Like a nerd

 Of course I chose books as my birthday present from my husband. And I finally got them in the mail today! So excited! I got an Elementary Korean college textbook and corresponding workbook. The nerd in me is super excited to start studying. Hopefully this textbook, combined with Rosetta Stone and a few other workbooks I've gotten will help me finally get this language. So far, I've just learned random vocab from my other books. This textbook incorporates grammar and structure, which is something that is extremely important. Korean is a very exact language. There is no fluff room like in Spanish or French. You cannot play around with words and people understand what you mean. Your sentences have to be dead on. I'm a bit intimidated, but at the same time really ready to learn this language and impress my inlaws. They are ready for me to be able to talk to them as well. 

Immigration Woes

So happy to almost be done with Immigration!!!

This month marks the year anniversary of my husband’s and mine journey through the green card process. Last December, we had just been legally married (we had the religious ceremony on January 1st) and we began the long and arduous process of applying for a green card. We went to the approved USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) medical practitioner and Kyoung Hee (the husband) had a physical. Plain, boring physical. They did blood work and such and a lot of other things that my doctor could have done for a mere $15 copay. Oh no, this was a whopping $200ish visit to the doctor. For the SAME THING. boo. Anyways, we finished that. Got married January 1st. Sent off a billion other forms and applications (I-90, I-485, I-30…..etc etc…blah blah) Not to mention a lovely application fee of $1500.

I totally understand why there are so many illegal immigrants in this country now…..doing this the right way is dang EXPENSIVE. Did we mention that we were poor, recently married college student? Government doesn’t care.

Back to the point. Sent off the forms the 1st week of February. Got a reply in April saying that we were missing a few things($85 for the fingerprint fee being one of them…) We resolved the issue. Took us till  July to get Kyoung Hee’s birth certificate translated and then we sent everything off again. Didn’t hear back from them. It took until almost October until I got fed up with waiting and called them. They apologized and said that they somehow had forgotten us and that they would send us a biometrics(hoity toity way to say fingerprints) appt. Got the appt notice and went to Atlanta the first week of November. That was fun. Completed that milestone and then just recently got the notice for the LAST STEP in the process for us. THE INTERVIEW *summons choirs of angels* We have an appt. on December 15th to be in Memphis, TN at 7:30 am.  Rather early in the morning if you ask me. We are sooo happy that this is the last thing that we have to do. No more waiting! After this interview, Kyoung Hee should get his green card in the mail and then….job searching begins.

If anybody who happens to stumble across this blog is going through this process, about to go through, or just has questions about it, we are more than happy to answer them as best we can!

~~~I didn't notice the demon cat in the bottom of this photo until just now....Creepy Pippa. 

Many a Moon has passed

It certainly has been a while since I last posted. I haven't neglected posting because I meant to, but I really have just been that busy. I accepted the interim position at Walker Valley and what was suppose to be 3 weeks of full time teaching turned into 5. After that I jumped right into my secondary placement at Cleveland Middle School, which I must say, was rather horrid. My mentor teacher was amazing, but those kids....urghh. I would NOT ever want to teach middle schoolers. Now I am finished there and getting ready to go on Christmas break. Hallelujah.

Today is the day before my 23rd birthday, and my parents and brother are coming down today to take me out to eat. (^^) 23 is a weird in-between year. I don't really feel anything towards it except disdain that I am 1year closer to 25. Once 25 hits I'm not sure what I will do. 25 is a barrier in my mental psyche that I haven't yet reconciled to yet. As it inches closer, I get more and more uncomfortable. Kaleb was nice enough to tell me that I was already 25 in Korean years. booo. I do not like Korea and it's age progression. Way to age me faster.