Eek!!

I bought a new iPod touch! I know I shouldn't have but I've been wanting to update to the one that has the speakers! I was tempted... I'll find someone to buy the old one before I leave to recover my losses since I already don't have money... But I did get it for only $200 cause I got a discount for working at walmart... LOL!

Eek... I better find someone soon or eBay it! Lol

Still no word on my visa number but now it's the weekend and the start of a new week...

:)

**Update**
i just got an update that one of my sister's friends is going to buy the old one... yay! for $150 so that should help with my losses!! lol!

i should be in bed... lol nights!

*OH and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY LIL SISTER... she's 13 today! (June 27th!)

Suitcase Issues...

Okay so i know i said i wouldn't write until I heard something about my Visa but this is important! lol sorta! i went shopping today with my lil sister and bought another suitcase to actually get the ball rolling... a little bit at least. we bought another suitcase and several other things that i needed... pretty much all i need now is work pants and winter boots/ rain boots and 2 books from Books-a-Million to get me through Seoul and south korea...lol!

anywhoo we're here for the suitcase... this is what it looks like after a wonderful idea from a friend named Dele! <-- (check out her blog!) she suggested I use this glue type stuff to make my suitcase stand out! ^_^. she will also be in Seoul in August! i'm making so many new friends on this blog! ^_^. here's a pic of both suitcases...lol!
I doubt anyone will try to steal suitcases with my name on them! hehe! and i'll also be able to pick it from the lot of suitcases in Seoul... i might also tie some ribbons on the handles...

i also went to work today and asked for some extra hours for this last week... i didn't think they'd actually give me any but they did and i'm so thankful! i was running low on money fast... and i got paid today! aah! i really was scared i wouldn't have money to survive on while in Korea... and I didn't want to ask my parents either... i already ask for too much...

anywhoo... here's some more pictures...i was transfering my "essentials" from the suitcase on the top (look at pics) that's 26" to the one on the bottom that's 25" lol... i'm hoping to use the one thats bigger for clothes... yes i'm segregating my stuff...lol

here's the result...









old suitcase on bottom...with stuff new from walmart... new suitcase in the middle that still has to get the stuff from the bottom stuffed into it... and then my books on the very top... those are on the "door" of my suitcase hoping they dont tear out of the mesh...lol!

it's only about 43lbs i believe... i'm not sure if the scale works properly but for now it does... hehe...

i tried working on the one for clothes by just putting my blankets (pretty thin... just till i can get one there) and my 1 fitted sheet... it also has my towels in it... well... i might need some extra help with my clothes cause it's getting crazy... thank goodness for space bags... (well unfortunately one space bag died... it got a tiny hole in it...) probably from when i was moving back in May and they were in the back of the truck...

anyway... things are sorta moving along and it makes it feel a bit more real... i still have my fears of my visa issuance number not coming in... i sit by my email box more than usual hoping it'll just have a red number in the corner... saying i have 1 new email... until then...


MySpace Countdowns

Signed. Sealed. Delivered!

As you all know... I've signed a contract to work in Sungbuk, Seoul, South Korea. My first day in the classroom by myself will be August 3rd... so i should be arriving a week and half before then. My "Academic Supervisor" has informed me that we're looking at a departure date of July 21st. :] this makes me very happy because I've been waiting a long time to get going...lol

i sent off my contract last friday... (well my mom did...hehe) via FedEx... it cost $60 for 1/2 a pound of papers to be sent Priority mail to Seoul, South Korea...wow! for some reason i thought $20 would cover it...lol thank goodness my mom loves me and allowed me to pay her back! haha! anywhoo... well as soon as i got that tracking number i e-mailed it off so they could track it...well then i realized it was Saturday early morning to the school...so they wouldn't receive my e-mail until the 22nd (which was when the package was set to arrive...lol)...well i was right and they received the package yesterday around 9:30pm my time...lol so like 11:30am in Seoul. I watched it go from Texas to Tennessee to Alaska to South Korea then to the school! lol even when i was with my family over the weekend camping I tracked it...from my dad's new iPhone...which he loves...I'm so jealous...lol!

with the package at the school, i emailed my 2 advisors to make sure they got it and sure enough i received an email after i got home tonight saying that my advisor had already received my package and even had submitted them to the immigration office in Korea to get my visa issuance # so i could get my visa a.s.a.p. as soon as i get that (in about 7-10 days) I will have to either go to Houston... or mail off my stuff and do an interview over web cam and then get my passport A.S.A.P. only problem with that is I'm scared it'll get lost or it'll take longer than normal. I have to send them my documents beforehand so we can set up an interview time...so as soon as i get the issuance number I'm sending my documents overnight! lol! it'll cost me some money but it'll eventually be reimbursed when i get to Korea.

my friend Rhonda officially arrived in Korea yesterday and I'm super happy for her! I know she's probably having a great time getting to know everyone...and getting over jet lag...that's for sure...lol! I can't wait to hang out with her in Korea when i finally get there!

I'm getting tired of ready other people's blogs that are having a good time in Korea... I'm reading to get my life on the road...lol!

i can't wait to finally be done with walmart too... which will be next Thursday as my last day! woohoo!

Schedule till then is: Tomorrow: Off Wednesday (24th) 9:00 am- 1:00 pm Thursday (25th) 7pm-11pm Friday (26th) Off Saturday (27th) 9:30am-6:30pm Sunday (28th) 5:30pm- 11pm Monday (29th) 5pm-9pm Tuesday (30th) 10:30am-7pm Wednesday (1st) Off Thursday (2nd)12:30pm-9pm then Friday was supposed to be my last day...but I'm off! lol!

These last 2 checks will help me get through my first month in Seoul... i just have to keep in mind that I'll be living there and i don't have to buy every little thing in fear that i wont see it again! haha!

I'm excited...scared...thrilled...anxious... ready...lol i think...at least mentally... i still have to buy another suitcase and actually start packing...haha... i can't believe that i only have like 3 weeks...lol! (that's right right? i was trying to count them... obviously I'm doubting myself but i think that's right! haha!) i obviously wont really start packing till I have like 1-2 weeks left but I need to have things cleaned out of my little closet so they're ready! haha! (which I'll probably do tomorrow!) and then I'll have to repack a few times...

i need to remind myself to call the airport and ask about space bags... like if they'll search them if i have them cause I'm scared they wont have a vacuum on hand to repack them... that would be really bad!!

I've made several friends through the blogs and it makes me anxious to meet them! hehe!

kamsamnida! for reading my blogs...lol some of you have no choice!

i know these are boring now but i know they'll get more interesting soon! at least i'm not like filling you in on my boring days anymore... i'm trying to only blog when there's something to tell! my next one will probably be when i get my visa number and i get ready for my trip to Houston! lol!

go with god!
-gabi ^_^.

Sungbuk, South Korea... ^_^

So within the last 24 hours... a ton has happened! i'm super excited!! okay recap... yesterday i e-mailed the recruiter i've been talking to from YBM . i let him know that i received my diploma and so he then called me last night around 9:30pm my time...11:30am his time. he let me know there are positions available and he kinda asked questions and i guess what getting a feel for who i am. anyway it worked out well and we hung up letting me know that he'd be talking to schools and looking for one for me. he said he would let me know as early as today and as late as sunday or monday night.

well today i received my diploma (.....) lol and proceeded to wait and anticipate a call... which i received at 8:02 (unfortunately the phone line was not good...but i tried my best)...

he informed me that a school wanted me and wanted him to ask me if i would be able to live apart from my family and come work at their school? as well as if i have the personality to work with young children...kindergarten age (5-7 years of age (i think...lol)) and I answered Yes of course and just tried to let him know that's what i really was looking for and i think ended up showing my "bubbly" personality cause he was like as i can tell you are bubbly and have a good personality and that is why they have been drawn to you. i guess a picture tells a thousand words since they've seen a picture of me and my resume...

he asked if i wanted the position and i said ABSOLUTELY YES! lol!

I have a position in Sungbuk, South Korea...in Seoul... hehe! I'm super excited and he told me I would start teaching August 3rd after my week of training...

when we talked last night he asked me if I would be able to have a departure date of July 21- 23rd...so of course I said yes! so i think around there I should be leaving! that's about 4 1/2 weeks away! (my last day at walmart is July 3rd...2 weeks from tomorrow!! yay!)

I'm sending off my pack of documents tomorrow by Fedex and once they get them we'll be working on my Visa and what-not and I think what will end up happening to make things easier for me is I'll send my passport and stuff for my Visa ahead of me to Houston and when they assign my interview time...i'll make sure it's on the day of my departure so i can leave from Houston... it's a 1-way trip from Houston to South Korea if i do that... plus i wouldn't have to drive to houston and back and then to dallas... lol

I'm super excited if you can't tell and love how this is all falling into place...

^_^.

Shopping Fun!

So it's been almost a week since I've last posted and not much has happened...diplomas came out this week...woohoo! lol! on monday we went shopping for some stuff for my sister's birthday and for my school stuff...i'm not sure what grade i'm teaching but either way i found stuff that's cute and i should be able to use for whatever age i teach. so this blog is dedicated to showing the few things that i got! ^_^.

we started at a few hit and misses and then we finally went to Michaels... i got ink pads and stickers! lol!

The stickers are from the "Littlest Pet Shop" collection! It's a sticker dispenser so it's going to be easy to use! lol! i got two boxes hoping they'll last me cause I'm a sticker maniac at times...lol!


The colors I got in the ink pads (as you can see) are Teal, Lavender, Red, Fuchsia, and Black... I like the different colors to make it not boring to see every paper that i give back! haha! AND they stack together!!! how cool!! I spent a total of $8.61 on everything so i think it was a good day!


Then we went to Adventures in Learning...so a teacher store where my cousin and i just stepped in to check out if they maybe had stamps for less than $10 cause i found some at Michaels but each was about $10/each...not in my budget! haha! As soon as we walked in Melysah found this classroom stamp set!

It is super neat...includes 10 wooden stamps, 5 colored pencils, 4 star sticker sheets, and a 2-colored stamp pad! lol! Each of the stamps as you can see can be useful in the classroom! I might even try to use the Sign & Return one...lol!!! That's all we got there...it was about $14...not bad...lol

Then we went to a Party Superstore...Card and Party Factory... we found some things for leslie's party and then I also found a few fun things...

2 flags... Texas flag and Mexican flag...still looking for the American Flag...thought it would be good to kinda have international flags...lol... I got a mardi gra mask maybe for halloween or whatever...lol and I got a Clapboard thing...like a directors... i thought it'd be cool to have something like this for fun in the classroom! haha!

everything for $5.70...

it was a successful day!

I can't wait to hear back from the school...

^_^.

한국… 여기에 나는 온다!


So today was a long day! i've been getting myself pretty exhausted lately to be able to sleep better...thing is i have gone from sleeping at 2 am to sleeping at 12 am and having to work at 7 (yesterday) or 9 (today)...so i'm still exhausted...i'm about to fall asleep right here too...lol! i dont work till 5:30 pm tomorrow so hopefully tonight will be a long night to sleep...my aunt's newborn (about 4 months now...) has come to spend a few nights with us so...yeah...we'll see how that goes...lol!

i went shopping today after my 9-5 shift with my mom and sister at walmart...so after seeing walmart from 9-5 (with a 1 hour break in the middle...lol)...i went back to do my own shopping since I got paid today...we definitely got a lot of things for my trip...39 things to be exact...haha! i got everything from towels...alarm clock...cough drops...necessities...and anything in the health and beauty section...we were going to hit the clothes and supplies but it ws getting to be longer than we thought and we were all already exhausted...plus we were getting close to my $200 limit! I took last night to looking for coupons to help save a little money on deoderant and what-not...i am doing my shopping early because i still work there and i get a discount on non-food items...so might as well use it!! next paycheck is going towards clothes and supplies for my classroom and self! I know that by then i'll have more knowledge of the dress code and age group i'll be teaching so i should be able to shop with better understanding...

(goodness...i'm tired...)

anyways...overall it went from 194.64 to 185.14 with my coupons then went to 177.11 with my discount...not bad...i mean it helps in the end! so i saved: $17.53... ^_^.

after bringing in everything (actually after putting it on the converyer belt...) i realized it wasn't a lot!! AAHH!! UGGHHH!!! i even yelled after my sister to not put my things in the kitchen cause i thought she was carrying some of my bags...turns out it was a bag of milk... but it's okay...after i put it in my suitcase though...oh gosh...i'm definitely going to need help packing... just the things that i bought alone fit into that one suitcase...aaahhhh! i'm dedicating 1 suitcase to clothes and 1 suitcase to everything else...lol!!



i plan to give my two weeks next friday so that my last day will be the 3rd and i'll get a pretty good last check... i want to take the short weeks in july to pack and get ready and spend time with family... (and friends hopefully...)...which i dont have any currently here in my hometown cause...well i cut myself off long ago...sad days...

well i can't rekindle anything now can i? we're all so different...it's so weird!

*Fingers crossed* that my diploma arrives tomorrow or early next week...i'll be checking the mail (religiously...) every day until it arrives... it better be next week or i'm going to go to ACU myself and hunt down whoever is in charge... (yes i know who you are...depriving me of my job in south korea...) okay now that i've gotten that sorta out of my system...

i'm learning hangul! or at least trying... i found this online at youtube...you can find anything there and decided to search... Learn Korean/ Learn Hangul... it's actually simple if you can remember stuff... of course while in Korea it'll probably take me a minute to stand and stare at a sign to figure out what it says but hopefully it'll be a shorter minute than if i were to go there blindly...without knowledge of it at all...

anyway...here's the FUN video!!!! ^_^.


enjoy!!





^_^.
*Fingers Crossed*
한국… 여기에 나는 온다!
(Korea...here i come!)

Process begins?...

So I've been emailing with a school system over the last day and know that pretty soon (once I receive my diploma)...I will be getting a contract with a school in Seoul soon after. I tried to get them to let me get a contract but they said that because the contract and everything has to be mailed to them within 2 days of receiving a contract with them, I have to wait for my diploma. It's still exciting to know that it'll happen soon!

according to the school, they'll be printing them by the end of the week and hopefully sending them off then as well...or sending them early next week...it's so annoying trying to work with the school...especially after graduating cause it's like they don't care anymore... the lady i e-mailed was particularly rude when i tried to ask about the diplomas...anywhoo... once it comes in i can ignore her for forever! lol!

so soon enough...next week...hopefully...i'll have a job lined up in Korea and will be leaving mid to end of July...i'm so excited!!

update to come soon!

^_^.

SS501 in Seoul!!!!! :)

So all I've been doing while anxiously awaiting my diploma is work...watch We Got Married (Korean reality tv from 2008) and obsessing over SS501 (Kim Hyun Joong and Heo Young Saeng are my two favorites!!)...lol...anyway...so as I sift through different people's blogs i have come upon 2 that give me all the wonderful information that I need to stay on top of Korean Pop Culture...hehe and I came upon this information...

SS501 will be in Seoul to start there tour off...on August 1st and August 2nd...!!!!!! (currently they are in Hawaii for a few days...at least i think they're still there...lol)

I hadn't heard of any information saying they would be appearing in Seoul or even South Korea for their concert so I was super ecstatic to find this information! I am hoping to be in Seoul by early to mid July...hoping of course that my diploma comes in A.S.A.P!!

I'm really tired of working at WM and can't wait to run away! I keep feeling that bit of wonder if I'll ever get away! lol! it's super weird being back but i'm trying to enjoy it while i'm here...

my phone gets cut off on Tuesday and so that'll definitely hit me that I wont really be having a phone for a long time...I've decided that when I get to Korea...I have to have a haptic phone...hehe...check out the information here! isn't it cute!! comes in different designs and what nots...it's supposed to be similar to the iphone i believe...lol! it's expensive though...eeek! i guess i'll save up for my SS501 ticket before thinking about a phone! hehe!








Well I better get to bed...

*diploma better get here soon or i'm going to go crazy!!!!*

enjoy!:

Teach Me English...

I actually found this movie by just reading blogs and I've actually found good movies through blogs I have read. The First movie was Lost in Translation with Scarlett Johannson based in Japan. Ramen Girl with Brittany Murpy based in Japan as well. and today I just finished watching: Teach Me English with no one in particular that I know...and actually based in South Korea! woohoo! I have also watched Boys before Flowers from South Korea (that was more of a drama...lol but so good!)

anywhoo...I just finished watching Teach me English and absolutely loved it! hehe! just want to dedicate this blog to insisting you get out of your bubble and actually watch movies or dramas with subtitles...i just love it! ^_^. or music... this is my new favorite song...:



have a good night! ^_^.