I thought it would be. I thought it included my airfare reimbursement, but I won’t get that til early next week (a little later than stated in the contract, but they’ve done everything else on time and by the contract, so I won’t worry). Anyway, no complaints here. Once I get the ticket money, I’ll be starting out pretty good here.

To celebrate, I went out for Korean barbecue and watched a movie. I wanted to watch Public Enemy, but I’d missed the 8 o’ clock and the next showing wasn’t til 11:30. So I went to this DVD lounge.

(About a week earlier, I’d mistaken this lounge for a DVD rental store. But when I noted the price and the guy asked “smoking or non-smoking” it occurred to me that I wouldn’t be taking the DVD home. That night I watched The Wrestler. But this time, since I’d missed Public Enemy, I went for another Michael Mann film that I hadn’t seen in a while, Miami Vice.)

Anyway, this lounge. You go in, pick out a DVD, then, instead of taking it home, you go to your own personal room to watch the film on a small home theater system. A cool idea. I was tickled by it when I first went to it. But, like, the speaker system isn’t that great, and it looks like it’s intended for couples. It’s still nicer (and more comfortable) than watching a movie on my computer, but since the price is about the same is a cinema, I think I’d rather do the rental or go to the theater.

Let’s see, also went out to Seoul to see Gyeongbok Palace. I’m sorry I don’t have pictures, it was a spontaneous trip. But I may go back again sometime with my camera.

Yesterday, I finally did see Public Enemy (didn’t like it) and last night, I bought a book on how to write Korean because...well, I gotta learn this language. They don’t use the Chinese characters here so I can’t get by the way I did in Japan or Taiwan. I’ve been using Google translator to write down words of things I was looking for at the stores. But I knew I was writing the characters wrong so I didn’t want to start bad habits.

It was frustrating not knowing the language in Taiwan and since I think I’ll be here a while, I want to get on this. Besides, Korean is an easier language than Chinese to study on your own.

I’ve been using an online site to study the sounds and reading the characters, but I want to know the stroke order for the characters. So I got a good beginners book at the Hyundai Mall and it’s been very helpful. Suddenly I can read some of the gibberish on subway station signs. So I’ll just keep at it.

I studied for a few hours last night, but I doubt I’ll be able to keep that pace once the semester begins. Typing it on my computer has been difficult to figure out. Once I get that figured out, maybe I’ll write more about the writing used here.

Anyway, so that was like my update and whatnot. I didn’t get my bank card in the 3-4 days like I’d been told. Bank is closed now, so I’ll be stopping in there Monday to see what the deal is with that.

A little visitor

2009-08-15T01:29:00.003-04:00

I’d noticed a falcon occasionally flying around my building during the week. Today I heard it calling and thought it must be perched nearby. I just didn’t realize how nearby.

Bank account and cell phone

2009-08-12T09:39:00.002-04:00

Today I opened a bank account and got a cell phone with the help of two of my teachers. I’ll tell you a bit how that worked out.

I’ll start with the bank account. I chose Shinhan Bank after comparing it with KEB, KB, and Woori. I know there are more banks out there. But even between these banks, there didn’t seem to be too much difference between them. The main two advantages Shinhan had over the others was that it was the closest to my apartment, and it has a crapload of branches and ATMs throughout Korea.

As I suspected might happen, I was told that I couldn’t have an ATM card for three months. But since this was with regard to ATM cards with a VISA logo, I persisted and asked for just a regular bank card without the VISA logo. That way I could at least use the ATM machines and not have to go into the branch every time I need money. I don’t mind waiting three months to get a debit card, but not being able to use an ATM when the banks close at 4:00 and I don’t finish work until 4:40...that could be a problem (especially since I’ll get paid by direct deposit…and all my bills will be paid by direct withdrawal. So like, everyone would have access to my money except me).

So the teller called someone higher up and found that that was possible. I’ll get a bank card in about four days. Then in three months, I’ll apply for the VISA debit card.

I was a little concerned how much remittance would cost using my bank here. In Japan, I used third-party service from Llyods TSB, since they offered a flat rate to send money back to my bank in the States. But it looks like it only costs 5,000 won (less than US$5.00) to wire money home, and I can do it online. (It sounds like most banks in Korea have online banking, so that’s pretty cool.)

Not sure I’ll be sending money home anyway since the banks there aren’t getting good interest rates, and because I’m not sure I’ll be going back to the States this time. If in three months I can get my international debit card anyway, it’s just as well I leave my money here (unless saving my money in the form of other currencies becomes advantageous).

Ok, the cell phones here. Really cool, I think. I guess I never got much more than I needed in Japan or Taiwan (or America) as far as service was concerned. This will be the first time I have a phone that I can use in other countries. To avoid startup costs or paying for a phone, I signed up in my teacher’s name (I did this in Taiwan, too). Otherwise, I would have paid about 90,000 won (about US$70.00) for the phone. I liked free better. And it’s a sweet looking phone, too. I’ll take a picture of it sometime after I buy a power converter for my camera battery charger.

Anyway, between a phone I can use here and overseas and (eventually) a VISA debit card, it seems I might be able to anchor myself in Korea a bit.

I also got my ARC and my multiple re-entry permit for my passport. I get paid next week (and get my plane ticket reimbursed). The semester doesn’t start until the 27th... Wonder if I couldn’t make a quick trip over to Japan... Hmmm... Tempting. We’ll see...

A few comparisons between GEPIK and JET (short list)

2009-08-10T04:21:00.001-04:00

Since my post yesterday was a bit long winded, I’ll just put a short list of why GEPIK has a bit of an edge over JET.

1. Rent is completely subsidized (my rent with JET was 90% subsidized),
2. Pay raises (JET had no pay raises),
3. Upwards to five weeks vacation: 20 days + 2 weeks at the end of each contract which…
4. …the school reimburses your plane ticket for, and…
5. …severance pay of one month’s salary at the end of each completed contract.
6. You have the option to use “research leave” during the summer (in JET, other teachers have this option, but you don’t. You have to use your paid vacation if you don’t want to be at the school during the summer).
7. Cost of living is way less than Japan.

A few comparisons between GEPIK and JET

2009-08-09T00:04:00.002-04:00

I was just looking back through my blog to see if I hadn’t already compiled a list of advantages and disadvantages between GEPIK and JET. But I guess I’d just mentioned them to friends via email or in person.

I should probably put up some disclaimer or at least qualify the statements that follow by telling my situation in Japan with JET (since every situation is different) and my situation here with GEPIK. In Japan, I taught at a high school (I’ll explain what this entails as I make the JET/GEPIK comparisons), and here (in Korea) I’m starting out as a level 1 GEPIK teacher (a more comfortable salary than entry level – 3). I think that’s the main disclaimer I need to start with.

For me, comparing JET with GEPIK, the scales tip heavily towards GEPIK (even if I were starting out as a Level 3 teacher).

I’ll start with the perk that made me want to write this post. So like, it’s summer vacation now and I have no classes. When I was teaching my first year in Japan, I assumed that I would have summers off (I mean that’s supposed to be one of the perks of being a teacher, right?). But this was not the case. While the Japanese teachers had the option of using a certain type of leave, that got translated as “research”, JETs only had the option of coming to school or using their paid vacation (nenkyu) to take time off.

Well, that pretty much sucked because you only had 20 days of paid vacation and summer was two months long. And the summer at the end of my first year of teaching, I had no more paid vacation days left. So I had to go to school all summer and twiddle my thumbs while all the other teachers stayed home and did “research” (this meant they planned lessons or studied the subject they taught. I’m doubtful they actually did those things, but, whatever.).

(My understanding is that this was only the case for JETs who taught in high schools. If you taught at a junior high or elementary school, you usually did get the summers off. But anyway, that was not my situation.)

Anyway, here in Korea, I do get the option for “research” days. And while I do need to use these days to plan for the upcoming semester and coordinate with my co-teachers, I don’t need to go to school and, more important, I don’t need to use my paid vacation. When I found this out last Friday, I was quite happy, to say the least.

The rest of the benefits of GEPIK over JET, I’ll just put in a list:
1. Rent is completely subsidized (my rent with JET was 90% subsidized),
2. Pay raises (JET had no pay raises),
3. Upwards to five weeks vacation: 20 days + 2 weeks at the end of each contract which…
4. …the school reimburses your plane ticket for, and…
5. …severance pay of one month’s salary at the end of each completed contract.

These are in addition to the perks that were also available in JET (health insurance and pension).
JET does pay more, but when you figure in the cost of living in Japan, it’s not really much of an advantage. (We’ll see if I still feel that way in a few months after I’ve received a few paychecks, each of which will be about US$400 less than what I made in JET.)

Does this mean JET was not a great experience or that I’d recommend GEPIK over JET? Well, those aren’t fair questions. It depends on…well, a lot of things. When I went into the JET Program, I had studied Japanese in high school, I was interested in the culture, had some background knowledge on the place, and it was my first time to travel overseas.

Plus, the social network and support you get in JET was great. You have orientations before leaving for Japan, where you meet other JETs you’ll be flying over with, and have two more orientations in Japan before you arrive at your school. So you meet lots of people right off the bat. Really, I think the JET Program was, is, and probably always will be the best experience I’ve ever had.

Here in Korea, I was placed by a recruiter, haven’t met a single GEPIK teacher, and am not due to attend an orientation until October. Not sure I’ll want or need to go by then, as I’ve already taught for three years and I didn’t like the dorms and schedules of some of the orientations in JET. Though, it would be nice to meet some of the other teachers here.

But as I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I’m still happy to be here, and things are going well so far (better than they were in Seattle). So for me to compare JET with GEPIK maybe apples and oranges, but maybe for someone who hasn’t done either program, they might consider what I’ve mentioned. But I’d say first thing’s always first: What country are you interested in living in?

First (very nearly) three weeks

2009-08-04T04:53:00.003-04:00

I guess I should update this blog thing at some point. Just been busy planning for and doing English Camp.

So, um, yeah. I’ve been here almost three weeks. The first week I pretty much already talked about. The two weeks after (currently in that second week after), I’ve been doing English Camp. Last week was 5th grade, this week is 6th grade.

What is English Camp? Well, looking at some people’s blogs, it actually is something of a summer camp. But for me (both in Japan and here in Korea), it’s just intensive (four-hour) English classes that take place in the summer. It’s not really worth describing in detail. And the meeting four hours a day thing isn’t that bad, if you just choose a theme for the day and designate each hour for different activities on that theme. Plus, the classes are really 40 minutes with 10 minute breaks.

But the thing that is worth noting is that last week was one of the best teaching experiences I’ve ever had (which, after having taught EFL for three years is saying something). First of all, my co-teacher was (or is) really great. We are quite like-minded and flexible in our teaching approach. With all the teachers I worked with in Japan (JET Program) and Taiwan, my co-teacher her in Korea has been the best.

Actually, to be honest, English Camp would have been a lot more difficult if it was left completely up to me to organize and teach it. I’m just not one of those people who can think of ideas from scratch. Maybe that’s not a good trait for someone who is a teacher, but then, that’s why I’ve gone back into co-teaching. Because I am good at expanding on other people’s ideas.

Second, the students have been great. Now, I always like my students regardless of their ability or motivation. But this 5th grade class was a really good bunch. Very motivated, they helped each other, and when they didn’t know how to say something in English, they asked me (something that never happened in Japan or Taiwan).

Anyway, the English Camp has been good, I’ve really enjoyed the students, and it’s great to be teaching again.

After this week, I’ll get a couple weeks off before the regular school year starts. If I had the money, I’d take a trip somewhere. But I don’t get paid until the 17th and my ARC won’t be ready until the 10th. I guess that second week I can do something. But like, when I do get paid, it won’t be for a full month (since quarantine was unpaid), and I need to make payments for my key money (rent/damage deposit) for the first three months.

But I’ll see what I can do when I get paid. Normally with two weeks free, I’d leave the country (it would be Japan, if I had the means), but things being what they are (mentioned above, but also the fact I’ve only been here a few weeks), I’ll probably just check things out in Korea. Once I start building my resources and have been here a while, I’ll be able to visit other countries again.

Well, that’s all for now. I’ll leave you with a couple pictures (apartment view and my 5th graders at English Camp).

First few days

2009-07-19T21:44:00.003-04:00

This is what the title of my next post is going to be when I sit down longer to write. For now, I’ll just use this space to let you know I made it over.

[Continued on 7/22]
Ok, well, at this point I’m close to needing to call this post "the first week".

Anyway, hello from the other side. I meant to write something sooner, but, you know…settling into a new country and all that. It’s lucky I can post something this soon (hooray for wireless internet being everywhere).

So, yeah. I made it over alright. And now that I’m finally sitting down to write about my first few days [er…week], I’ve forgotten what I was going to say. [At least, I had when I started writing this post.]

But allowing about a week to by makes it easier to pick out the big things that have happened since my arrival, instead of a bunch of small things that seemed (although some were) big at the time.

Korea is still doing the quarantine thing (because of the H1N1). But it just means you can’t go to the school and you need to stay near your apartment. If you go out, you’re supposed to wear a mask…blah, blah, blah. I was supposed to wear a mask on the plane ride over as well, but…ok, let me tell you what I did do. (I don’t want to spend too much time on this because, really, this is one of the small things.)

First of all, I did end up wearing my mask on the plane, not because I wanted to follow procedure, but because of all the places I could be seated on that big ass 747, I got placed between two people who were sick (not with said flu). So I wore the mask so I wouldn't get sick from them.

Secondly, the quarantine was (and still is, until I’m finished with it tomorrow) welcome because it let's me get over my jet-lag before I start teaching and because I always get sick when I first arrive in a new country. And Korea was no exception. Plus it’s giving me time to explore my area and furnish m apartment. (Yes, it comes furnished, but in a bare bones sort of way. I want it to be more furnished.)

As for me getting sick, I was starting to get better last Saturday, but then made the mistake of eating some “mild” Korean hot-pot for lunch. It kind of felt at the time that it was burning a hole in my stomach, but I was hungry, and my co-teacher bought it for me. Anyway, later that day when I ate dinner (that I made), I became aware that that hot-pot had given me an ulcer. The awareness came in the form of the worst nausea I’ve ever felt (that I can remember). But I’ll not go into this more. I survived the night so let’s move on.

Before I talk about other, more positive, events that happened in the past 6 days, I’ll just say a few things about my general feeling of being here.

So far, I like it. Since I’m not naïve about honeymoon phases of culture-shock, I’m aware that’s part of why I like so far. But there are some things that are beyond that. I mean, like I said before, I’m not here for the same reasons I went to Japan and Taiwan. I’ve done this before, so I’m not stupidly excited.

On the other hand, after having spent two years in the US trying to find work, borrowing money from my parents, and not being able to stay in one place for more than several months, I’d say I have other reasons to be happy here in Korea that have nothing to do with culture.

Which brings me to my next point. When I saw that I was not going to be able to stay in Seattle like I had hoped, I thought, well, if there is somewhere else I can live where I don’t have to own a car and can use mass transit, that’ll be fine by me. If Korea is the place where I can live that life and be employed, then I’m not sure there’s a life in America that I can’t live here. But I won’t go to deep into that.

Um…let’s see. I can’t talk too much about work because, I haven’t started work. But I’ve met a few of the teachers and the principal and they are quite nice. One of my co-teachers has been really helpful with me both in explaining the school system and basic expectations for students’ learning. Unfortunately, he’s just a temp teacher and will be going to Busan (about as far from Seoul as you can get) to start his teaching there (he just graduated from college and this temp teaching for my school was his first time teaching since graduating. He was subbing for the actual teacher I’ll be working with, who was on maternity leave).

My quarantine time ends tomorrow. Then next week I’ll be teaching English Camp. I’ll be co-teaching this with my go-between (I think she’s my go-between…seems like I ought to know who my go-between is). She’s new to this school, too. And, the interesting this is, she’s been a teacher for 10 years, but this only her second year teaching English (and teaching it with an ALT). And she’s never done an English Camp…nor does she know what English Camps in Korea entail. So she and I are kind of going into the English Camp thing kind of bind. Should be fun.

Aww…I mean, I’ll think of something. The temp teacher has been helpful because he’s been working with the students that I’ll be teaching. So I was able to ask him about the relative abilities of the students and he had some examples of things that can be used for English Camp. I’ll try to integrate them with the activities I did in Taiwan (since that’s where I worked with elementary kids). I did do an English Camp in Japan, but that was with high school students, and the set-up had long been established before I got to the school. Anyway, I’m sure it’ll be fine.

Ok, this post is getting long. I’ll write more in the next post.

2009-07-13T19:52:00.000-04:00

“…if he had the smallest sense, he’d understand that his punishment is actually a reward. He’s being sent to an island. That’s to say, he’s being sent to a place where he’ll meet the most interesting set of men and women to be found anywhere in the world. All the people who, for one reason or another, have got too self-consciously individual to fit into community-life. All the people who aren’t satisfied with orthodoxy, who’ve got independent ideas of their own. Every one, in a word, who’s any one. I almost envy you…”

- Mustapha Mond
(Brave New World)

Packing

2009-07-13T19:51:00.000-04:00

Still hasn’t sunk in that I’m going. I’m packing and it hasn’t sunk in. I doubt going to the airport and being on the plane will help either. Maybe when I actually get there... :)

Got the visa…got the ticket.

2009-07-10T20:54:00.000-04:00

So there. I’ll be in Korea in a few days.

Contact established. Wheels turning faster.

2009-07-02T22:49:00.001-04:00

I got emails from a couple teachers at the school I’ll be working at to welcome me and establish my ETA in Korea. Just that contact in itself made it more grounding that I’m actually doing this.

They wrote to me a day or two before I received my paperwork that got forwarded from Seattle. I told them that I would be going to the consulate this week and buying a plane ticket once I got the visa.

I was hoping I’d be leaving for Korea next week, but found out at the consulate yesterday that the visa will take a week to process (which means I’ll be making another trip to D.C.), provided they have all the paperwork they need. Well, I’m not going to buy a plane ticket until I know for sure I’ve got the visa and there are no other documents they need.

But I imagine it’ll be fine. I’ll be looking to leave for Korea sometime the week after next.

Paperwork received...kind of

2009-06-25T18:22:00.000-04:00

That is to say, I would have received the paperwork today if I were still in Seattle. I had given notice of my change of address a month ago (like, almost literally). My recruiter sent the notice to GEPIK, but I guess... *sigh* Whatever.

Anyway, luckily I had on-site management in my Seattle apartment, so they are forwarding the paperwork to me here.

Once I do get the paperwork, I’ll have to visit the Korean Consulate to get my visa processed. The thing that sucks is that the nearest consulate is in D.C., a four hour drive from here. I guess it could be worse, but I sure was spoiled in Seattle where the consulate was walking distance.

But at least I know this position is real since the paperwork exists. Looks like I’ll be in Korea within a couple weeks.

Update

2009-06-12T17:28:00.001-04:00

Although I don’t really feel like writing, I thought I might give an update for my 2-3 readers.

Um, let’s see. I was going to write about my placement progress in Korea, but now that I’m sitting down to write about that, I realize that I don’t want to because once something is written, it’s certain. And as I’d written in an earlier post that because of the uncertainty with the placement process, I didn’t want to write anything until it actually happened.

Hmm...Well, I’ll just write what seems to be happening to the best of my knowledge.

The day after I wrote my previous post, I got an email from my recruiter saying that now the school I’d been placed with wanted to interview me. Not only that, another school south of Seoul wanted to interview me as well. This kind of surprised me because I thought I’d already been placed with the first school and that the paperwork was in progress.

Well, I had just gotten here to Virginia, was still jet-lagged, and didn’t have my computer online yet. But I emailed (using my dad’s computer) my recruiter telling him I’d be fine interviewing with the schools.

Next day, I got an email back from the recruiter saying that I didn’t need to interview with the schools and that I would be placed with the initial school that wanted me after all.

...Only now the school was no longer a middle school, but an elementary school. I didn’t make an issue out of that because, really, I don’t mind one way or the other what age I teach. Between Japan and Taiwan, I’ve already run the full age gamut.
Anyway, to the best of my knowledge, I’ll be teaching in an elementary school just west of Seoul starting July.

When I know more, I’ll write about it.

In other news, I finally got a new laptop. I should have had my files transferred from my old computer by now, but I’ve been too busy playing Half-Life 2 and Portal.

Downtime in Virginia

2009-06-03T14:38:00.002-04:00

Well, made it to Virginia alright. Now I’ll just wait here until my visa is processed.

I’m sure I’ll write about stuff while I'm here, but for now I’m too jetlagged.

Leaving Seattle

2009-05-28T00:37:00.000-04:00

Apartment arrangements worked out. My mext post will be from Virginia.

Back to packing...

Picked up by another one

2009-05-18T23:53:00.000-04:00

I know I said I wasn’t going to write anything else about going to Korea until I knew for sure I was going (like, when papers are signed and I have my visa), but, I mean, what else am I going to write about?

I’ve been lined up with another school near Seoul. This time a middle school. So, that’s cool. The position doesn’t start ‘til the end of June so I’ll be able to have a nice long visit with my parents before I leave the US.

I’ll be meeting with the guy who’s taking over my lease here in Seattle sometime this week to write up an agreement.

Anyway, yeah. Looks like things are still on track.

Postponement strategy

2009-05-15T01:28:00.000-04:00

Well, while I’m waiting on news from more prospective schools in Korea, I’ll be preparing to leave Seattle at the end of the month so the new tenant can move in to my apartment.

Where will I be going? Well, if I get picked up by a school in the next week or so, I’ll go to Korea. If I don’t get placed with a school by the end of the month, I’ll go over to Virginia and stay with my parents while I’m waiting for a school.

Either way, at least I’ll be getting out of my lease.

Unlucky day

2009-05-14T02:14:00.000-04:00

Well, Korea has been postponed for me. The school that had hired me apparently lost its funding for a foreign teacher. It’s a little disconcerting that a public school in a good part of Seoul can’t get funding for a foreign teacher.

This is the third school that has fallen through on me. Well, maybe better to say the second. Another school in Ilsan was going to take me, but the present teacher decided to recontract at the last minute.

Meanwhile, I’m still set to have someone move into my apartment at the end of the month...

*sigh*

The recruiter I’m working through in Korea says there are more schools that are hiring. I said go ahead and fire my resumes out to them.

We’ll see what happens. But, man, it was not near this difficult to get into Taiwan (near Taipei, no less). Apples and oranges, I guess.

Well, I don’t think I’ll write anything more about Korea until I know for sure I’m going.

Lucky day

2009-05-12T03:02:00.000-04:00

So, like, I went down to see my apartment manager today to look at my options for breaking my lease. When I got to his office, there was someone else already there talking to him who wanted to move in to this complex as soon as possible.

Long story short, it worked out nicely :) Now I won’t have to pay the last seven months of my lease and the new tenant will get himself a partially furnished apartment (since I can’t take all this stuff with me).

*Well, it’s after midnight now, so really, this happened yesterday.*

Qualifications of an epidemic

2009-05-09T03:51:00.000-04:00

“The epidemic as we imagine it is marked more subtly by an ambivalence about causes. An epidemic must be attributed to people who are disliked or activities that are disdained.”

“AIDS is the main example of our day, blamed on homosexuality, and, sometimes, sexual license in general. As kidney disease, Alzheimer’s, and other conditions that are increasingly common causes of debilitation and death but are never called “epidemics” remind us, when there is nobody to blame, we do not apply the epidemic label.”

- from Dread (end of Chapter 2), by Philip Alcabes

Resolution

2009-05-08T18:31:00.002-04:00

Although, counter to what I said in the last post, I’m not in the same place I was and the cycles aren’t going to get repeated even though I know my tendencies.

Even though going back into the EFL market seems to be repeating a cycle, Korea is going to be different from Japan and Taiwan, not just because it’s a different country, but because I’m not in the same place in my life as I was when I was in Japan or Taiwan. There’s no way for me to get around that.

It would be easier to take a fatalistic view of my prospects in Korea, but I know better than that now. It would be disingenuous to have that perspective now.

And counter to what I’d thought in the past, you don’t get out of fatalism simply by deciding how to look at life. There is a process you have to go through to get an honest perspective.

Repetition

2009-05-08T04:28:00.001-04:00

On the other hand, if you know yourself and why your life is going in circles (or cycles) then what difference does time make?

I’d write more, but I’ve already written about this here, here, and here.

*sigh*

Time to shut my brain down.

Circles

2009-05-08T00:56:00.001-04:00

A while ago, I got frustrated that I’m no longer moving forward but instead feel like I'm moving in circles. And I thought, if I was just going to end up where I started, then I should have just stayed where I was.

But I got to thinking that if I had stayed where I was, I wouldn’t have seen the rest of the circle. I’d have only seen one point on the circle.

Also, when you graph the path around a circle over time, it looks like this...

So really, thanks to time, I’m really not in the same place I started at all.

Time only moves forward. I can never go back to where I started.

Going to Korea!

2009-05-06T01:19:00.000-04:00

Just found out today that the school I interviewed with is taking me. Paperwork and visa are being processed. *Yay*

So, like, In June, I’ll be in Korea, just outside of Seoul.

I’m not sure what else to write other than to say I’m feeling a mix of, um, feelings. Such as:

- relief (considering the economy over here in the US and that I haven’t had steady work in two years)

- excitement (that I’ll get to be in Asia again, near Japan and Taiwan and living in a country I haven’t been to yet)

- anxiety (remembering how difficult teaching is for me as well as living in a country whose language I don’t know)

- and, um, not sure how to name this feeling, but a feeling of “why the hell are you doing this again when you distinctly remember yourself saying after Japan and Taiwan that you were never going to teach English overseas again?” ...*sigh*...I must secretly like doing this.

Anyway...hmm...And I guess I’m feeling a little bit of upsetation (yes, I made that up, but I think “upset” should have that form and depression is too strong a word) that I’ll be leaving my friends here in Seattle.

But, I gotta do what I gotta do. I just don’t see any prospects here. And if living overseas again doing a job that, to date, has been the most enjoyable and rewarding work I’ve done, having my rent paid for, getting health insurance, a pension, severance pay, potentially 5 weeks of vacation (though, probably only 3), and the opportunity to see friends in Japan and Taiwan again, plus experience a country I haven’t been to is what I gotta do...well, that’s not so bad, all things considered.

Well, I’ll write more when I get more details. Definitely looking forward to writing about what I’m doing instead of what I’m thinking. That’ll be nice to add to the mix. And pictures. I’m sure I’ll post pictures again.

Shredding the past

2009-05-03T01:54:00.001-04:00

Just spent about the last hour shredding old documents of what-have-you. It would have been more fun to burn, but that’s not very 21st century like.

Mostly, I got rid of old printed out copies of resumes and cover letters and rejection letters (or non-acceptance letters) of the colleges and universities I’d applied to work for. But I also shredded advice on how to write more effective resumes and cover letters and how to be more effective at interviews (blah, blah, blah. Like any of that worked.)

It felt kind of nice to get rid of all that. Like letting go of the past a bit. I know people say that’s good to do sometimes. It does seem more natural to live in the present, but a lot of our technologies allow the past to stay with us. Well, at least documents and photographs.

I sometimes wonder if it wouldn’t be better not to have photographs. Are we really meant to be faced with that kind objective reality? Because, like, when I look at an old photograph, it’s often different than my memory of the event. A memory allows you to perceive things differently and it keeps the past in the past.

I know it’s difficult to be one-sided about photos. Because, it can be nice to be reminded of people that are important to you, especially when you aren’t near them. But on the other hand, some photos I don’t look at anymore because I don’t want to be reminded of the way things were but aren’t anymore.

I suppose I could argue that I have some power over this technology in that I have the choice whether or not to look at old photographs. (Of course, I thought that way about this blog, but it turned out I didn’t have that power...which is why I had to “shred” the first two seasons. Now Seasons 1 and 2 are posted as non-chronological memories.)

The memory is easier to manage than what really happened. And what good is it really to drag the objective past with you if it’s already gone?

The present really is all we have.

Yesterday a good day?

2009-05-01T02:39:00.001-04:00

Yes. I’d say it was. I went over to Kirkland to try again to find frames for my glasses. I’d tried a couple times before but couldn’t find frames I was happy with. When I hadn’t been able to find what I wanted, I considered just ordering the same frames I have now...only I discovered the ones I have now have been discontinued.

Anyway, so I was in Kirkland for what would have been a third failed attempt, when serendipitously, a sales rep for a frames company made an overdue routine visit to my optometrist to show new frames that he had. Incidentally, he was familiar with the brand I had and thought he might have some frames that would be a good replacement.

Well, they were perfect. So I was glad I had taken a later bus over there than planned, otherwise I probably would have missed him.

When I got back to Seattle, I found that there was a school in Korea that wanted to interview me as soon as possible. I told my recruiter I’d talk to them today (what was then today) if they were willing. Two hours later the school called and we had our interview.

I wasn’t really sure how it went. I mean, my feeling was that it didn't go well. I was thinking, “Man, these guys want a really good teacher. I hope they talk to other people, too, and are able to find someone better.”

But, I found out later from my recruiter that they liked me. So, my documents (application packet) have been sent to them. I won’t say that I got the position until I hear that they actually signed the papers. But, it’s looking good.

This is an elementary school just outside of Seoul. If all goes well, I’ll be over there in June.

So, yeah. I think it was a good day.

Dread

2009-04-24T02:21:00.000-04:00

Finally! This guy gets it. So, like, remember when I was dubious of the AIDS epidemic a while back? I said towards the end of that post that the concept of passing AIDS as an epidemic was merely a tool to bring about a desired moral change in our population’s behavior.

Well, Philip Alcabes goes into more detail about other epidemics (and explains these matters much better than I could) and how they...Well. Here. You can look at it on amazon. Look inside the book and check out the first pages.

I’m getting this as soon as it comes out in paperback.

Application turned in

2009-04-23T03:11:00.000-04:00

Well, I’ve mailed my application for GEPIK (Gyeonggi English Program In Korea). If I’m lined up with a school soon, I’ll be leaving the US (again) within a month or so. We’ll see what happens.

Storytelling

2009-04-23T02:54:00.000-04:00

“I don't know about what happened... because once you start writing, it ALL becomes fiction.”

- from Storytelling, directed by Todd Solondz

I just saw this movie the other night and just...really found it profound. After watching it, I’m thinking that I don’t need to write anything in this blog anymore. Unless I want to change it to fiction in order to say something true.

Breaking the silence

2009-04-18T02:56:00.001-04:00

Well, I guess it’s not really breaking silence unless you like to read this blog out loud.

Anyway, it’s been a while since I’ve written anything. But I think I’d mentioned somewhere in a post of recent yore that I didn’t want to write about any plans I was making until they came to past. And I guess, really then, I shouldn’t be writing anything now. But, like, this seems to be actually happening so I may as well write about it.

So like, I’ve been preparing an application to teach over in Korea. This is for a program like the JET Program that I did in Japan. If accepted, I’ll be an ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) in a public school (by the sounds of it, a middle school or high school).

I won’t go into it much now until after I’ve at least sent in my application. I’ll be doing that early next week. I’m waiting on a few documents to be sent to me. Once I get those, I’m mailing the application.

I guess the reason I feel comfortable writing about this is that the recruiter I’m working through has already notified me of an opening. I’ll find out about it next week.

Once things solidify a bit, I’ll write more.

Artificial Environments

2009-03-30T03:33:00.001-04:00

When I watched Total Recall back in...I think it was jr. high...I remember being frightened when the oxygen machines were turned off on Mars. I though how terrible that would be for people to be that reliant on technology, that if what we created failed, we’d have no means to survive.

Expectations

2009-03-18T04:38:00.000-04:00

The less regard I give to expectations, the less I know what to expect in life. The less I know what to expect in life, the less disappointed I am in life, and the happier I am.

(See also expectation and experience)

Pulled in two (or more) directions

2009-03-13T03:31:00.000-04:00

The net effect: I can’t move in a direction.

So I haven’t written in a while...or read my book in a while. I’ve kind of gotten tired of trying to synthesize various people’s ideas to determine where this country (or the world) is heading and what outcome will result. Even if what Jerry Mander, Chris Martenson, Eric Schlosser, George Orwell, and/or Aldous Huxley say(s) is correct (um, see last three posts), it’s out of my control.

I also feel that even trying to use those people’s perspectives to predict what will happen next that, really, nobody knows what will happen. Or, perhaps I should say that even in knowing what will (or could) happen, we can’t stop it. We won’t stop it. It’s just like I said in Season 3. See that? It comes down to each of us as individuals. Not other people, not societies, not the system, etc.

We won’t deal with problems until we’re forced to (sometimes not even then).

So, I’m tired of writing about it.

...While at the same time, I feel some sense of stress relief when I do write about these things. Which made me wonder if any of these authors (and others) really expect to bring about change and awareness by writing their books or if it’s just cathartic for them.

Anyway, this isn’t what I sat down to write about. The reason I’m being pulled in two directions is that I’ve been looking more into teaching in Korea. In weighing out my prospects here vs. there, I’m seeing a more positive outlook in Korea.

What’s holding me back? 1) The fact that no one seems to want me to go and 2) this quote from a teaching overseas book I bought before teaching in Taiwan:

“Present Your Materials Well...Nothing makes an EFL teacher look more unprofessional than boardwork or worksheets which are badly written or misspelled...And check that any worksheets...are well-presented, accurate, and free from mistakes.” (Teaching English Overseas: A Job Guide For Americans & Canadians, by Jeff Mohamed.)

The next section talks about being organized.

Ugh! I know I wasn’t the best teacher. But I know I had positive results with my students.

I’m tired of holding on to ideals and principals that I can’t live up to…that really, no one can live up to. (Interestingly, there’s a disclaimer at the beginning of the above mentioned book that there may be “typographical” and “content” errors.)

I just want to be human and be accepted for that. But society and the system we live in won’t let that happen. (Oh! The irony! I can’t change myself or accept myself so I’ll blame society and the system! Ha ha!)

Or perhaps what people have told me is true; that I expect too much from myself. And don’t I expect too much from others? It’s difficult to tell. What’s been socially reinforced over the years is that no matter how hard I try, it’s never good enough for people (or myself). And when I expect less from myself, I get complaints that I’m not putting in enough effort. I don’t see how I can win other than to not care anymore.

Fuck it. I’m applying for jobs in Korea. I’ll change course if I see something better.

Anyway, I’m tired. Congratulations if you read this far.

The difficulty of our paradigm

2009-02-24T02:20:00.000-05:00

Here are some videos I found with Jerry Mander on the topic of sustainability of our way of life on this planet.

Mander is the author of “Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television”, a very well thought out and well organized book on, not just television, but capitalism, and our widening separation from the natural world through technology.

Based on my comments from my last post, I wanted to include these videos as well. The first two are only a few minutes long. The last one is around 50 minutes long.

If these embedded videos don’t work well, you can also find them on FORA.tv.

As wit my last post, I’ll write my take on these videos in the comments section.

The Crash Course

2009-02-22T22:17:00.000-05:00

This is a website my dad sent me. From ChrisMartenson.com. It’s a condensed assessment on the difficulties of sustaining our way of life on this planet.

Worth checking out. There are 20 chapters. I didn’t time it exactly, but if you watch the videos straight through, it’ll take about two hours. But it goes by quickly (I would open two windows so you can have the next chapter(s) ready and then just leap frog between windows).

Anyway, here is the link:

The Crash Course

I’ll write my comments in the comments section of this post so you can develop your own opinions before looking at mine.

Thoughts on Fast Food Nation, 1984, Brave New World, Ishmael, and Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television

2009-02-14T04:28:00.000-05:00

After scouring Dave’s ESL Café most of last night reading about teaching in Korea or Vietnam, well, it was exciting at first, but looked like there were a few problems with housing expenses in Vietnam and various other crap with pay in Korea. As I’ve mentioned some time ago, I just don’t think I have it in me to travel overseas again. The travel bug has long been dealt with. I wish I still had it, but I’m pretty sure I don’t.

Well, I guess the real problem is not the what-have-you that I would have to deal with over there. It’s more that I know nothing would be that different for me over there than it is here. Not being driven to go from my own motivation would make it an aimless wandering.

There is something else in my mind that I need to take care of that will not be fixed this time by changing my geographic location.

I don’t know why, but the more I read Fast Food Nation, the more I feel the urge to stay here in the US. I mean, it’s not like that book or the chain of books I’ve been reading are giving me a positive view of America. They’re not. But, like, it seems with the kind of attention books like Fast Food Nation are bringing to Americans there might be changes on the way, and that I may be able to take some part in it.

Though, it’s hard to say. The type of problems we’re going into, like with the economic situation, are not really too different than what has happened in the past. The late 1800s had difficulties with large corporations becoming more powerful than government. And, yeah, there was The Sherman Act to break up the trusts. But it’s 2009 now, and what has really changed?

I suppose people have always got to stand up to counter those who would try to get away with atrocities. And it’s not like I think no one should. But I also want to have some idea of an attainable endpoint.

When I read books like Ishmael, Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television, and Fast Food Nation, it just, to me, looks like America is set up to be the way it is, the way it has been. I’m just not sure what will change the course that we’re on.

When I was writing ways to pass unicru, I also mentioned that the whole premise of the test was something out of Orwell’s 1984. But thinking about it now, it seems more like Huxley’s Brave New World. Unicru tests look for Epsilons and Gammas. Unicru is systematically putting people in their places in an overt way.

If not for the overtness, I’d say that life is like this anyway…that everyone has different aptitudes and will find different places in life. But the way things are set up now, large corporations are narrowing the parameters to a more homogenous base that is going to keep excluding more and more people in the population. Frankly, I think what is really happening in the US is more frightening than what happened in BNW or 1984.

But like in 1984, I though the way Winston did. That the answer lies in the Proles. But the Proles weren’t concerned. And even if they were, what power would they have to do anything?

Even worse, in Huxley’s Brave New World, people didn’t even know they were captive. So long as they had their soma, they were happy. (In America, TV and drugs are our soma.) When the savage tried to free the Deltas by throwing the soma out the window, they were just perplexed and threw a fit.

In Ishmael, all the animals in the zoo were in captivity. But different animals had different capacities of comprehending their captivity. All of the animals knew something wasn’t right. But, for example, all the tiger was able to ask was, “Why, why, why, why?” Whereas the gorilla (Ishmael) asked (to the effect of), “Why is the life outside of captivity interesting and pleasant and the life in captivity boring and unpleasant?”

For me, I see why. So I think, “How can this be changed?”

Song that has been stuck in my head…

2009-02-10T00:18:00.000-05:00

Note: I don’t really want to go to Boston, it’s just...I mean if you heard the song then you...Yeah. I’m going to stop now.

Pseudo ex-pat or ex-pat in denial?

2009-02-05T02:42:00.000-05:00

…The mug and chopsticks holder are from Daiso (a 百えん or dollar shop equivalent that is popular in Japan). The bowl and chopsticks are from a Vietnamese supermarket in the International District...

Ok, I wrote that opener a few weeks ago. Today I went to the international district again and bought bok choy and mochi. I’m not going to say this is getting out of hand...well, I mean, I really haven’t written enough to suggest that I am...but, like, I don’t know. I guess I could be happy that I have access to food from Asia while living here in Seattle. Like the best of both worlds. And, really, when I was living in Japan, I got excited when there was a Pizza Hut and a grocery store that carried American products.

Well, availability of certain foods is one thing, but a sense of doing something worthwhile with your time is quite another. (I’m sure there’s a better way to say that.) When I was reading Fast Food Nation the other day and came across that line (written in the title section in the previous post), that just pretty much surmised what I feel...well, what I know people are thinking about where I am and what I appear to be pursuing.

The chapter that quote was from was even more profound, if not disconcerting. That statement was made to a person who had done better things in his life but circumstances ended up pressuring him to find his way in the construct of this corporate society. At the time he was attending a travel agent class and his instructor asked him said question. While he is “doing well” now (he owns about 5 Little Caesar’s Pizza joints), it’s still not really where he fits in.

For me, having seen more than what this country has to offer, it’s difficult to just settle back in and pretend that the things people value here really matter to me. Nonetheless, I’m starting to see some opportunities here and I’m investigating them. But I wonder if I’ll ever do anything as important or significant as what I was doing overseas. Yes, there was crap in the EFL industry, but ultimately, at the end of the day, I felt I was doing something worth my time.

I left Taiwan because I felt if I stayed I’d run out of the money I’d saved from Japan and end up stuck there in a rat race. I thought certainly, I’d have good opportunities in Seattle, especially with my background. But as I’ve been unable to get into the salaried fields I wanted to get into and with higher costs of living and health care in the US, I’m starting to think this could be an even worse rat race.

To go back overseas could make me look fickle, like I can’t make up my mind. But as I’d learned early on when I came back to Seattle from Taiwan...you can never “go back” (or “come back”). Time only moves forward. What I took with me from Taiwan is different than when I’d left a year earlier. So, if I were to go back overseas, it wouldn’t be the same as before. I’d take what I’ve learned here with me.

Of course, one thing I’d learned looking at Taiwan in hindsight is that maybe I should try sticking it out longer before trying something else. There are reasons I came back from Taiwan. So, I’ll keep trying to find something here. But if things don’t work out... ha ha! As I said when I was hemming and hawing over this on the other side almost two years ago...I still have that TEFL Certificate.

(Hmm...actually, this isn’t the post that I said it. But there was one where I said I still have that TEFL Certificate. Still, that post I’ve linked to is interesting to read since I was in Taiwan at the time.)

“What are you doing here? You seem like a sharp guy. This isn’t for you.”

2009-02-01T00:44:00.000-05:00

- Fast Food Nation

Currently reading...

2009-01-26T02:02:00.000-05:00

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring

2009-01-25T04:34:00.000-05:00

I just added this movie to my profile, though I saw it when I was living in Tacoma.

I've wondered since watching the film if my life would have been a little better growing up with these principals, rather than the ideals I was taught through Christianity. I just felt the perspectives of the old man lined up better with my perceptive reality.

I remember when I was living in Japan and was talking with my Singaporean co-worker about Christianity and Buddhism. Having been exposed to Western and Eastern thought, I imagine she had made an informed decision. She said, “I prefer Buddhism.”

I’ve considered, though, that Christianity (as well as other religions, I imagine) do give some perspective of the way things are in the natural world and ourselves, even if we don’t like to hear it. I wonder if the problem is the canonization of principals…that makes people blindly accept and follow what others have told them rather than understand for themselves through their own experience.

That was the thing about this movie. The boy was taught his lessons after his experiences, not before.

I prefer to stay on the outside of religion so I can understand first-hand why the principals came into being in the first place.

Oh, yeah. Now I remember

2009-01-14T02:31:00.000-05:00

It was these new lights I wanted to talk about. I bought this floor lamp at Bed Bath & Beyond…Wow. That sounds weird that I just said that. Anyway, yeah, I bought this lamp because the lights in my apartment are incredibly dim. But, like, this lamp could only take 60W bulbs, which aren’t that bright (well, I guess times three, that would be ok), but I saw these Daylight 60 bulbs; fluorescent bulbs that apparently have the full spectrum of natural light (if you’ve ever broken fluorescent through a prism, it doesn’t break into a continuous spectrum).

Anyway…um, yes. Natural light. Now I know what natural light would look like if our sun were a blue star instead of a yellow star. But seriously, they aren’t that bad. They’re a 60 watt replacement that only use 13 watts, and are way brighter. The light is a little harsh (and blue), but if you combine it with a yellowish light, it creates a nice ambient light that doesn’t strain your eyes. I recommend, aiming the Daylight 60 bulb at the ceiling (or at least away from you so that it’s not direct) if you’re using it to light a room.

I still have mixed feelings about these bulbs, but generally, I like them.

Settling in

2009-01-14T01:45:00.001-05:00

I moved into my apartment on the 2nd, but I’m still getting things set up here. I got internet last week. Signed up with clearwire. Love it! Easiest internet setup ever. It’s just a plug and play modem that has… I think it’s the same technology as cell phones (Motorolla makes the modem). So you just plug it into the wall outlet for power, then connect the Ethernet cable from the modem to your computer. And that’s it. No software to install and no one to call to set up the connection. Because the internet signal comes from…I suppose it’s satellite, I can take my computer and modem anywhere in the country where there’s an outlet. As long as there’s a signal, I get internet.

Anyway, didn’t mean to go on about that. Um, other things…I’m really liking the location I’m at. I’m walking distance to most of my favorite places in Seattle. My commute to work has been cut in half. Though, on that note, they aren’t giving me many hours, so I need to find something else.

Hmm…what else was I going to say… I can’t remember, but I was sure there was something else I was going to say. Oh, well. It was time for an update anyway.

Well, it all worked out

2009-01-03T01:22:00.000-05:00

I guess I should have written something the day after my last post, but that was New Year’s Eve and yesterday was New Year’s Day. So, I’m writing now.

Anyway, the fax was sent and I was approved to move into the apartment. In hindsight, it would have been better to arrange to move in on New Year’s Eve since my parents were in town, but that would have taken all day and I could think of better things to do that day...er, evening.

But everything is fine. I signed the lease and picked up the keys today. Now I just need to decide how I’m going to move my stuff.

By the way, I won’t have internet at first (unless, as in Lacey, I can find a wireless connection) so I may not post for a while after I move this weekend.

What’s going to happen tomorrow?

2008-12-31T02:11:00.000-05:00

Let’s see. Where did I leave off? Ah, yes. Office Space in real life. Ok, so like, I think I told you I’d found an apartment in downtown Seattle, so that was exciting. I was going to get the paperwork on that started last week, but because of the snow, the apartment stuff got pushed back a week. But, like, today...well, no, yesterday, I started filling out the paperwork and the apartment manager started doing the background checks; the primary two being a verification of funds with my bank and a verification of employment with my employer.

Well, the bank stuff came back just fine. But for some strange reason, my employment verification didn’t come through. I asked the manager on duty yesterday if he’d faxed the verification to the apartment manager and he said he had. But when I checked today, I found that no fax had been sent.

So, I called again today and got a different manager saying that the fax had been sent. Since none had been received, I asked if another could be faxed. She said she would.

I waited...and none came.

So then the apartment manager called my employer to ask for the fax and he (the apartment manager) got lectured at by my manger that she was “trying to run a business” and didn’t have time to send the fax right now.

Umm...ok. So it looks like I’m not the only one that these managers don’t want to talk to. What I suspect is what I said in my last post; that they hired me as a seasonal but didn’t bother to tell me. I guess that’s fine, but the thing is, if they don’t send the confirmation, then I won’t qualify for the apartment and I’ll be looking for both another job and an apartment. If that ends up being the case, then I do have a Plan B. But first I’ll see what happens tomorrow...

Office Space in real life

2008-12-26T01:58:00.000-05:00

I should have titled that last post as “Snow week”. It hasn’t left and has snowed more since…and then melted some…and then snowed again.

It’s been pretty crazy getting to and from work. A lot of cars and buses were stalled and abandoned. It was lucky my bus routes were still operational. I wouldn’t think of driving in this myself.

So speaking of work, interesting sort of communication thing going on. I was told when I was hired that a) I was not a seasonal worker and b) there would be a six week training schedule (seemed a bit excessive, but since it’d be paid training, it was fine by me).

But then on the first day of training, I was told that it was more like three weeks of training, and that the other three weeks is more going on your own.

Since I (or we, as I was being trained with one other) was training, I was not on the official schedule. So I was finding out week by week from the training managers what the following weeks schedule for me would be.

But like, at the end of this week, I was neither told what I would be working next week, nor was I yet on the official schedule.

So I asked the store manager what I would be working next week. She said to check with the scheduling manager. And I thought to myself, “Why is he going to know what my training schedule is?” But whatever. I asked her if he was in today. She said no.

So I asked another manager how I might contact the scheduling manager. And this manager said to write the scheduling manager a note. So I did.

As I was waiting for the second manager (who suggested I write the note) to show me where to submit the note, the first manager came out of her office and got angry with me for still being there and said that I need to talk with the scheduling manager. I gave my note to the second manager and then left.

The following day (the last day I’d be working this week), I looked at the schedule. Not only was I still not on the schedule for next week, but the following week I was only scheduled to work one day.

Sooo…One day in two weeks. That’s great. As more information is trickling my way, it seems the hiring process gives some indication of whether you’re a regular worker or a temp worker. It seems…and I haven’t confirmed this yet, but it seems I’ve been hired as a seasonal worker, but wasn’t told. Which is weird, because all the other seasonal workers know that they’re seasonal workers.

But who do I talk to about this since every time I try to talk with someone, I’m redirected to someone else?

*sigh*

Anyway, looks like I have free time next week to look for more/other work. I have a few ideas. I’ll see what I can do.

Snow day

2008-12-18T20:28:00.000-05:00

Well, they said it would snow and it did...a lot. I couldn’t make it to work today, and even if I could, they were planning on closing early anyway. So I got the day off…which was nice and not nice at the same time. I mean, I need the hours and I haven’t worked long enough to be tired of it.

I was also supposed to look at an apartment today. But I’ve arranged to look at it tomorrow, weather permitting.

First two days of employment

2008-12-11T02:20:00.000-05:00

*Ah* It’s nice to work again. So a little update. I’ve just finished my second day of training. Worked on the cash register today. Generally, it’s simple work, but there are a crapload of options that I’d never encountered when working the register at the video store I used to work at.

But I’ll get the hang of it. Um, the good news about B&N; the benefits (once I get them) are quite good. Medical, dental, vision, and chiropractic (a must for me). As for the discounts on the neighboring stores, well, Eddie Bauer and GAP were not included, so not sure how helpful that perk will be.

But the bus pass is awesome. I thought they paid $40 for the bus pass, but turns out I do. I know that sounds bad, but here’s the deal. The bus pass I currently use is the Puget Pass, which has a trip value of $2.50 (highest bus fare I need to pay for my needs) and costs $90 a month. That’s not bad compared to what car owners pay for their monthly transportation. But the Flex Pass I buy through B&N has a trip value of about $4.75 and costs $40…for four months! That means my monthly transportation cost is $10 a month! This I like.

So, I like the idea of staying here. The fact that I’ve already met a few employees that have been here between 4 and 14 years is a good sign, too.

The next challenge is to find an apartment/studio closer to work. By bus, my current location makes it a lengthy commute to work. The International District or somewhere downtown (or near the bottom of Capitol Hill would be ideal). The places I’ve found on Craigslist have been taken quickly. I’m going to try looking around tomorrow (on Craigslist and in person). We’ll see how it goes.

My big day is tomorrow

2008-12-09T01:12:00.000-05:00

Yup. I start my job tomorrow. Looking forward to it. It may sound strange, but I really want to work.

Still, I’m uncertain how much this job will help me. Better than nothing, I know. But I did some number crunching and, even if they were to work me full-time (which they won’t at first), I’m still going to come up short with the rate they’ll be paying me. So I’ll have to look for some way to pick up the slack. I’ll be getting some help with it at first, and I still see good opportunities from working here.

I’ve been looking for apartments since I’ll only be house sitting here til the end of the month. I was thinking I’d really like to live in the International District because there are some places with cheap rent and really good Asian restaurants and supermarkets.

However, one of the efficiency studios I looked at today, albeit in a cool location, had a really musty smell that gave me a headache the moment I walked in. Also, the “walls” that separated the shower, kitchen, and, uh, toilet room didn’t go all the way up to the ceiling. There was about a foot of space, so they were more like partitions to divide the room. As the studio was only a hundred some-odd square feet, I kinda felt this was borderline violating the principal of “don’t crap where you eat”.

But I don’t know. I think it was the musty smell that bothered me the most. The view was great. A big window faced the west, so, it had a lot of natural light. Also, being small, it would be easy to heat, and each studio had its own water heater.

We’ll see. I’m checking out other places that are a smidge more and that I’d feel more comfortable inviting people to see.

Anyway, I’ll try to post soon how things go.

Hired!

2008-12-02T23:52:00.000-05:00

I got the job I’d mentioned at the end of Season 3. It’s at B&N. I’m pretty stoked. I’ll get 30% discounts on books, 20% discounts on DVDs and CDs, and because it’s in a mall area, I’ll get ~10% discounts on neighboring stores (I’m hoping Eddie Bauer and GAP, but we’ll see). Plus, they’ll pay $40 for my bus pass. (The bus pass I use costs $90, so I’m seeing if I can contribute $50 to the pass B&N will give me to make it worth $90. I mean, a $90 pass for the price of $50 isn’t bad.)

In spite of the not-so-big wage, I’m getting discounts in all my primary areas of expense.

So, yay!

P.S. – I realize it may seem a little silly that I’m excited to be working at a place where high schoolers are qualified to work, but a) I haven’t worked in a year and a half, b) I like books, and c) I’ll be associating with people who read books. Plus, I like the area that the bookstore is in. I’m not expecting the job to be glamorous, but it’ll allow me to accomplish what I want. So, yeah.

Leave the baggage behind

2008-11-30T18:41:00.000-05:00

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