well my journey to Canada actually began Sunday morning in Korea where I woke up around 9 to start my move (or well, moving my stuff in to storage). I hopped on the overnight bus to Incheon and then headed to Narita airport in Tokyo for a seven hour layover, of which I spent most of the time pumping yen in to massage chairs and drinking Japanese micro-brew and eating teriyaki chicken in the airport pub. After that was nine hours to Vancouver to arrive at 1040am. I made it back to my dad's place and ate, now at about 48 hours without sleep.
I had about a 20 minute catnap before my Mom, sister and cousins arrived for visits and food. My cousin Graeme leaves tomorrow for Toronto and then Singapore and won't be back until after I am gone again, which is too bad. I was able to give him a few do's and don't's (don't go to Toronto, it's a shithole, do stay in Thailand, the weather is warm there and the food is cheap :P). Most was just a few places to get a cheap nights sleep and a few sights he hadn't heard of. I kinda feel that that is the sort of thing you have to do and explore for yourself though, as the blooper reel can often be the best stories in years to come.
I finally fell asleep around 11 after 55 hours awake. I woke up at 8 but didn't move til almost 11. On the plus side, it worked and my jetlag is minimal (anyone who tells you to sleep on the plane will also tell you about how much they suffer jetlag).
Anyway, time for some breakfast. I was thinking kimchi and rice.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Gearing up for some time in Canada
Well It's 940pm on Sat and I'm finally done. All I need to do tomorrow is put my stuff on the truck and unload it in my storage area and I'll be done. Tomorrow I still have my apartment, but after 1030 there won't be much in it so I'm not sure what I will do between that time and midnight when I head to DongDaegu, but I'm sure I'll come up with something :P
Anyway, with this being my first time in Vancouver in 2.5 years, I'm a bit excited. It's weird to think how long it's been and yet how it feels like no time has gone by at all. I was in Sangin on Thursday and thinking of when I went out to meet Geoff there when he first arrived. Seems like yesterday but it was over a year ago. Also I was chatting to Paul today, the entire time I've known him I've always been in Asia, dunno why but that seems weird to me as well.
Anyway, in my six weeks I plan to hit Qualicum beach, maybe do a camping trip, visit a few old friends and old haunts. Maybe go to Seattle for a weekend but we'll see how the finances hold out. I also don't want to rack up my visa card too much as I have a 4 day weekend in September and Tokyo is looking good (especially being that I have 7 hours there on Monday at the airport, I can't say that I went to Japan and just hung out at the airport, so now I'll have to go back :P).
If anyone is interested, I do have a working phone but it's a Korean number, so calling it will be long distance even though I'm in Canada (though it's actually cheaper for me to maintain a Korean phone in Canada than switch to a Canadian phone for six weeks.... you guys are gettin' ripped off). If you want it please message me and I'll send it to you.
Anyway, with this being my first time in Vancouver in 2.5 years, I'm a bit excited. It's weird to think how long it's been and yet how it feels like no time has gone by at all. I was in Sangin on Thursday and thinking of when I went out to meet Geoff there when he first arrived. Seems like yesterday but it was over a year ago. Also I was chatting to Paul today, the entire time I've known him I've always been in Asia, dunno why but that seems weird to me as well.
Anyway, in my six weeks I plan to hit Qualicum beach, maybe do a camping trip, visit a few old friends and old haunts. Maybe go to Seattle for a weekend but we'll see how the finances hold out. I also don't want to rack up my visa card too much as I have a 4 day weekend in September and Tokyo is looking good (especially being that I have 7 hours there on Monday at the airport, I can't say that I went to Japan and just hung out at the airport, so now I'll have to go back :P).
If anyone is interested, I do have a working phone but it's a Korean number, so calling it will be long distance even though I'm in Canada (though it's actually cheaper for me to maintain a Korean phone in Canada than switch to a Canadian phone for six weeks.... you guys are gettin' ripped off). If you want it please message me and I'll send it to you.
what a week
well I should update whats been going on this week.
The ILS school could not transfer my visa, so that job fell through. Shame as they seem like really nice people there an dthey were offering me extra vacation time :P However I was able to get a job I had previously applied, but not interviewed for. It's not quite a good a contract but the location is ideal (right in front of Wolbae station). I start July 11th. This means that Monday I will fly home for a six week vacation in Vancouver, my first trip to Canada since 2008. I'm excited to get home an dsee how it's changed (or not) and relax there.
Before I go I must move my stuff in to storage (I will do that Sunday morning). My friend Ji Won has been wonderful and helped me organise the moving company. I need to buy her a nice present in Canada I think. Then I have a day to relax in Daegu before I get the overnight bus to Incheon (same one I took when I went to Taipei earlier this month). I'm flying Japan Airlines and I leave Incheon at 8am and arrive in Vancouver at 10am the same day (I love going east across the pacific :P). I'll then have to stay awake until at least 9pm or else I'll have epic jetlag, so with sleeping sun night out I'm looking at 48 hours with no sleep (my current record was set in 2003 flying Van-HongKong-Melbourne at 65 hours, I doubt I'll beat it but I may have a silver medal here).
Anyway, I must get back to packing bbali bbali.
The ILS school could not transfer my visa, so that job fell through. Shame as they seem like really nice people there an dthey were offering me extra vacation time :P However I was able to get a job I had previously applied, but not interviewed for. It's not quite a good a contract but the location is ideal (right in front of Wolbae station). I start July 11th. This means that Monday I will fly home for a six week vacation in Vancouver, my first trip to Canada since 2008. I'm excited to get home an dsee how it's changed (or not) and relax there.
Before I go I must move my stuff in to storage (I will do that Sunday morning). My friend Ji Won has been wonderful and helped me organise the moving company. I need to buy her a nice present in Canada I think. Then I have a day to relax in Daegu before I get the overnight bus to Incheon (same one I took when I went to Taipei earlier this month). I'm flying Japan Airlines and I leave Incheon at 8am and arrive in Vancouver at 10am the same day (I love going east across the pacific :P). I'll then have to stay awake until at least 9pm or else I'll have epic jetlag, so with sleeping sun night out I'm looking at 48 hours with no sleep (my current record was set in 2003 flying Van-HongKong-Melbourne at 65 hours, I doubt I'll beat it but I may have a silver medal here).
Anyway, I must get back to packing bbali bbali.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
important post for people on Korean E2 Visas
So in my 1001 stops todat wrapping up before my vacation in Canada I learned several important facts for people on E2 visas. If you don't ave one or never intent to get one you can stop reading now.
Korean immigration has changed several rules, and for a change they are in our favour.
If you get a letter of release for your current job you no longer have to lacate the country within 15 days. Immigration told me that I could stay (though not work, he made that VERY clear) until my visa expires on July 15th. I had briefly considered reorganising my flights but frankly, I've been running around so much lately that I can't be bothered, but if I had planned ahead..... Also, if you finish your visa as planned you have 30 days to vacate the country. This means no more of that finish work on Friday and having your visa expire on Saturday stuff. It also gives you time to sightsee/pack up.
We no longer need multi-entry visas! Actually I learned this before I went to Taiwan, but now we can just up and visit a country without a hassle. I was told that the time out of Korea can not exceed 30 days or else they will just cancel your visa and it will look like you did a runner. I'm not 100% sure that it's 30 days, or if it's different for dinnerent nationalities, but otherwise it's tried and tested.
Third, for US and Canadian citizens only, if you are getting your pension back but planning a return to Korea you can have the money dropped in to a Korean account and thus avoid the extortionate Canadian/US taxes. All you need to do is bring proof that you are flying back to North America, your Korean bank account info and your passport and ID card. I'm sure to lose close to $1000 of my $4500 in Korean/Canadian taxes, and with a little over 70% of that being on the Canadian side you see how much money we can save if we just plan ahead a bit.
If only I'd known all this three weeks ago........
Well that's why I'm posting, so that others can have an easier time. Enjoy
Korean immigration has changed several rules, and for a change they are in our favour.
If you get a letter of release for your current job you no longer have to lacate the country within 15 days. Immigration told me that I could stay (though not work, he made that VERY clear) until my visa expires on July 15th. I had briefly considered reorganising my flights but frankly, I've been running around so much lately that I can't be bothered, but if I had planned ahead..... Also, if you finish your visa as planned you have 30 days to vacate the country. This means no more of that finish work on Friday and having your visa expire on Saturday stuff. It also gives you time to sightsee/pack up.
We no longer need multi-entry visas! Actually I learned this before I went to Taiwan, but now we can just up and visit a country without a hassle. I was told that the time out of Korea can not exceed 30 days or else they will just cancel your visa and it will look like you did a runner. I'm not 100% sure that it's 30 days, or if it's different for dinnerent nationalities, but otherwise it's tried and tested.
Third, for US and Canadian citizens only, if you are getting your pension back but planning a return to Korea you can have the money dropped in to a Korean account and thus avoid the extortionate Canadian/US taxes. All you need to do is bring proof that you are flying back to North America, your Korean bank account info and your passport and ID card. I'm sure to lose close to $1000 of my $4500 in Korean/Canadian taxes, and with a little over 70% of that being on the Canadian side you see how much money we can save if we just plan ahead a bit.
If only I'd known all this three weeks ago........
Well that's why I'm posting, so that others can have an easier time. Enjoy
Monday, May 23, 2011
I can't dig it
I read today that one of my childhood hero's, the "Macho Man" Randy Savage died in a car accident in Florida. For anyone about to laugh there was a time when pro-wrestling was not a white trash convention and people with a full set of teeth could still be fans. In the 1980's and 1990's pro-wrestling was really popular among kids/teenagers in North America. Hulk Hogan, Randy "Macho Man"Savage, Andre the Giant, "the Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase, Bret "The Hitman" Hart and the Undertaker were household names and kids all had the action figures and VHS tapes. It continued with the old WWF/WCW feuds of the 1990's, which ended with WWF going the route of white trash conventions and WCW folding with a mix of terrible script writing and outdated wrestlers (Hogan seemed less cool after he turned 50). By that time I had lost all interest in the "sport", as had most people I think (apparently it still runs on friday nights on cable sports channels, but I haven't seen it on TV in ten years) but in my childhood, these guys were awesome. I remember going to the Agrodome with my Dad to see Savage, Hogan and "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan taking on Dibiase, Andre the Giant and ... I think it was the One Man Gang but I can't remember.
Randy Savage was always my favourite. Even when he went bad guy I was still hoping he'd beat Hogan and keep the belt. I remember in 1988 watching Wrestlemania IV and having Savage win the tournament to become World Champion. Of course now I know it was all scripted, but in 1988 I was six years old and I had no idea. even after I figured out that throwing someone in to a rope should not guarantee them bouncing off of it and running back to you, I still loved the charaters and the story. Especially Savage as his character was usually the guy who wasn't at the level of Hogan/Andre physically, but knew how to get the job done. He also didn't tell you to say prayers and bless America after the fights (though he later told us to snap in to a slim jim) he just took his belt, did some showboating, and left. He was also a comic genious and twenty years later he can still crack you up.
Anyway, it may seem funny to blog about the death of a pro-wrestler (cause it is), but this man was a childhood hero, and even though I haven't thought about the WWF in more years than I'd like to admit, it's funny how his death has me thinking about watching the old tapes (remember VHS?) or playing the video games with my best friend of the time Kevin on a rainy Saturday afternoon. It takes me right back to being that age, when my world was in North Vancouver and my biggest problems were not wanting to go to soccer practice (I mean what a stupid sport that is) and trying to finish my book report before bedtime. So to that time in my life I'll just say "OOOOOOOH YEEEEAAAH!"
Randy Savage was always my favourite. Even when he went bad guy I was still hoping he'd beat Hogan and keep the belt. I remember in 1988 watching Wrestlemania IV and having Savage win the tournament to become World Champion. Of course now I know it was all scripted, but in 1988 I was six years old and I had no idea. even after I figured out that throwing someone in to a rope should not guarantee them bouncing off of it and running back to you, I still loved the charaters and the story. Especially Savage as his character was usually the guy who wasn't at the level of Hogan/Andre physically, but knew how to get the job done. He also didn't tell you to say prayers and bless America after the fights (though he later told us to snap in to a slim jim) he just took his belt, did some showboating, and left. He was also a comic genious and twenty years later he can still crack you up.
Anyway, it may seem funny to blog about the death of a pro-wrestler (cause it is), but this man was a childhood hero, and even though I haven't thought about the WWF in more years than I'd like to admit, it's funny how his death has me thinking about watching the old tapes (remember VHS?) or playing the video games with my best friend of the time Kevin on a rainy Saturday afternoon. It takes me right back to being that age, when my world was in North Vancouver and my biggest problems were not wanting to go to soccer practice (I mean what a stupid sport that is) and trying to finish my book report before bedtime. So to that time in my life I'll just say "OOOOOOOH YEEEEAAAH!"
Japanese tourism takes a big hit
I was saddened to read that one of the longer term effects of the March earthquake in Japan is that its tourism industry has dropped off to practically nothing. Now I guess this makes sense in some ways, especially in cities like Tokyo or northern cities, but when I hear about tourists cancelling trips to Fukuoka or even Okinawa I have to laugh (especially when they are living in Korea, which is CLOSER to Daiichi that Okinawa is). It does, apparently, make for some excellent travel deals for those willing to brave such perils (roll eyes) and visit the country, especially in normally horrendously expensive Tokyo, where hotels are slashing prices by 50% or more in an effort to keep people coming in.
However, from these stats it's obvious that western visitors have been on the decline for years. Tourism is up (or was) in Japan, but the vast majority of these tourists are South Korean and Taiwanese tourists, nations that twenty years ago had no money for tourism and whose government routinely denied their citizens passports. The simple fact is that Japan, the only accessable Asian destination besides Thailand and Hong Kong for decades, now has competition from much much less expensive China, Korea, Taiwan, Philippines and Malaysia. Also, while traditional rivals Hong Kong and Thailand have kept costs down, Japan is as expensive as most European destinations and more expensive than most North American ones. This leaves Japanese tourism in a very unenviable position in many ways. I do wonder how Japanese tourism will respond to the opening up of most of Asia to western tourists and their many many dollars, or if it can. That being said, whether its Geisha and samurai or anime and nintendo Japan does seem to have caught the imagination of westerners, and I imagine that once radiation levels go down (or the next major disaster makes us all forget this one) tourists will return, though I wonder in what sort of numbers.
However, from these stats it's obvious that western visitors have been on the decline for years. Tourism is up (or was) in Japan, but the vast majority of these tourists are South Korean and Taiwanese tourists, nations that twenty years ago had no money for tourism and whose government routinely denied their citizens passports. The simple fact is that Japan, the only accessable Asian destination besides Thailand and Hong Kong for decades, now has competition from much much less expensive China, Korea, Taiwan, Philippines and Malaysia. Also, while traditional rivals Hong Kong and Thailand have kept costs down, Japan is as expensive as most European destinations and more expensive than most North American ones. This leaves Japanese tourism in a very unenviable position in many ways. I do wonder how Japanese tourism will respond to the opening up of most of Asia to western tourists and their many many dollars, or if it can. That being said, whether its Geisha and samurai or anime and nintendo Japan does seem to have caught the imagination of westerners, and I imagine that once radiation levels go down (or the next major disaster makes us all forget this one) tourists will return, though I wonder in what sort of numbers.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
AAARGH
well it looks like I can't transfer my visa without a new CRC, so I can'ts tart at ILS after all. This means that I am back to a return date of June 1st (give or take a day) and back in Korea July 15th or so (that Sangin job was still looking on Friday, so I'm hoping that they still are and I can get the go ahead). ILS are being great about it, and are paying the extra cost for my adjusted flight date. I'm just sorry that the job there won't work out, it seems like a great school.
Needless to say I'm a but stressed out by all of the changes, especially in return dates (June 24th then May 14th then July 12th and now May 31st). At this point all I'll say is that I'll be in Vancouver for 5-7 weeks at some point this summer. Though this May date is looking more and more final.
Well if my family would ever be on skype when they say they will be (hint hint) I'll be able to fill them in on all the changes. I still can't figure out if I'm excited, upset, depressed or happy. Probably all of them.
Needless to say I'm a but stressed out by all of the changes, especially in return dates (June 24th then May 14th then July 12th and now May 31st). At this point all I'll say is that I'll be in Vancouver for 5-7 weeks at some point this summer. Though this May date is looking more and more final.
Well if my family would ever be on skype when they say they will be (hint hint) I'll be able to fill them in on all the changes. I still can't figure out if I'm excited, upset, depressed or happy. Probably all of them.
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