Here's the thing: I plan. It's just what I do. Don't tease. I plan like a crazy person. I plan for lunch, I plan for jogging, I plan for the shower - I plan for anything and everything. Thankfully, when my plans do awry I don't freak out. But just know this - I plan.

So, here's my five year plan for Korea (hey don't make fun! I gave you a warning didn't I?)

LAST UPDATED Mar 20 2009
changes made:
- added Public versus Private jobs (courtesy of Footprints)
- added hair-brained scheme Summer 2009
- thinking about changing school schedule to only two language classes a year (ㅜ.ㅜ)

UPDATE Mar 8 2009
changes made:
- added timetable
- added link to Footprints EPIK guidebook
- added link to ATEK online guidebook via Brian

UPDATE Feb 14 2009
changes made:
- Added monthly salary breakdown
- Added student debt breakdown
- Added job plans

• Summer 2009
  
  • Move to Korea before August 4th
  • Attend morning classes (9am-1pm) (Mon-Fri) "Summer1" @ Ewha (July 6 - 23) 2009 schedule of classes
  • Attend morning classes (9am-1pm) (Mon-Fri) "Summer2" @ Ewha (August 4 - 20)
  • Attend SMOE orientation August 20 (?)
• Fall 2009
  
  • Work during day (start late August/early September) (typical schedule)
  • Find part-time volunteer gig (special education)
  • Find good local Buddhist temple
• Winter 2009
  
  • Work at english winter camp (possibly)
  • Attend evening classes (7pm-9pm) (Mon, Wed, Fri) "Winter" @ Ewha (December 7 - February 24)
  • Meet 순민 and 택규 in Seoul for 설날
• Spring 2010
  
  • Work during day (start mid-February)
  • Attend evening classes (7pm-9pm) (Mon, Wed, Fri) "Spring" @ Ewha (April 1 - June 10)
• Summer 2010
  
  • Work ends (mid-July)
  • Work resumes for english camp (during day)
  • Attend evening classes (7pm-9pm) (Mon, Wed, Fri) "Summer" @ Ewha (June 22 - August 28)
• Fall 2010
  
  • Work during day (start late August/early September)
  • Volunteer part-time (special education)
• Winter 2010
  
  • Work at english winter camp (possibly)
  • Go back to Texas for Christmas (hopefully)
  • Save money, study at home
• Spring 2011
  
  • Work during day (start mid-February)
  • Attend evening classes (7pm-9pm) (Mon, Wed, Fri) "Spring" @ Ewha (April 1 - June 10)
• Summer 2011
  
  • Work ends (mid-July)
  • Work resumes for english camp (during day)
  • Attend evening classes (7pm-9pm) (Mon, Wed, Fri) "Summer" @ Ewha (June 22 - August 28)
• Fall 2011
  
  • Work during day (start late August/early September)
  • Attend evening classes (7pm) (Mon, Wed, Fri) "Fall" @ Ewha (September 16 - November 25)
• Winter 2011
  
  • Work at english winter camp (possibly)
  • Go back to Texas for Christmas (hopefully)
  • Save money, study at home
• Spring 2012
  
  • Work during day (start mid-February)
  • Attend evening classes (7pm-9pm) (Mon, Wed, Fri) "Spring" @ Ewha (April 1 - June 10)
• Summer 2012
  
  • Work ends (mid-July)
  • Work resumes for english camp (during day)
  • Attend evening classes (7pm-9pm) (Mon, Wed, Fri) "Summer" @ Ewha (June 22 - August 28)
• Fall 2012
  
  • Work during day (start late August/early September)
  • Attend evening classes (7pm) (Mon, Wed, Fri) "Fall" @ Ewha (September 16 - November 25)
• Winter 2012
  
  • Work at english winter camp (possibly)
  • Go back to Texas for Christmas (hopefully)
  • Save money, study at home
• Spring 2013
  
  • Work during day (start mid-February)
  • Attend evening classes (7pm-9pm) (Mon, Wed, Fri) "Spring" @ Ewha (April 1 - June 10)
• Summer 2014
  
  • Work ends (mid-July)
  • Work resumes for english camp (during day)
  • Attend evening classes (7pm-9pm) (Mon, Wed, Fri) "Summer" @ Ewha (June 22 - August 28)
• Fall 2014
  
  • Work during day (start late August/early September)
  • Attend evening classes (7pm) (Mon, Wed, Fri) "Fall" @ Ewha (September 16 - November 25)
• Winter 2014
  
  • Work at english winter camp (possibly)
  • Go back to Texas for Christmas (hopefully)
  • Save money, study at home
• Spring 2015
  
  • Work during day (start mid-February)
  • Attend evening classes (7pm-9pm) (Mon, Wed, Fri) "Spring" @ Ewha (April 1 - June 10)
• Summer 2015
  
  • Change visa status
  • Get on 미녀들의수다
  • Get married already you bum

So that's the tentative schedule as it is. Eventually I hope to beef it up a little with some more details but all things considered it just seems that there isn't enough time, is there? One of my overall goals to be functionally fluent and ingrained and it just seems that it will happen later than sooner. Lousy delayed gratification...

Speaking of delayed gratification, here's the math that I've come up with to solve my student debt problems. I know I'm fairly private but this type of information is readily available and doesn't really tell you anything super private about myself (other than the fact that I hardly work at all as an undergraduate and just took out loans to support my study habits)


Approximate monthly salary in Korea: 2.2 million 원 assuming:
- a decent job
- slight over-estimation in COL
- no splurging (or dating for that matter)
- no sugar momma
- no emergency fund savings (!)
- no yearly bonus check
- no additional help from family
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+ 2 200 000/month
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- 450 000/food @ 15 000/day
- 150 000/transportation @ 5 000/day
- 25 000/fees (insurance, internet, cleaning, etc)
- 50 000/weekend stuff (drinks, fees, shopping, etc)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- 675 000 basic monthly living expense
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+ 1 525 000 leftover
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- 125 000 monthly savings for Korean language classes (twice a year @ 600 000 a pop)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+ 1 400 000 total monthly saving

Sallie Mae is bleeding me dry asking me to pay $650/month for loans without any special repayment plan. It's doable for sure but at the current exchange rate, I'm losing a lot in the 환율 (transfer process/exchange rate). At the current rate, we're talking about 1 000 000 just to cover the $650 and wire transfer fee. I'm going to cry.

Here's the biggest problem. I want to pay my debt back as soon as possible. But, I also want to study Korean as full-time as possible in an academic setting. In fact, I want the latter more than the former. But, if I default, it haunts me for life and it's essentially against my basic principles: I'm able to pay the money back. That option is no good.

However, I would like to apply for a one year deferment so I can get on my feet first and then comfortably make payments for life a long time starting the year after. Plus, hopefully the exchange rate will be closer to the "standard" 1 200.

Speaking of which, let's look at our basic repayment options:
$80 000 - total debt
suggested monthly payment $650
assuming approx $30 lost in wire transfer fee
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
   800 000 원/month = 145 months = 12.5 years (!)
1 000 000 원/month = 123 months = 10 years (!)
1 300 000 원/month =   88 months =  7.5 years (!)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

let this be a lesson kids: <rant> college is no good for people too dumb for scholarships and whose parents are too rich to qualify for grants. </rant> but hey, at least these loans supported my life for my six-year plan. I mean, at least I got to study Korean a little bit during all this - something that had absolutely nothing to do with my major. For that, I feel a little bit better.

Okay now I'm done feeling good. Back to feeling broke.

As far as job plans, I would like to essentially do this:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Year One - teach at a public elementary school @ Seoul
Year Two - teach at a specialized English kindergarten 학원 @ Ilsan
Year Three - teach at a private elementary school @ undecided
Year Four - teach at a university @ undecided
Year Five - undecided @ undecided
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Here's the likely timetable of getting my stuff together:

Starting first week of April -

- get criminal background check (CBC) from Denton PD, get 2 copies notarized
- FedEx CBC to Austin Sec of State for Apostille
- photocopy TExES results for EC-4 ESL, SPED, P.E.
- get three (3) sealed university transcripts
- get diploma (June?)
- photocopy diploma, have copy notarized
- send copy to Sec of State for Apostille
- get 8 passport size photos at CVS
- get letter of recommendation from Thompson, Webb, Tunks
- get letter from Tunks saying that I was a student teacher for 1 year
- fill out EPIK application
- make a resume

I also have plans to study for a whole little bit if I can. In which case, I need to talk to Footprints and see if something can be done where I can study before I start my work. The schedule works but the plane ticket is what is the snag.
- contact Footprints about plane ticket
- get the green light
- apply to ewha (for morning classes (9am-1pm) (Mon-Fri) "Summer2" @ Ewha (August 4 - 20)
- take an earlier flight

I found this estimated timetable from a personal blog and I can't for the life of me remember where I saw it...

Find a job, email scanned paperwork, phone interview, get job offer 2 weeks +
Collect paperwork including notarized degree, transcripts and CRC 2 weeks +
Mail paperwork to Korea 1 week
Receive Notice of Appointment + Contracts in mail 1 week
Drop off visa application at Toronto consulate, receive work visa 1 week +