Visa Approved!!!

The interview yesterday went very well and I was approved as a "very qualified candidate," according to Jong Heon Lee at the Korean Consulate.

I sat with Lee for about 20 minutes in which he asked me about why I wanted to go and why I felt qualified. He also told me some of the differences between Korean and American styles of teaching.

Apparently, in Korea, the teach or professor traditionally is there to simply lecture. But Lee wants the American style of discussion and dialogue to be applied. He said the times are changing slowly, and he hopes I use the American way to teach.

That certainly makes sense to me, considering they are English classes. I think conversation and dialogue are keys to learning the language.

One interesting thing Lee said is that he interviews a lot of people, but not all are as qualified as he would want. But because people pay money for the background check, Visa application and others things, he feels an obligation to approve them regardless. He said he has to make a note that those people would need a little more training when they get over there to make sure they're suitable teachers.

Fortunately for me, through my English writing degree and conversation with Lee, I was called "very qualified." Hopefully that means I'll be in the classroom right away, ready to teach the kids.

I pick up my passport with my Visa stamp today after 3 p.m. That's the last of my obstacles. Next up is a few days to tie up any loose ends here, and then I hop on a plane on Sept. 4.