Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Halcyom Chimera]

So, I have my interview at the Korean Consulate in Atlanta, GA. I provide the $15 express mail envelope they requested (which is supposed to ship in 2-3 days). I was told the envelope, which contains my passport and visa, would be shipped the next day (Dec. 29th). It is Jan. 7th, almost 8th, and I have not received my extremely important paperwork yet.

I was called by the travel agency who booked the flight, and he said that if I do not get the passport and visa by 5PM tomorrow, the flight will be canceled, and I will most likely lose my chance at the job.

I've sold my car for the money to survive on the first month in South Korea, I've spent hundreds on paperwork and shipping to get everything ready and to secure the position. It is SO frustrating to have this happen.

I've called the Korean Consulate, the central post office in Atlanta, the USPS phone number, tracked the package on the USPS website, called the local post office, the distribution centers that handle express mail, etc. NO ONE IS HELPFUL AT ALL. These people are so disorganized it is not even funny. They should handle such important paperwork a LOT more professionally, especially since I've paid so much to get it done. And especially since my immediate future depends on it. I can't just buy back my car or expect to have any money to buy another one anytime soon. I can't just get my money back for everything I've done to secure the position.

ARGH! Okay, done ranting. It's just that I've done everything on my end in a timely fashion in the correct way, and I expect the other side to handle things correctly as well. These people are incompetent.

My flight leaves 12PM on the 12th (Tuesday). I am pretty much SOL thanks to the wonderful workers at the Korean Consulate and the postal service.

[bassexpander]

Exact same thing happened to me about 6 years ago between . The consulate claimed my passport had been lost in the mail. I didn't have a tracking number on it, so the post office was no help. I ended up having to make a rush paspport (took a week) made so I could go back on my flight.

A month later, the "lost" passport showed up at my parent's home with a date stamped from prior to when the consulate said "it never showed up... it was lost in the mail."

When I arrived in Korea, the hagwon owner was shocked, and asked "How did YOU get here??." Turns out, the job was cancelled... place was going out of business but the boss didn't want to lose face by telling me I had no job to come to. It's my theory that he asked the consulate to "hold" my passport.

Based on my experience, there's chance your hagwon decided they didn't want you.

[Halcyom Chimera]