Holy Moly, I'm actually going.

so, yesterday was a big deal.

I mailed my most prized possession at this point off in the ever so unreliable Post Office yesterday.  In case you are confused, I'm talking about my passport.  I sent it to the Korean Consulate in San Francisco to hopefully be granted an E-2 VISA in a very timely manner. (here's hoping).

I then proceeded to shell out $820 for a one way ticket to orientation in Busan (or Pusan, same thing), South Korea.  My flight will leave from San Francisco at 6:10pm Tuesday, February 15th. Which is currently less than 3 weeks away. Goodness gracious.

Realizing this is probably redundant, I will say it again anyway: I can't believe I'm moving to South Korea. Just thinking about it brings up giddiness followed by fear followed by adrenaline followed by sadness followed by giddiness again.  Basically my emotions never cease to confuse me.  People ask me how I feel about it and it's so hard to explain!  This process has been sooo long and tedious I feel that just going will be an achievement in itself. 

I don't know if any of you know what all I have been doing to get to this point, but I'll share the short version:
1. Pre-Application just to see if I qualified
2.Apply for FBI Criminal Record Check (fingerprints etc.) back in early Sept
3. Online application (essay, acquire 2 letters of rec, 15 pg application questions, sealed transcripts)
4. 45 minute nerve-racking phone interview with EPIK interviewer in South Korea
5. wait. wait. wait.
6. Passed the interview, now keep waiting for FBI CRC.
7. Get FBI CRC, take it to Sacramento to get it apostilled (internationally recognized version of notarizing, but docs must be notarized first. dumb.)
8. Send in all paper documents.
9. Wait and wait some more.
10. Find out my top 4 city choices had no more teaching positions available - thought I wasn't going (early December)
11. Position found in Daegu! (early Jan)
12. Contract finally arrived late Jan - apply for E-2 Visa, do Tax Residency Form, buy plane ticket, figure out how to pack for a year in 2 suitcases in 4 weeks, see as many people as possible.
13. Finished TESOL course back in December and am still waiting on certificate. great.

I'm glad the tedious, time sensitive agenda items are almost done - now if only I can get my Visa in a timely matter I think I'll be good.  After looking back at all I've been working through the past couple of months to get to this point, I'm even more excited.  I can't wait to explore and meet people and have culture shock and an apartment and find a Christian Korean Church and adventure and hike and experience life in Korea.  I can't wait to try crazy food and not understand the signs and maneuver the subway and meet people from around the world.

I. Can't. Wait.

Luckily, I only have 19 days to wait. I guess I can do that.