email

Subject: RE: Make Up Your Mind
Date: Sun, 18 Jan 2009 06:34:25
dear mom and dad,

the after day i emailed you about the background check, i got it in the mail from you! all these new visa laws are sucky: so much process for something that used to take no time at all. *sigh* so i went back to the police station to get fingerprinted AGAIN, and it was just as difficult the second time: i try to explain that all i need is to be printed, and then every cop in the place comes over and looks at my paperwork and asks me questions in korean and i feel dumb b/c i cant understand them, *sigh* They asked me why i didnt just go to the embassy, i said i dont know. i asked some coworkers and bosses about what specifically im supposed to do, no one is 100% sure...

These laws came into affect early last year, and i renewed just before the deadline, so doing this process is new to me. Foreigners are on an E-2 visa. we now (well, californians anyway) have to first request an official fingerprint card from home. Then get fingerprinted at a police station here, then send it back home to get a criminal background check, and then get a medical check up, THEN we can submit paperwork to renew. i heard stories of crappy teachers and even pedophiles working here, which was the catalyst for these new laws. it's interesting: getting the fingerprints itself isnt so complicated (if you have an interpreter with you): i just bring the card and have them print me. they dont even keep a copy. I wonder how the Board of Education in korea, or the justice dept of Cali know it's MY Prints im sending? how do they know i didnt just print my dog or something? how come i cant print myself, how would anyone ever know the difference? anyway... my visa expires february 10th. hope i get done in time. ah well, it's going to work out im sure.

thanks for understanding about the boxes. so:please send whatever you feel like! i was just feeling bad for not actually using all you send me for myself. so please send some oatmeal raisin cookies for my coworkers. send me fiber pills that i can swallow (a one a day pill, please) and as for the oil of olay: send me whatever mom used to use. i just want something like lotion: but for my face, b/c winter is so dry here.

we're in week 9 here in the winter term, there are 4 weeks left before we start anew. im looking forward to a new term, i want so badly to get back to my cushy 4 day a week schedule! i have a student in my elementary class, his name is jason, i love him more than i have ever loved any student before. i want to adopt him and make him my own, i love him so much! i hope so sooooo badly that i can see him again next term! his birthday was jan 10th, and on the friday before, i bought chocopies for the class to celebrate, but i ended up NOT giving them out, b/c i felt bad, that it wouldnt be fair for other students' birthdays. i gave the pies to my coworkers who were happy to help me get rid of the excess goodies. THEN i instead wrote jason a note, telling him happy birthday and what a good student he is, etc, but i ended up not giving it to him either, b/c i didnt want any of the other children to find out and get jealous... maybe i'll slip him a note or some special stickers on the last day of class or something. i really want to take his picture, i love him so much!!! he's my favorite. i know i say that about all the kids, but really, jason is really really my absolute favorite.

korean class is going ok, i dont LOVE it like i did before when it was still all new and exciting, but it's good. i can read hangul (Korean) albeit very very slowly. the classes run for one month, and im 99% sure i will repeat this course to get a better grasp of things before i move on. it is very difficult, im the slowest student there (as well as the one who has been in korea the longest, HA!) but it's been very exciting to walk around town and be able to read and recognize some words and phrases... well, words, actually, im still too slow to read an entire phrase. my class is very diverse: im the only american. there are 4 other students: one each from thailand, japan, germany, china, and iraq. pretty cool.

in class during break time last week, i read something in korean for the class, telling them i was learning korean and bragging about how EASY it is. i started to read, "Ahn... yyyoooo... g.. guh... gaah..." and smart little kenneth asked, "uhm, teacher, why are you speaking alien language?" hardy har har.