Annoying Consultants and PC PLOD!

I am so annoyed today!

The first cause of my annoyance is the realisation that wherever you go  you will encounter some really awkward people that you really need help from, but who you find so totally obnoxious and rude!!!

However, finally I think I have agreed a time for the Agency interview which will take place between 1am and 2am this Saturday morning!! Remember to smile!!!

The thing that really annoyed me was being told that time... "does not wait for me"  




The second thing that has annoyed me today is that the Police disclosure has been returned to me as the need proof of my connection to the postal address I entered on the application form.

Basically, as it takes an absolute AGE to get the details from the information officer at the police, I knew that we will probably have moved out before it comes back to me.  I was therefore so pleased that there was a space on the form to fill in the details if you wanted the info sending to an alternative address! great!  so I thought as I filled in the form! However the form does not say that you need to prove the link between myself and the postal address - I would think that this was an important part of the form.

So therefore I am very annoyed today!

Selling our things

We have started to sell our things on ebay, prompted by a weekend offer of free insertion fees.  I don't feel any emotion about selling the stuff at all - I thought I would!

We currently have 93 Items listed for sale. and have so far generated over £500 for our moving fund.  13 items are going to sell  and we have 23 items with bids,  Over £170 to come in the next few days - not bad!

I am still really worried about the sale of the house, I don't know how Ji Gong seems to be able to carry on and sell stuff and  not be at all worried that the sale may fall through. i am concerned.  If it does fall through then there is no way that we can go and we could be stuck here for another year or have to drastically drop the price which would really impact on what we can afford when we get to Seoul.  to be honest I try not to think about it, if i do think about it I feel sick!!!

But I admire Ji Gong, I know she has her heart set on going and if all goes well I will be so pleased that the extra fridge freezer, sofa, wardrobes, beds, desks, chairs, cots, all garden furniture,pushchairs and carseats have all been sold, if it doesn't, then we will be sat on the floor until we do.

Ok! Time for positive thinking!!!

Degree Notary and Apostille

Today I went to see the Notary again who made a specific point of say how can he was being by giving me a discount on Notarising my certificate.

£30 Was just as painful as £50  for just a stamp and a sign! - Oh Well Onwards and Upwards!

This has now been sent to the FCO for the Apostille - which cost me another £36 - They aim to get it back to me in 2 Days - We will see how efficient they are 5 days for a Korean Spouse visa is going to be hard to beat for efficiency!

I read an article on the BBC yesterday that said although Koreans work the most hours they are least productive with their time...  Too much time on Cyworld I guess!  I will link this article when I have more time...

Sorting Stuff, spending and selling!

Spending so far - Update...
So far I have spent £244 preparing documentation to move, there are some pretty big outgoings still to come, such as moving our stuff (well mostly the kids stuff!).


The shipping looks like it is going to be a lot less than we expected a 4m3 (Cubic) Looks like it is going to cost just £700 to ship! - Seems cheap to me.  They will collect from the house and take it to stow on the ship!  So the known costs so far are approaching £1,000. Hopefully the UNKNOWN costs will be LIMITED!

A big decision over whether to take some stuff with us has been made for me by some RATS!  


They have, in the last week since I last went in the shed.  Started to eat and crawl over everything in the shed... and judging by the burrow hole that comes up under the fence and back down under the shed... IT'S A BIG RAT!!!


 I am going to BIN it  know. So taking a carload of stuff to the tip is a BIG  job for next weekend!!!!

It's arrived!

New Korean F6(1) Visa

It has arrived! 

My Korean F61 visa! valid just 90 days after entry
it has cost £55. They asked for £80 but have given me £25 change!
Now at least legally I can go to South Korea!


It is one big tick off the list.  I was not too concerned that the Visa would be rejected ... but there was always a chance and the whole situation surrounding the fact that I didn't have sufficient funds in $CASH$  to meet the minimum requirements and them not being able to confirm exactly what they wanted to see as proof (See post (F-2/F-6/£7K AND BRINGING SOMETHING!) was worrying me slightly!


Red Tape just seems easier and more efficient in Korea and CHEAPER!

Police Disclosure!

Requirement for Teaching Job in Korea: POLICE DISCLOSURE


One of the requirements that I mentioned previously was a Police record check.  I mistakenly thought this was a CRB check, and I was having understanding how to obtain this as it clearly says on the Criminal records bureau website that:


1. You cannot apply for your own CRB Check
2. CRB will NOT accept requests from outside the UK


I asked a friend who had applied last year what he did and he told me he just entered a police station and asked for it.  So that is what I did!


I am now able to write this post with some confidence that I know what I am talking about!


What is required for an EPIK application is a POLICE DISCLOSURE.


This is a transcript of what information the police hold about you.


You need to collect a form, available from your local police station.  Complete your details and enclose photocopies of 2 forms of ID that prove your name, address and date of birth  and a cheque for payment.  I Copied My Driving licence (both parts) and Passport (photo page)

It costs £10!

There are 2 types of disclosure:


> a basic disclosure, this is YOUR police record.
> a detailed disclosure - this is everything the police hold about you from witness statements, phone calls to the police, even CCTV footage of you at a specific time and place.


YOU NEED THE BASIC DISCLOSURE


I applied for mine on Friday 6th January 2012 - I will post an update when this arrives as no one I asked seemed to know how long it would take

Update to previous post about LeGaLiSaTiOn 

With Reference to point 2. Apostille and the cost of £30!!

While this is true... certain documents will need to be signed by a Notary first. So this has the notary fee as a cost element to it. Therefore it will cost around £70 for the Apostille of a Bachelors Degree.
The notary I used Kindly offered to do it for a reduced price of £30

 This is not mentioned on the Apostille page of the FCO website.  You need to check the type of documents in the "documents we can legalise" section.    For info Click >here<

An Extract from the FCO website...

2) Appropriate certification:

We can legalise original certificates of UK academic qualifications if:

• They have been certified in the UK by a practising UK solicitor or notary public

Or

• They have been signed and certified by an official of the British Council 

We can legalise photocopies of certificates of UK academic qualifications if:

• They have been certified as a true copy of the original in the UK by a practising UK solicitor or notary public

Or

• They have been certified as a true copy of the original by an official of a British diplomatic mission (e.g. Consulate, Embassy or High Commission)