Green light and a Buddha

I've spent the last 48 hours in crisis mode, but all seems to be okay now. As I said a few posts ago, I mailed my documents to Korea, this time with a tracking number. I "tracked" them daily. 5 days after they left Princeton, they arrived in New York City. Going the wrong direction, but what do I know? Maybe they like to take the scenic route.
Since April 15th, I have been checking them daily, and the tracking number still said they were in New York City. I thought that was unusual to be at a sorting facility for 9 days, and I kind of started wondering. This couldn't happen to me twice, could it? Could the United States Postal Service cost me not one, but TWO jobs? I was starting to think I should be petitioning them for a job. They owed me. And I'm talking a legit job. I don't want to carry around a heavy mail bag and be chased by dogs all day. I want a job with a corner office, lots of paid vacation time, and no real responsibility. Again, they owed me. If they couldn't offer me that, I thought maybe someone at the USPS should put me in touch with one of their rich cousins who would give (not loan) me the money I need to start my bakery/cafe. The rich cousin would not be an equal partner, or a partner of any kind. Rather in exchange for them financing my bakery, I would agree to give him/her free coffee each morning. Cream and sugar would be extra.
I emailed my recruiter last week and asked her to notify me when my documents arrived. I could see from the package tracking website that they were still in NYC, but I still optimistically checked my email each morning, expecting her to say they had arrived. I started worrying on Sunday. By last night I was really starting to channel my inner Ernest T. Bass, and I was deciding when would be the best time to throw rocks through the post office windows.  I was also starting to think of plan B. What I came up with involved waitressing down at the Ozarks. A girl can dream, right?
So this morning I called the post office after receiving no email from my recruiter and checking to see that my papers were still in NYC. Unfortunately, the postmaster was not in today. I left a message for her. Then I thought I'd better email my recruiter to see what she thinks. 5 minutes later she emailed me back, saying "Oops. Sorry, your papers got here last week. I forgot to tell you" WHAT? WHAT? WHAT? I'm here having a mental meltdown because the woman who blew up my inbox if I didn't respond to her within a day FORGOT to email me FOR A WEEK? She's lucky she's in Korea and I'm here, because otherwise I'd start throwing rocks through her window.
As far as that stupid tracking number, and why it showed my papers still in NYC, I have no idea. I guess it is a useless way for the post office to make me pay an extra $12 to mail my documents. I'm just relieved to know my documents were not "lost in the mail" twice.

It's been a real red letter week in good old Bureau County. A cult (Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission in case you're curious) just bought the old county home to do who knows what with, and a retired minister is trying to get a 3x3 slab of granite with the 10 Commandments carved into it put in front of the courthouse as a "tourist attraction" and a "place for our citizens and our children to recognize and honor our heritage as a Christian nation." Well Reverend Beck, I have a few thoughts for you. A Christian nation? It's been a while since my sociology classes at ISU, but I thought it was something like 65-70% of Americans were Christians. A majority? Yes, but to say our heritage as a Christian nation seems like a bit of a stretch. 70% would make the US a C- student in the Christian world. Not overly impressive. And a tourist attraction? If we are going to stick a religious monument in front of the courthouse and call it a tourist attraction, why not make it a giant Buddha? Now THAT would get people to Princeton. Tourists sure flock to the one in Hong Kong.

And for those of you who did not get the Ernest T. Bass reference, shame on you. Clearly you are not watching enough Andy Griffith. But since I like to educate people on the important things of the world, here is this classic Ernest T. Bass bit. Enjoy.

TIME LAPSE!!! Again.

I'm a sucker for a time lapse video. I've said that before.
BUT, this one is CHICAGO! My beautiful Chicago, the city I've been in love with for nearly 30 years. Chicago has such a special place in my heart. For as long as I can remember, and still today, the view of the skyline while driving into the city always takes my breath away. My earliest memory of Chicago is walking around downtown with my parents and Aaron. My dad was holding my hand. I was feeling tired and not super happy about having spent the day trying to keep up with his big steps. I was getting grouchy, and in an attempt to lighten the mood, my dad started singing  that There She Goes Do Wah Diddy Diddy song to me. I'd never heard the song before, and my 3 year old self thought it was HILARIOUS.


Places in Time: Chicago from Chris Pritchard on Vimeo.


I'm happy I've seen this video on a few different blogs now, and I hope it continues to make the internet rounds. The video's creator said this on his blog-

"I’ve always wondered why there is not more footage of Chicago, in pieces like this, in TV and film, etc. It’s not as if Chicago is completely untouched and forgotten, but it doesn’t enjoy the level of notoriety that its coastal cousins do, despite being every bit as impressive of an urban environment." 


Well stated, sir. Well stated. For those of you who are curious, here is the link to his blog. http://chrispzero.com/blog/2012/04/09/places-in-time-chicago/  I recommend reading it because he says so many lovely things about beautiful Chicago.

Blue ribbon misspelling!

So today this happened.


For the record, the kid was trying to write "interesting facts"

All signs point to no

I believe in signs...pause for my mom to tell me why I shouldn't...

AND, all signs are telling me not to return to Korea. In a world where all goes according to plan, I would already be back in Seoul, and I'm sure my kimchi jjigae cravings would be considerably less and my delicious cheese cravings would be through the roof. However, obviously things didn't work out that way. I haven't had kimchi jjigae in about 6 months, and I ate a delicious piece of cheese with my breakfast this morning. It all revolves around the food.

So, Monday I encountered yet another roadblock. I was preparing my documents to mail to Korea. The last thing I needed was an apostille from the secretary of state's office on my notarized diploma. I had ordered the diploma 6 weeks earlier. I had driven down to ISU. In person, I had talked to the good folks at the registrar's office. I had exchanged emails with two higher ups in the office. I had spoken with one of them on the phone, and we talked about making sure it was notarized. I had faxed my request to the office, in addition to sending her a scanned copy of the application. On it, I had clearly written "please send notarized copy" I had paid extra to have it all expedited. So a few weeks later, my diploma arrived in the mail. It was in a thick cardboard envelope. Thinking this would be a safe place to keep the diploma until I got the apostille, I left it in the envelope. I kept it closed. "Maybe checking it would be a good idea" never crossed my mind. I had been so careful asking for what I needed from this office, them making a mistake didn't occur to me. Not possible, right?

My recruiter wanted me to mail my documents so she could start working on my new visa. Since many schools were still closed on Monday and I wasn't subbing, I decided it would be a good morning to run down to Springfield for the apostille. I got ready to go, printed my application from Jesse White's website, filled it out, got my shoes on, etc. I ran down to my room and grabbed the cardboard envelope. I tore it open. Laying inside was a reprint of my diploma. It was not a photocopy with a notary's signature attached to it. It was a legit reprint of my diploma, on fancy thick paper and everything. I stared at it for a second. I double checked the envelope. No notarized anything came out. What? Seriously? I got my computer out, and pulled up the application that I'd scanned, at first thinking maybe I'd made some mistake. Nope. It very clearly said "Please send notarized copy" So I called the office of the registrar. I explained the situation to the lady that answered the phone. She said I needed to speak to Mary and offered to transfer me. Last time I spoke to Mary in the registrar's office, it took her about 4 days and and 3 voice mails before she called me back. I didn't have the time for that nonsense again, and I wanted this fixed today. So I asked that she please check to see if Mary was in her office before she transferred me.

Hold please. Mary was available and expecting my call. I explained the situation to her, and she told me I needed to speak to Jackie, and offered to transfer me. Again, I asked her to check to see if Jackie was in fact available before she transferred me.

Hold please. Jackie was available and expecting my call. For the third time, I explained my situation. Jackie said she remembered speaking to me before, and she pulled up the email I'd sent. Oops, I DID "ask for a notarized copy! What had happened?"

I explained that I needed to get this diploma to Springfield today, so how could they fix this for me? She asked if I could drive to ISU today. I wanted to say no, but I would be willing to stay home long enough for the ISU notary public to drive to Princeton to notarize my diploma. Dream on, Laura. Dream on.

Now, in reality driving to Springfield via Normal is not THAT big of a deal. It's slightly out of the way, but only 20 minutes or so. However, I had to drive into Normal, park my car, which of course there is nowhere around the registrar's office to park, wait for them to do their thing which I paid them to do 6 weeks ago, then get back on the interstate and head on down to Springfield. Ok, again, not such a big deal, but still just grrrrrr! inducing.

Out of principle, I sighed, and said I guess I had no other choice. Jackie paused, and said she needed to make sure the notaries would be available to sign this, because maybe they would be in meetings.

Now it was my turn to pause...I processed what she said and didn't know whether to laugh or yell. Be calm, Laura. I explained to Jackie that since this was not my mistake, I should be accommodated when I arrived, and I did not have time to wait for them to finish up whatever they were doing. Jackie apologized for their screw up, and asked if I would please hold while she checked with the notaries.

More holding. She came back and told me they were in meetings today, but one of them would leave the meeting when I arrived to notarize my diploma.

HEADACHE! but to be fair, when I arrived at ISU and met with Jackie, she was extremely apologetic and kept offering me a diet Coke for the rest of my drive. I told her it was okay, just a mistake, and politely declined her diet Coke, as I think diet soda of any kind of an unsatisfying excuse for a beverage...beurk.

So I finally arrived in Springfield and got my apostille. This entire visa renewal process has been roadblock after roadblock. Why? It's a sign that I should not be going to Korea.

Howeverrrrrrrr, we are in a recession. I don't have the luxury to listen to the universe during a recession. My bank account numbers are getting dangerously close to red, and I'm getting dangerously close to celebrating my 30th birthday while living in my parents' basement. So, I gathered up all my documents and sent them off to Korea yesterday afternoon. Then, I woke up this morning and saw on the news that there was a bomb threat on a Korean Air flight heading from Vancouver to Seoul, AND North Korea is gassing up their rocket. Perfreakingect.

I'm not sure heading back to Korea is ideal. The problem is that I don't know what is ideal. So for the 4th time I'm saying maybe this will be the year I figure things out. :P Years fly by.

Plus I am desperate to travel more in Asia, and sing Eternal Flame with my noraebang partner in crime, Meagan.

I've exchanged a few emails with the teacher I will be replacing. The school seems pretty okay. The hours are less than most private schools and the pay is slightly more. I asked him what the negatives of the job were. He replied that I would be the only foreign teacher at the school, and asked if that would be a problem for me. My thoughts went to SLP, wildebeest, and the minions. My response to him was "Nope. Sounds perfect!"

In addition to being the only foreigner at this school, another (hopefully!!) plus is that it is in Bundang, not Seoul. I love love love Seoul. However, for some reason in Seoul there is high population of people who suck. Hard core suck. Seriously personality flaws. I've heard that the farther one gets from Seoul, the less people suck. Bundang is right outside of Seoul, and connected via subway. So maybe it's not that different, but it can't be any worse.