New phone, maybe a new car....future

I'm not really a materialistic person. If you know me you will see I don't have a fashionable and expensive purse dangling from my arm, or the latest handphone clutched in my palm. However, that doesn't mean I don't desire material things. My return to America is pointing me in the direction of building up a new life. I have the opportunity to get a new phone and contract, along with furniture for my rented room.

However, bigger options are starting to cross my path. Like the possibility of leasing or owning a car. The last time I owned a car was a few years before I moved to Korea. It was a used Toyota Cressida that was nearly as old as myself (at the time). That car served me well during my early college years, but later on the poor thing overheated a lot. I ended up donating it to a radio station.

So I've never owned a new car, or at the least a slightly new car. The thought of getting one has me all excited but also a bit nervous on finances. With a car comes more monthly bills to pay, but heck it also gives you a lot of freedom! Road-trips!

Also I think I would use my car to help people in my community. As I was perusing through one of Seattle's websites I found that there is a volunteer service you can join. They help drive seniors to the grocery store. Basically, when you need to go to the store you go pick up a senior, help them and you're done. You get rebates on your car insurance and help out with gas. I thought that was a clever idea.

Yet, I'm not too sure I should really dive into such a financial commitment right away. The place I got isn't too far from the campus, just a 15 or 20 min bus ride away. Near my home is a grocery store and pharmacy. So I am kind of going back and forth on this. Then I lean towards "yes" because I know I want to take up internships or volunteer work within the ESL field, and a car might really help with that.

So in essence returning to America has me buzzed about so many things. I've really enjoyed living in Seoul where having a car is impractical. But maybe it's time to hit the road. ;)

Cards of Good Luck

In addition to the video I made for my students I am planning to give each one a personalized card with a treat. In each card is a personal written note that touches on my experience with them and wishes for their future. I've also stepped it up a notch by glueing in a small picture of myself into the card. I figured a percentage will throw it out, but there might be a bunch that hold on to it.

For the girls I got them a card with a red heart and yellow frame on it. Inside it says, "I love you" around it so I figured the girls won't freak out as much, as say the boys would.

The boys get the "Good luck" card with a four leaf-clover image and a present box on the inside flap.

I still have to glue in my picture to the rest of the cards before I'm finished. I was hoping to make a little candy gift for them, but things were getting too expensive. I got the cards off of Gmarket (Korea's Amazon.com). Each card was about .50 cents and there are 134 students, so you can do the math. Plus I got them nice candy, instead of the cheap kind. So I kind of calculated all the presents I have given them over the past two years and figured they had gotten enough.

This is the first time I have ever made goodbye presents for students, but since this is a "real" goodbye I wanted to make it special. Besides I have been teaching these kids for the past two years. I think it is also a good idea to give your graduating students a present. But I know most teacher's don't bother because they might feel it doesn't matter. In this case, I felt it really mattered and hope it does make a difference.

I guess I will find out on the last days of class. All I know is that if I were a little kid in one of the many English classes I had here and got a little present from a teacher, I would feel good. :)

Heading Back to Being a Student

Looks like there is just about eight more weeks left till I hitch a ride back to America. I've done a lot of preparation towards moving and learning about Seattle. It seems preparing myself for Graduate school and becoming a student again has been on the back of my mind. I know that Graduate school will be a lot harder than Undergraduate school, but haven't really grasped that yet. In hindsight I don't really think there is much I can do to prepare for my upcoming school days, except buy some notebooks and pens.

However, I figured why not get a sense for the terminology and concepts of TESOL before heading into the classroom. So I went on iTunes and downloaded some "iTunesU" of TESOL lectures. The Teachers College at Columbia University offers some videos on the subject such as, "Action-based Teaching and Learning: An Ecological Perspective." So I packed up my notebook (the paper kind) and iPod and headed to my local Starbucks this morning. I figured the crowds won't be there till the afternoon and I could get some cozy listening in before the couples arrive.

As I sat and listened to the lecture it all sort of made sense to me. Although I don't know all the jargon he was using I was able to correlate the content with my own experience.  He had a chart on the projector that showed how one can go about lesson planning and execution. On one side was a "very planned" style where students know what to expect every time, and on the other side was more innovative styles. He said how if you stick to a rigid plan each class can become stale, and worse if you don't really plan and just "wing-it" your classes have no clear outcomes. Planning for innovation and exploration is more favored because students get involved and make real-life connections. He asked the audience where they felt they were on this graph, and to me I felt like I was somewhere in the center. I make really detailed plans but also change things up class-to-class. I've also found that I sometimes assess the students attitudes as the class starts and change up my activities or lecture to accommodate.

All in all, listening to the lectures and taking notes reassured me I can head back to school. It's been six years since I was as a student, and hope I'm not too rusty. I think I'll have a lot to input into the class as I'll be bringing my teaching experience with me. So I'm all excited to be heading back to school and also just jazzed up about getting more into this profession. :)

Operation Flying Tom: Approved for Flying

For my flight home I'll be flying Korean Air, which is funny because when I first flew to Korea this was the airline I took. Since then I haven't flown Korean Air again and certainly miss their good meals and excellent service. I picked this airline because I figured for the price and prestige, Tom will have a good flight. Thankfully the wind will be blowing towards America, so our flight will be about 9 hours.

Since I found out that Tom weighs over the 5kg limit to bring him in the cabin, I knew I needed to get a sturdy and reliable carrier for check-in. A few weeks ago I went to the Chung Hwa animal clinic in Itaewon and checked out their carriers. Knowing I could get the same thing cheaper online, I ordered one as soon as the airline confirmed Tom's spot on the plane.

The name of carrier is "Iris Air Travel Carrier" and looks to be a Japanese product. What I like about this carrier is that it is assembled with hardware, making it something that will stay together during travel. You can check out it's listing on Gmarket with this link and scroll down to the "M" product area.

It wasn't too difficult to put together and came with a hex-key to assemble the bolts. While I worked on it Tom watched on patiently.

I lured him in there by throwing in a treat and then quickly closing the door. He didn't seem to upset being in the carrier, and had room to stand up and lay completely on his back. I hope that he finds his way into the carrier himself and gets to know his new plastic home.

Most of what I need to get done to prepare Tom for flying has been taken care of. The next step will be to take him back to the Vet about 10 days before departure and get certificates for his flight. Then it's to the airport quarantine office to be approved and off we go!

I thought I would copy and paste the following information from the Korean Air website on transporting pets, as I found this information quite useful.


Check list:

Check pet's health status

		Pets must be healthy and at least 8 weeks old.
		Avoid any type of sedatives as it can affect the body temperature and blood pressure of the pet.
		Korean Air will refuse to carry any animals that are under medication, violent, ill smelling, sick or pregnant

Pet carriage to destinations

		Please check in advance if your destination allows pets.
		Currently the UK and Australia apply very strict plant and animal regulations, prohibiting passenger planes to carry them. To check the custom regulations for each country, click  ‘Custom regulations for each country’ or contact the organization concerned.

Rabies vaccination prior to departure

		Most countries ask for a rabies vaccination certificate from pets, such as dogs and cats if they depart from Korea.
		Pets should be vaccinated 30 days before the departure date. Please make sure that the vaccine will be effective for your entire trip (Vaccine is usually good for 1 year.)

Applying for Pet Travel:

How to apply

After having documentation required for the quarantine inspection at destination ready, contact the reservation center and make the booking for pet travel. For regulations and requirements in Korea, contact Incheon Animal Quarantine Office(+82-32-740-2660~1).

Documentation required

		Customs documentation (2 copies)
		Rabies vaccination certificate (2 copies)
		Documentation provided by the animal quarantine office (2 copies)

NOTES Bring the above documentation to the check-in counter. The required documentation varies according to departure city. Please confirm the documentation before your travel.

Charge for pet travel

		Regardless of your free baggage allowance, you will be charged extra for your pet according to the excess baggage charge in the following table.
		Payment will be made during check-in.
		For the details, please refer to the table below.

Call the Airline:

One thing they don't mention on the site is that you should call the airline before you travel to alert them your pet is traveling and to make sure it has been approved. For all you know other passengers might be taking a lot of pets too, filing up the cabin space. So it is best to call and let them know ahead of time. Also you can ask important questions to the representative if necessary. You can find numbers to your airline via their website.

If you have any questions about pet travel I would be happy to answer them as I am going through this process. So far since everything has been running smoothly I feel more confident taking Tom over. As for how Tom feels, well... hehe!

Operation Flying Tom: Preparations

If I go, Tom goes! I'm taking my fur ball with me to America and this will be my first time flying with a pet. Actually, I have a sad story about flying a pet in my past but I don't want to share it. Ha!

There are two choices to bringing your pet back home. One is that you could take him in the cabin with you and the other is you can check him in under the plane. I would prefer to take Tom with me into the cabin as this means I'll know where he is at all times, and be there to comfort him. However, regulations stipulate that your animal must weigh (including the carrier) 5 kgs (about 11 pounds). I took Tom to the Vet today and the poor thing weighs in at 7.5 kgs.

Now I've been told that airlines don't really weigh the pet, unless probably if they look enormous. Maybe at the inspection office they might weigh him, but it's the airline that has these regulations. So I could try and bring him on the plane, but I'm the kind of person that worries it won't work out and I'll be stuck with no options.

Going with the other choice of checking him in under the plane isn't my favorite one but it might be for the best. For one I won't have to worry about getting through security, where you have to carry your pet through the gate as they scan the bag. Then I think I would have a hard time kicking back comfortably on the plane with Tom between my feet, worrying about him. Putting him under the plane means he will have more space in a hard-shell carrier to rest and wait. Plus if he goes to the bathroom it won't be so embarrassing.

There is still time to sort this out and I could try and put Tom on a diet and exercise plan. But I feel with just about 3 more months, not much will happen. In Itaewon there is a Vet office that people have recommended to help me out. So far I've gotten an email response from them but they are kind of slow to respond. But I hear they sell carriers for check-in, so I think I might take a look.

In the meantime, I had Tom get updated on his shots. Especially the rabies vaccine which is necessary for travel. I was pleased to find my local Vet had an English doctor who also was the "cat specialist". Tom did not enjoy his Vet visit one bit by hissing and growling his way through it. Thankfully, the place is just across the street from my house.

I'll need to take him back to the Vet before I travel to receive a health certificate, but for now he can rest at home.

Until then I hope I can figure out the best way to fly him over, and also get him use to transportation. What do you think about that Tom?

Looking Over My Work While Away

I managed to have some free time today to look over my upcoming work for next semester. I recall how before the semester ended, a few weeks ago, my mind was blown by the team leader stuff coming my way.

I figured I needed to give myself some time and then I can approach it with a clearer mind. Looking at it today I definitely feel better about the new duties. Mostly I see I will need to be that person in the middle who communicates and negotiates requests. There are some major duties to take care of, but I think there will be time to understand it all.

Mostly I just hope I will have enough time to set up my new room, including rearranging the teacher's desks and putting away all my materials. That first day back is a full schedule of orientation meetings and greeting new students. I kind of wish they would give us more time to set up.

Even though I am still feeling somewhat nervous about the upcoming term, I know I just need to start out with a smile and not let it all get to me. The other teachers (both Korean and none) will be busy and hoping for a good year. In other words, I won't be the only one a bit nervous that first week back.

I wrote all this down in a neat list fashion in my notebook and hope to reference it now and then while I am still out here. Just to prep myself mentally. But how can I keep my focus with weather in the high 70's and palm trees everywhere?!

First Team Leader Meeting

My mind is in a swirl and I am home cooking tofu stir-fry. But about an hour ago I learned about what it will be like being a team leader next term and the duties that are going to come my way. The school basically wants to overhaul the English Department. Make it more standardized, meaning tests and homework should have a set grading system. It all makes sense, with it showing that we should be more unified and organized. The main goal is to boost the English Department's reputation. For years now, as it has been observed, the attitude was "Here you go, you can figure it out." A very easy going attitude that showed the Korean teachers we were likely lazy and can't be motivated.

But it has me wanting to run for the hills. I knew I was going to be a team leader but now it is just about 3 weeks away! It's becoming a reality. I mostly feel insecure and that I will be a failure at communicating well with the K-teachers and also won't meet whatever standards my English teachers have. I will have to juggle two departments and be the intermediary. It looks like a big leadership position and I don't know if I'm ready. I'm in denial already and need to skip to the acceptance stage.

Thankfully, we had the meeting and it outlined what to prepare for and ways to get everyone ready that first day. But first impressions are important and I will be jet lagged and tired that first day back. I am mostly thinking to just be, "nice" and "sweet." Don't let the stress of it all show and go with the flow.

I'm going to slowly look back at the handout I received with all the information on it over the next few days. And over my time in America spend some time familiarizing it at a pace comfortable. Right now I just need to accept this is going to happen, and see it is an opportunity.

Upcoming DC Trip

As part of my home vacation this month I am going to visit Washington, D.C. with my mother. I have never been here and am excited to see a slice of America I haven't been to. So far I am using Google Maps to pinpoint places of interest and also restaurants and general areas to find oneself at a nice cafe. Here is the map:

View DC trip in a larger map

The "volcano" is our hotel! haha I hope the weather will be favorable for viewing the monuments. I am especially looking forward to seeing the White House, as I think in person it will give you a really awesome feeling. It is going to be interesting figuring out the bus and metro system, but I think with all my experience here in Seoul, Japan, and San Francisco I can manage.

Have you ever been there? Or perhaps you are from there. Then give me some tips and hints for great places or restaurants to visit!