3.01.2011

My fingerprints are awesome...and other tantalization

Ah, Cupkate and Rice, I had such big plans for you.  You started out as insurance, "putting it out there" to make sure I don't back out of this adventure.  I also just really thought I'd have interesting things to blog about as my plans come into fruition.  In actuality?  Background checks, international resumes, visas, and job applications aren't interesting blog topics.  Not even for conversation.  I've watched my friends eyes glaze over when I go into details.  Getting printed by ol' Sargent CreepyCop is the only recent experience worth mentioning, and actually, probably not, but in an attempt to write about something, anything:  hearing the man in uniform excitedly exclaim over and over how amazing my prints are left me feeling a little dirty, and not from all the ink.  I mean, he really liked my fingers and printing them.

At the moment, I'm just twiddling my now ink-free thumbs.  I'm waiting.  The FBI background check I have to undergo takes 12 weeks.  12 weeeeeeks.  I wish I'd done this two months ago, as now my plans for leaving in May are squashed.  You'd think such amazing prints would "work it" (said with a snap and a hip switch) and swoon their way to the front of the line.

This extra time on my hands leaves me consumed with where to apply.  I've written about this before... Now that my plans are delayed, I'm considering public schools since it's currently hiring season for positions that begin in August.  I'm really concerned about taking a job at a corrupt hagwon.  But there's no guarantee that I'll have a say in where I'm placed if I go the public school route.  And this really concerns me.  I think I've made my distaste for cold weather pretty clear.  I won't survive a real winter.  Another student from my TEFL course and I have been commiserating about this together and she described the predicament perfectly:

"I'll find a job opening in Gyeongju. And of course the benefits and pay are really great. And then I'll go to the Wikipedia page and it looks absolutely fantastic. It's right near Busan. There's pictures of countryside and Buddhist temples. And a market. ETC. But then I'm thinking "Am I really about to base the next year of my life on a wikipedia page???" I feel like what I'm doing is the equivalent of looking at a map of the U.S. with absolutely no clue about any of the areas and ending up in Detroit because, according to Wikipedia, it's a city, near water, and there are pretty pictures on the page. Seriously, I looked up Detroit on wikipedia. Somebody- somewhere- made Detroit look and sounds like the cat's pajamas. And I'm totally not trying to bash Detroit. But I've seen 8 Mile. And I watched the episode of No Reservations when Anthony Bourdain went there."

She's hilariously right on.  My face is permanently scrunched in a "what the hell/which way do I go/I'm so lost?" position, since this is the only somewhat productive decision I can make at the moment.  Until that perfectly fingerprinted FBI check comes back.  So to relax my scrunchy face muscles, I've been dreaming up itineraries for traveling after my teaching contract ends (allllll the way in 2012).  Apparently in my head, my future savings in Korea will make me "The Great Traveling Mr. Moneybags":

-India (out of the way, I know, but a must) -Thailand -Laos -Cambodia -Vietnam -Malaysia -Phillippines -Indonesia -Australia -New Zealand.

And hopefully little trips to Taiwan, Japan, and a some of China during the year on holidays and long weekends.  My eyes may be bigger than my stomach.  Erhh, my itinerary is bigger than my wallet?  Whatever the case, my tooter's hittin' the road.  Time and paychecks will tell how much ground I cover.

For now, my feaux-itineraries know no bounds, and I'm counting the days until Cupkate and Rice is fulfilling its destiny... come ooooon fingerprints, you beaut's, you.  Make mama proud.

-Waiting Kate...ing

4 comments:

Pollyanna said...

Know what else is interesting? My word verification was tokingsm...

But seriously, you even make thumb-twiddling sound entertaining and I can imagine your face scrunching so vividly!

You'll get there...

A Preppy Girl said...

Oh shucks...more time to hang out with us in Dallas!!! Also, I FINALLY sent my aunt an email about you.

ashleybaker said...

Kate-- guess I forgot how talented of a writer you are... you, in your lovely Kate the great witty way, make mundane things interesting. go get 'em! so very proud of you. hootie hoo. miss you.

Kate said...

ashley! thaaanks :) i'm ready to talk about adventures, though! missyoutoohootiehoo.

allyson, prepare for the slumber parties. i'll bring nelson. also, i love your aunt.