Embossy
Hi
I have perhaps mentioned before that I don't like Consulates and embassies? I went to the Korean embassy recently, to check on this and that. Things that upset me: right off the bat, the young woman at the desk had no enthusiasm for my trip. Whenever I hear of someone thinking to go to Vancouver, or elsewhere in Canada, I give them a heart warming shout of confidence: you will enjoy yourself, learn wonderful things, meet great people. Are these things not available to me in Korea? Should I reconcider this working holiday visa programme? It was the same at the Japanese consulate, and the visa offices in both Kyoto and Osaka that I visited. She (the young clerk) simply said "you will need a lot of forms, go look on our website for more information"). The website is a lot of information that is not at all vague about what you can and can't do, and who you can and can't be - which is crazy, because everyone's experience in practice is that these restrictions are not well understood or respected by all parties (including immigration officials, working holiday makers, and employers). Reading this stuff, though, is a deterent: you may only come if your main goal is tourism, and may only work a minimum to support your tourist visit; you may only work for three months at one time; you must have a bachelor's degree from an English speaking university in order to teach. Crazyness!
I cannot abide this nonsense! Especially considering how much freedom Korean's who come here seem to have. I just wish people would be happier about my enthusiasm for their language and culture.
And hugging.
z.
PS Urrg! I wonder if Europe will be like this? If it isn't, I think that will make me even MORE upset.
I have perhaps mentioned before that I don't like Consulates and embassies? I went to the Korean embassy recently, to check on this and that. Things that upset me: right off the bat, the young woman at the desk had no enthusiasm for my trip. Whenever I hear of someone thinking to go to Vancouver, or elsewhere in Canada, I give them a heart warming shout of confidence: you will enjoy yourself, learn wonderful things, meet great people. Are these things not available to me in Korea? Should I reconcider this working holiday visa programme? It was the same at the Japanese consulate, and the visa offices in both Kyoto and Osaka that I visited. She (the young clerk) simply said "you will need a lot of forms, go look on our website for more information"). The website is a lot of information that is not at all vague about what you can and can't do, and who you can and can't be - which is crazy, because everyone's experience in practice is that these restrictions are not well understood or respected by all parties (including immigration officials, working holiday makers, and employers). Reading this stuff, though, is a deterent: you may only come if your main goal is tourism, and may only work a minimum to support your tourist visit; you may only work for three months at one time; you must have a bachelor's degree from an English speaking university in order to teach. Crazyness!
I cannot abide this nonsense! Especially considering how much freedom Korean's who come here seem to have. I just wish people would be happier about my enthusiasm for their language and culture.
And hugging.
z.
PS Urrg! I wonder if Europe will be like this? If it isn't, I think that will make me even MORE upset.