2days...

So I just got back from Atlanta last night with my shiny new visa!!! Well, it isn't shiny but it is new. After walking in circles in downtown Atlanta for 20mins I discovered that the hotel I was staying in was connected to the tower where the Korean consulate was located...yeah had a dumb moment...for 20minutes. But anyhoo, I had my interview Tuesday morning which was pretty chill and the guy was very nice. My mom was busy reading all of the magazines about Korea that she could and even stole a few I think. The next day I came back to the consulate and they had my passport all ready and waiting for me. It was grand.

So now I am repacking because I'm a bit over the 50lb weight limit and steeling myself for a 14hr plane ride. Geezus. I hate planes. But I've got a 600page book and my ipod. I'm ready for it. Also thankfully there is someone picking me up at the airport to take me to my hotel. And that night I think I'll be meeting up with a friend of mine if I am not too exhausted for hopefully late night snackage and to see how far I'll be from them.

I'm getting more and more excited though I did have a bit of a crying breakdown Tuesday night while on the phone with Leon. I'm not a crier. Actually, I've been told that I don't show much emotion at all except for maybe hyperness. So I don't think Leon much knew what to do when I started crying on the phone. In the hotel lobby no less! A bellhop guy came over and asked if I needed help and such when he saw me. Very embarrassing. But I got my act together and the last 1 1/2hrs of Leon and my conversation was all laughs and butchered Vietnamese on my part. I think getting an email from my friend who recently flew and is staying in Hong Kong, who also has a boyfriend in the states definitely helped my mood. Hell, 2days left before I fly I better be excited.

=^^=

VISA!!!

So I have finally thankfully gotten my visa code. Now I need to call and schedule an interview for this week and finalize some plans to get down to Atlanta. I do have questions for them about how soon I will have my visa stamp so I can let the school coordinator know. I also received a welcome packet which gave me a slight shock when I read I may be paying rent BEFORE I get a paycheck. I don't believe I will really be able to do that so I need to let my coordinator know and see what can be done about it. As far as everything else goes it is mostly in order. I bought my plane ticket (thank you hunni), bought luggage and a few bathroom items I'm picky about and have really and truly started the process of getting rid of things. I had a slight scare when I got an aim message about a friend of mine being in the hospital after getting hit by a car but I went to see her last night and she is doing okay thank gahd.

It still doesn't quite seem real that in less than 2 weeks I'll be on a flight that will take me across the globe and into a place where English isn't even close to the major language. I'm excited and nervous to all hell but it will be an adventure. I've been in my comfort zone for most of my life. Dating Leon has actually done something that could possibly help though. Getting used to the stares. Leon and I get stared at quite a bit, especially when we go into places that are Vietnamese. Or like this past weekend when we went out and I got two schools of black guys who either a) think Leon is the man or b) ask why can't I find a black man to satusfy my needs and such.

Perhaps there will be stares and gawks and leers but oh well. Nothing worse than I get over here already...

Visa run

So I got an email back from CDI's coordinator about my visa code being sent to me within the next few days. Now that I can see it is going to be cutting it a bit close with getting my visa and flying out I'm wondering how long it will take. The consulate in Atlanta is the closest to me though it is still a good 4-5hr drive one way. I had considered flying out from Atlanta and just staying in a hotel somewhere down there but after more thought I really want to leave from my own city so I can say goodbye to family and friends. Not too mention the fact that Leon's job flies him out of town before then so if I am gone before he gets back then the last time I will see him for 6-7months is the July4th weekend. No good for me. The ticket isn't any cheaper from Atlanta it's just the fact that I would be driving back and forth so much.

So I have a question from you all out there. Did you go to get your visa from the consulate or did you have yours mailed to you? If you had it mailed to you how long did it take? As it stands I might not have my visa code until July1st and I need it to be in my passport by July11th so I can fly out July12th. Now I definitely have no time to plan for a new job. I'm going to be too busy trying to pack and possibly driving a total of 16hrs to get a visa stamp in which case I'm getting there, putting in the paperwork and driving right back home. The consulate opens up at 9am so if I get on the road by 5am my time I can be in there by 10am, do the damn thing and hopefully be back on the road home by 1pm before I hit Atlanta's god awful rush HOURS traffic. I do have a friend living about 45mins from Atlanta that I could possibly stay with if need be. I need to give her a call and figure out what the hell I'm going to do.