Three Days till the Long Drive

Maybe I’m dense, but it always takes a while before my decisions and their repercussions sink in. Seeking my roommates, Karen and Laura, move out this past weekend brought it to my attention that I’m moving to Denver in a week. There is still so much to do before I leave on Friday, but I’m mostly packed! It took 4 carloads to the Goodwill before I was able to pack all of my things. I’m still finding items that I can give away. If I’m not going to take it to Seoul, and it would take more to ship it then to purchase it later on then I’m getting rid of it.

Snow in hilly Seattle only comes a couple years, but the whole city halts and usually brings people out in groves walking to their favorite restaurant or coffee shop. This past snowstorm, on Sunday, had people wrapping chains in their tires, when there is less then 2 cm of snow on the ground! The usual snow deprived kids were wearing their warmest clothes, grabbing anything that had a smooth bottom to try to slide snow the roads and grassy parks. To my Colorado eyes it was a sad silent cry for more snow and desperation of the winter fun that rarely visits Seattle for more then 2 days per winter.

Karen and I stood out on McGraw watching cars trying to drive up the iced cobble stone road, half would make it but the unfortunate people who went to slow or had 2 wheel drive weren’t able to make it up the short steep hill. By mid afternoon the roads were clear, but many people stayed home on Monday morning because they were scared of the ice.

2 weeks to go

The tradition of blending mine and my sister’s in-laws families together on Thanksgiving is special, a few days out of everyone’s rat race to remember the reason of life and family.  This year was especially good, because I knew it was one of the last times I would see my family before I left for Korea.  I made the decision of spending a couple months in Denver, after much departing, calculations of rent vs staying at home, staying at Upper Crust, so off I flew to Seattle for 3 weeks.   

My laziness/unwillingness of not resetting my clocks in my room as reverted my body clock to its natural state: wake up before dawn! Ok, so your saying that in Seattle dawn is 7:4

5, but now I’m getting out of bed at 5:30 or 6! This has become useful time to pack, try to learn the Korean alphabet, or read the latest book I currently have my nose in.  The downside of this: I’m falling asleep by 9pm, so much for a social nightlife. 

Given that I have a less then a month left in Seattle, I’ve been actively pur

suing seeing my friends, 1 from Bremerton whose normal drive would be 1.3 hours turned into 2+ h

ours (thanks Hiedi!!). We dined on delicious tapas at Provence, France’s Entre Nous, and I finally got to try Ratatouille! The name as intrigued me for years, and it is rarely on American menus. It was all that I had thought it would be J.  

Heidi and I traveled from France to Italy on Saturday, visiting Dolce de Europe’s open house and I trying to purchase every type of chocolate dessert and Panetone (traditional bread for Christmas time) in the store.  Then off to Napoli’s Via Tribunali with Karen and Heidi, a pizzeria on Queen Anne that I’ve been meaning to go to for three years. I can say its the best representation of a Napoleon pizzerias in Seattle! And I rekindled my love for Limoncello, J. 

Only 1 train stop

Imagine riding an Italian high-speed train, Ferrovia, not knowing the next stop because you’re unsure of the ultimate destination. The train has passed several stops that you thought would be fine. But as your getting up and collecting luggage the train speeds passed the train station. You sit back down reluntantly, craning your neck looking out window searching for the next stop. Fellow passengers, who have watched this spectacle multiple times want to help you. They ask, "What are your plans, I'll introduce you to someone who can help you find the perfect stop" or they want to share their experience.

You see the next stop that looks exciting; you tell your seatmate that this is your stop! Please excuse me! You cause a commotion every time you want to exit the train. In the split seconds it takes the train to stop, you gather your belongings, run to the open door. Throwing your bags out the door, and barely squeezing through the automatic closing doors. The passengers quietly talk amongst themselves, mentioning that your exit was so sudden, very unexpected. One passenger mutters that she thought that you were going to stay with her on the train, and was still gasping the idea of being alone.


This is my journey, only one of the many facets of my hopefully long life. I know that life is fragile, can fragment at any time. The steps I take to toward my final destination are full of caution and hurry.

My decision time frame: Rushed

* Tuesday: (Nov 18)

o Find job ad (6:50am) on Craigslist after doing a search for all jobs, ad include RN Nurses, Sign Holders for companies liquidating assets, Administration Assistant, and Teach English in Korea. The recruiting company who had posted the job was Ask Now *I apply right away.
o 7:00 am Received email from Stephanie, hearing that I could be in a foreign country half way around the world by February and teaching English by March.
o 7:15 am text message Diane, "I'm going to Korea!! To teach English". I'm sure it was odd to wake up with that message on her phone, but she is use to me by now.
o 7:20 am Call mom, ask her opinion, she says its a great opportunity, just make sure the company is legit.
o I go into work early (8:15) to research the company more and look through the vast information listed on the website.
o 10:15 Email Dad and ask him to send me my SPU Diploma. Mom had already told him o of my upcoming possible Korean Adventure.
o 3:10pm Request 2 Official Transcripts from School

* Wednesday (Nov 19)

o Research more ESL recruiting companies, decide on also applying to Reach to Teach to assure my ability to be in Korea by March

* Thursday (the 20th)

o Speak to Stephanie about the normal timeline, which is Interview with a Korean school and 4-6 weeks later the teacher is in their new country teaching youngsters to speak English with an America accent.
o Kick around the idea of coming home in January to spend time with the family and take a small break before leaving for 12 months.
o Purchase Christmas tickets from Seattle to Denver, Dec 21 to 29. Excited about spending 9 days with family!
o Order my WA Background check

* Friday (21th)

o Decide, after hearing that all roommates are moving out by January 1st, and finding only one option for a short-term option is at least 3 months. I don’t want to have to pay for a lease, or worry about having a sublease, so.. I'm now moving home the with the parents that the best decision is to move home before Christmas on Dec 20.
o Unsure of my crazy decision to quit my job and move to Denver in the anticipation of moving to Korea by Feb/March.
o Am now wondering if I have to get a CO state background check since that is my official address...

* Saturday (Today!!)

o Cancel Christmas airline tickets
o Look around apartment, and know that I can't fit all things in my car. :( Decide to send much to Goodwill. Only keep the items that I love, this is hard!



*About Ask Now, and the process I've gone through: Speaking with either the recruiter, Stephanie or the CEO, Jason, answer my questions and concerns very fully and sends me links of websites that go into fuller detail of the application and E2 Visa process.