Korean Job Discussion Forums

[gbeattie]

Hello Everyone

My name is Graeme and I just got my B.Sc. in Physical Science from McMaster University. In order to pay off my considerable student loans I have decided to teach ESL in korea. I am going to do the 120 hour course that Trinity is offering to get some TESOL training and then get a job in Korea and see how my first year goes. If I like it then I plan on doing the four week CELTA training and then doing some more ESL. Since I have never done ESL or been to Korea I have a list of questions that I was hoping that people wiser and more experienced than I could answer. Right now I am seriously considering a public school in Seoul since I have read that Korea tends to be an insular society and I figure the largest city would offer the highest chance of being Westernized.

1. What Kind of Transportation system is there in the cities and to get around the country?

2. Will I be in an apartment with other people teaching ESL and especially some people who speak Korean as well as English?

3. How easy is it to navigate around the cities? Are the signs posted in English as well as Korean?

4. How hard is Korean to learn well enough to be able to read street signs and other marking to allow me to get around a city? How easy is it to learn enough Korean to carry on a conversation with someone if I get lost and need help?

5. How do I pay my bills in Korea? Do I mail a cheque or do I have to go to the bank?

6. What is the cost of living like in Korea? I heard that the electric bill is like $15 a month. Is this a typical electric bill, what about other bills like the water bill and heat?

7. I heard that a lot of people that have gone to Korea really love the food was this true for you? What were some of your favourite dishes?

8. How easy is it to find Western food in supermarkets and as far as fast food goes in Korea?

9. I don�t mean any disrespect with this next question but, how thick is the average Korean accent and what is the best way to hear someone through the accent?

10. What is the best way to make sure I am understandable since I will have a Canadian accent?

11. What kind of entertainment is there in Korea? Movies, sports, music concerts, video games?

12. What is the size of a typical apartment that you get while doing ESL in Korea?

13. How do I go about washing my clothes? I assume self serve laundry mats?

14. Are the washrooms similar to the ones in North America as in a private bathroom with a shower and a toilet and a sink?

15. What are the grocery stores like? Is it more like an open market or is it more like the closed in buildings you find in Canada?

16. Can I drive a car with my G license?

17. Are the road signs pictorial or do they use words?

18. What are the medical facilities like? Are they walk-in clinics and family practitioners or just hospitals?

19. I am a 46 for my pants size and a 12.5 for my shoe size so how easy is it to find pants and shoes in my size in Korea?

20. As far as needed a BA goes does it matter that I have a three year degree and not a four year degree?


Thanks in advance
Graeme

[alphakennyone]

They didn't teach you the acronym "RTFF!" at McMaster's, did they?

[curlygirl]

I'm not usually one for sarcasm on message boards but I really do have to agree with the poster above ^.

Way too many questions there and almost all of the information you require is available if you just read the FAQ. Then again, maybe someone will be kind enough to take a good hour or so of their time to answer each of your questions. (They are good questions by the way, just too numerous by far)

My advice: if you really need this much hand holding you may want to reconsider coming to Korea. Stating the bleeding obvious, you won't be in Kansas anymore after you arrive, and assistance is most likely NOT around the corner.

Do your research thoroughly by reading through the FAQ and other forum posts before you even consider Korea as a place to kick off your teaching career. There are easier options out there.

[phoneboothface]

Just search around the forum. I'll give you a quickie cuz I woke up too early. Low quality ahead...

1. What Kind of Transportation system is there in the cities and to get around the country?

Don't worry about this, taxis are cheap and the subway goes everywhere in Seoul. And the bus system is good too.

2. Will I be in an apartment with other people teaching ESL and especially some people who speak Korean as well as English?

Maybe. But there's not that many foreigners around... it's up to your school and you of course. Ask them. You could look for your own place and live in amazing neighborhoods like Haebangcheon.

3. How easy is it to navigate around the cities? Are the signs posted in English as well as Korean?

Easy for Seoul, thanks to the subway. I prefer buses now...
Some signs are in English. It would serve you well to learn how to read the basic Korean signs of course.

4. How hard is Korean to learn well enough to be able to read street signs and other marking to allow me to get around a city? How easy is it to learn enough Korean to carry on a conversation with someone if I get lost and need help?

Anyone can learn a new language... just stick to it. Not exactly easy...

5. How do I pay my bills in Korea? Do I mail a cheque or do I have to go to the bank?

You can have lots of bills automatically deducted from you account or you can just pay them manually yourself online or at the bank. Easy. I've never mailed any bill related stuff.

6. What is the cost of living like in Korea? I heard that the electric bill is like $15 a month. Is this a typical electric bill, what about other bills like the water bill and heat?

Other things are too expensive to make up for cheap utilities. My power bill was 20k, water 4k, gas 40k. In the winter my gas bill goes as high as like 70k and in the summer my power bill goes up to like 90k?

7. I heard that a lot of people that have gone to Korea really love the food was this true for you? What were some of your favourite dishes?

Um it's ok. I shop at Costco too but it's nice to have Korean as an option. What I don't like is any of the soups...

8. How easy is it to find Western food in supermarkets and as far as fast food goes in Korea?

Most of it is overpriced. Not that easy per se. Go to Costco or something. There isn't a Wendys or Taco Bell here. Nasty McDs and Burger King are common.

9. I don�t mean any disrespect with this next question but, how thick is the average Korean accent and what is the best way to hear someone through the accent?

Seoul accent is standard. Busan is fun to listen to and you get the hang of it kind of. And I don't get the 2nd part of your Q.

10. What is the best way to make sure I am understandable since I will have a Canadian accent?

Imitate a Korean accent as best you can....

11. What kind of entertainment is there in Korea? Movies, sports, music concerts, video games?

Yes. Get here and see.

12. What is the size of a typical apartment that you get while doing ESL in Korea?

Results may vary. Widely. One room hole on up. Ask your school.

13. How do I go about washing my clothes? I assume self serve laundry mats?

Get a washing machine. Laundry mats are few and far between here.

14. Are the washrooms similar to the ones in North America as in a private bathroom with a shower and a toilet and a sink?

Sometimes they are smaller and you can wash the whole bathroom with the shower head. Most are NA style... like in an officetel.

15. What are the grocery stores like? Is it more like an open market or is it more like the closed in buildings you find in Canada?

Both are plentiful. But the indoor grocery stores here suck compared to NA, imo.

16. Can I drive a car with my G license?

Dunno sry.

17. Are the road signs pictorial or do they use words?

Arrows and words and stuff. You can figure them out.

18. What are the medical facilities like? Are they walk-in clinics and family practitioners or just hospitals?

All of the above... I prefer goin to the big and well known hospitals because they seem to be cleaner.

19. I am a 46 for my pants size and a 12.5 for my shoe size so how easy is it to find pants and shoes in my size in Korea?

Difficult. Search and/or order online.

20. As far as needed a BA goes does it matter that I have a three year degree and not a four year degree?

Whoops um search around. You need a BA, but some nations give out BAs after just 3 years right...?

Hope you enjoyed my crappy answers. I only killed like 8min.

[mld]

I added some to the previous answers....

1. What Kind of Transportation system is there in the cities and to get around the country?

Don't worry about this, taxis are cheap and the subway goes everywhere in Seoul. And the bus system is good too.

Transportation between cities is also pretty good with trains and buses running pretty much everywhere.

2. Will I be in an apartment with other people teaching ESL and especially some people who speak Korean as well as English?

Maybe. But there's not that many foreigners around... it's up to your school and you of course. Ask them. You could look for your own place and live in amazing neighborhoods like Haebangcheon.

3. How easy is it to navigate around the cities? Are the signs posted in English as well as Korean?

Easy for Seoul, thanks to the subway. I prefer buses now...
Some signs are in English. It would serve you well to learn how to read the basic Korean signs of course.

4. How hard is Korean to learn well enough to be able to read street signs and other marking to allow me to get around a city? How easy is it to learn enough Korean to carry on a conversation with someone if I get lost and need help?

Anyone can learn a new language... just stick to it. Not exactly easy...

Learning to read Korean is a lot easier than it might seem at first. Many people can get a basic grasp of it in a day or two (of course it takes a while to understand how to read perfectly). As for carrying on a conversation, that will take a bit longer. It wouldn't be too difficult to memorize a few phrases (e.g. How do I get to...?, Where are the.....) but understanding the answers is a whole new ball game. If you want to learn, start early and try as many different things to see what works best for you. There are many options when it comes to learning Korean.

5. How do I pay my bills in Korea? Do I mail a cheque or do I have to go to the bank?

You can have lots of bills automatically deducted from you account or you can just pay them manually yourself online or at the bank. Easy. I've never mailed any bill related stuff.

As a side note, banks are everywhere, so going to the bank is a lot easier than in Canada.

6. What is the cost of living like in Korea? I heard that the electric bill is like $15 a month. Is this a typical electric bill, what about other bills like the water bill and heat?

Other things are too expensive to make up for cheap utilities. My power bill was 20k, water 4k, gas 40k. In the winter my gas bill goes as high as like 70k and in the summer my power bill goes up to like 90k?

7. I heard that a lot of people that have gone to Korea really love the food was this true for you? What were some of your favourite dishes?

Um it's ok. I shop at Costco too but it's nice to have Korean as an option. What I don't like is any of the soups...

Dalkgalbi (or another of it's various spellings). If you're interested in Korean food and you're in Hamilton there are several Korean Restaurants... try Barami Bunei (not pronounced the way it looks) for decent food (I was at home a few weeks ago and the food there was pretty similar to what I've had here in Seoul).

8. How easy is it to find Western food in supermarkets and as far as fast food goes in Korea?

Most of it is overpriced. Not that easy per se. Go to Costco or something. There isn't a Wendys or Taco Bell here. Nasty McDs and Burger King are common.

KFC, Dunkin Donuts as well and the occasional Subway, Pizza Hut and Dominos.

9. I don�t mean any disrespect with this next question but, how thick is the average Korean accent and what is the best way to hear someone through the accent?

Seoul accent is standard. Busan is fun to listen to and you get the hang of it kind of. And I don't get the 2nd part of your Q.

10. What is the best way to make sure I am understandable since I will have a Canadian accent?

Imitate a Korean accent as best you can....

Canadian accent? I think you'll be fine. As long as you can make gestures with your hands that is...

11. What kind of entertainment is there in Korea? Movies, sports, music concerts, video games?

Yes. Get here and see.

12. What is the size of a typical apartment that you get while doing ESL in Korea?

Results may vary. Widely. One room hole on up. Ask your school.

13. How do I go about washing my clothes? I assume self serve laundry mats?

Get a washing machine. Laundry mats are few and far between here.

Most apartments that I've seen (really only the ones of the English teachers at my school) have washing machines either in the apartments or nearby in their buildings.

14. Are the washrooms similar to the ones in North America as in a private bathroom with a shower and a toilet and a sink?

Sometimes they are smaller and you can wash the whole bathroom with the shower head. Most are NA style... like in an officetel.

Some subway stops and other public washrooms have squat toilets, but usually there are western ones as well.

15. What are the grocery stores like? Is it more like an open market or is it more like the closed in buildings you find in Canada?

Both are plentiful. But the indoor grocery stores here suck compared to NA, imo.

16. Can I drive a car with my G license?

Dunno sry.

Not with that alone. You'd need to get an international driver's license. I think all you have to do is fill out a form and pay some money. No test. G license should be good I'd think. Not sure if you'd want to drive here though (you'll know what I mean when you come).

17. Are the road signs pictorial or do they use words?

Arrows and words and stuff. You can figure them out.

18. What are the medical facilities like? Are they walk-in clinics and family practitioners or just hospitals?

All of the above... I prefer goin to the big and well known hospitals because they seem to be cleaner.

19. I am a 46 for my pants size and a 12.5 for my shoe size so how easy is it to find pants and shoes in my size in Korea?

Difficult. Search and/or order online.

20. As far as needed a BA goes does it matter that I have a three year degree and not a four year degree?

Whoops um search around. You need a BA, but some nations give out BAs after just 3 years right...?

I think that'd be good enough. I'm not completely sure though.

Hope I added something worthwhile to the answers...

[Juregen]

Maybe sticky this stuff?

[NightSky]

1.transportation system? yes
2. apartment with other people teaching ESL? maybe
3. easy to navigate? signs posted in English/Korean? sometimes
4. How hard is Korean to learn? compared to what?
5. How do I pay my bills in Korea? bank
6. What is the cost of living like in Korea? $$$
7. really love the food? no
8. easy to find Western food? no
9. how thick is the average Korean accent? thick
10. best way to make sure I am understandable? learn Korean
11. movies, sports, music concerts, video games? yes
12. size of a typical apartment? small
13. washing my clothes? washing machine
14. washrooms similar to NA? no
15. what are the grocery stores like? bad
16. Can I drive a car with my G license? yes
17. Are the road signs pictorial or do they use words? both
18. walk-in clinics and family practitioners/hospitals? yes
19. 46 pants size/12.5 shoe size? no
20. a three year degree and not a four year degree? maybe


hth

[Otherside]

Let me help you out here.

[Captain Corea]

I'll try to answer some...

1. What Kind of Transportation system is there in the cities and to get around the country?

Seoul has great public transportation - better than any Canadian city IMO.

2. Will I be in an apartment with other people teaching ESL and especially some people who speak Korean as well as English?

Hopefully you'll have your own Apt.

3. How easy is it to navigate around the cities? Are the signs posted in English as well as Korean?

Yes, a good number of the signs are in English.

4. How hard is Korean to learn well enough to be able to read street signs and other marking to allow me to get around a city? How easy is it to learn enough Korean to carry on a conversation with someone if I get lost and need help?

You can learn to read in under a week.

5. How do I pay my bills in Korea? Do I mail a cheque or do I have to go to the bank?

Banking, online, in person - all are possible.

6. What is the cost of living like in Korea? I heard that the electric bill is like $15 a month. Is this a typical electric bill, what about other bills like the water bill and heat?

Totally up to your spending habits.

7. I heard that a lot of people that have gone to Korea really love the food was this true for you? What were some of your favourite dishes?

Totally up to your tastes.

8. How easy is it to find Western food in supermarkets and as far as fast food goes in Korea?

Certain brands are tough to find, and the selection of western goods is often limited. Head to Costco here if you have a membership.

9. I don�t mean any disrespect with this next question but, how thick is the average Korean accent and what is the best way to hear someone through the accent?

It'll vary a lot.

10. What is the best way to make sure I am understandable since I will have a Canadian accent?

Speak clearly, and tilt towards over-enunciating every word.

11. What kind of entertainment is there in Korea? Movies, sports, music concerts, video games?

All of 'em.

12. What is the size of a typical apartment that you get while doing ESL in Korea?

1 bedroom

13. How do I go about washing my clothes? I assume self serve laundry mats?

You will probably have a washing machine in your Apt, but you'll have to hang dry.

14. Are the washrooms similar to the ones in North America as in a private bathroom with a shower and a toilet and a sink?

The newer ones are basically the same as 'back home'. Many thought have a central drain the the room and no bathtub - you'll just stand in the room and shower.

15. What are the grocery stores like? Is it more like an open market or is it more like the closed in buildings you find in Canada?

Similar to an 'Asian market' in Canada.

16. Can I drive a car with my G license?

You'll have to transfer it over to a Korean one.

17. Are the road signs pictorial or do they use words?

Mostly words. And hard to sue on occasion.

18. What are the medical facilities like? Are they walk-in clinics and family practitioners or just hospitals?

All

19. I am a 46 for my pants size and a 12.5 for my shoe size so how easy is it to find pants and shoes in my size in Korea?

Hard - bring what you'll need.

20. As far as needed a BA goes does it matter that I have a three year degree and not a four year degree?

This is new for me. I thought they were only allowing 4 year degrees. Perhaps something has changed.

[dporter]

Good list of questions. However, it seems that you are coming to Korea with little classroom experience wanting to make enough money to pay off student loans.

Those seem to be ingredients for trouble.

It might be a good idea for you to spend a lot of time on this forum focusing on some of the 'bad Korea' posts. You need to prepare yourself.

[BS.Dos.]

All my classes have been cancelled this week because of mid-terms, so I'll play too.

[VanIslander]

[bogey666]

size 46 pants size?

seriously? like 10 over 36?

bring clothes. Lots and lots of clothes.

I'll be very curious (depending on your lifestyle here) whether that pant size goes down during your stay here.

[Jammer113]

It's been answered well already, but I'll do it too, just for fun.

1. What Kind of Transportation system is there in the cities and to get around the country?

Subway, buses, train. Subway runs at 900 won (approx. 80 cents) to start, and goes up to maybe 1600 won to cross Seoul. Buses run from 800 won to 2000 won for short to medium distances. Going across country might be about 20,000 or 30,000 won. Taxis only frenquent major roads, but they'll take you anywhere. They start at 1800 won, and go up from there. The system is very cheap, thorough, efficient, and crowded.

2. Will I be in an apartment with other people teaching ESL and especially some people who speak Korean as well as English?

Probably not. Most places try to not give you roommates. Even if you have a roommate, they'll be a foreigner who probably doesn't speak Korean. Someone at your school will likely be in charge of helping you (although they may resent that fact).

3. How easy is it to navigate around the cities? Are the signs posted in English as well as Korean?

If you're driving, it's going to really help to learn Korean writing at least. That's because if you're driving, you're really going to want a navigation system. Even though streets have names, no one uses them. So you're going to get directions like 'go to the *** subway station, and then take a right, drive 5 minutes past, and then take the small road next to the.....' In a new area, it'll confuse the crap out of you. Most signs list the English under the Korean. The subway says everything in English and Korean.

4. How hard is Korean to learn well enough to be able to read street signs and other marking to allow me to get around a city? How easy is it to learn enough Korean to carry on a conversation with someone if I get lost and need help?

Reading/Writing basics will take you between 2 and 20 hours to learn. Mastering reading requires a lot more than knowledge of the letters. It will be easy enough to learn how to ask for directions. It will be harder to understand the answers as there are a variety of ways to say any given thing. People usually point, however.

5. How do I pay my bills in Korea? Do I mail a cheque or do I have to go to the bank?

Most are done through a bank account with a special account number you send the money to. There are banks all over, and you can do most bills through the atm. Depending on your atm, it will all be in Korean. If you work at a public school, the bank will open after you arrive to work, and close before you go home. Banks aren't open on weekends. You'll either have to take time off or go on a holiday, or get someone else to do it for you. You can also get online accounts set up.

6. What is the cost of living like in Korea? I heard that the electric bill is like $15 a month. Is this a typical electric bill, what about other bills like the water bill and heat?

Typical winter bill. Typical summer bill might be 100 to 200 depending on your usage and location. It could be less or more. I like air conditioning... mine is higher. Food is cheap, unless you buy imported stuff. Koreans are great at living cheaply, as they prefer to save their money, or spend it on education or travel (or designer purses). If you do things like Koreans do, you can save a lot of money. If you try to live like you do in Canada, it may be a bit more expensive.

7. I heard that a lot of people that have gone to Korea really love the food was this true for you? What were some of your favourite dishes?

I don't like seafood. Koreans are surrounded on 3 sides by ocean and eat a lot of seafood. You can face two problems, your stomach can reject the severe change in diet... this is generally temporary and has nothing to do with liking or disliking food... for me, it took 6 months to overcome. This isn't just Korea, it happened to me when I lived in Eastern Europe, and it happened to my brothers when they went abroad to other countries too.... the other problem, is that you can dislike something particular that every Korean likes... perhaps seaweed.. which if it's at your table every day, can really start to bug you. Keep in mind that not every Korean likes every Korean food either. I like some things, and I don't like others. I've found that Korean food grows on me the longer I'm here.

8. How easy is it to find Western food in supermarkets and as far as fast food goes in Korea?

I've recently started finding tortillas in the stores... but it's hit or miss. I still have to go to Costco for sour cream. Cheddar cheese is in half the stores... milk, cereal, candy is the same as the west.. canned soup is almost impossible to find in a regular supermarket. I can find bread, but not sourdough bread. I can't find oatmeal outside of Costco. I found canned whipped cream, once, but it was 15 dollars a can. Open air markets and smaller markets typically stock only what Koreans normally buy. There is a lot of fast food in the major cities. There's less in the countryside. You may not find your favorite brand... for example, there's no Wendy's. But there's a lot. And McDonald's delivers.

9. I don�t mean any disrespect with this next question but, how thick is the average Korean accent and what is the best way to hear someone through the accent?

Well, your problem isn't going to be the thickness. It's going to be the fact that you don't know any words. And when you learn words, they still aren't going to be put together like English words are. The sounds all mix in different ways, and you have to learn how the sounds are mixed, not just the individual words.

To answer your question specifically: I've found that uneducated people tend to slur their words a lot more, but I can understand them just the same. Having said that, a recent movie came out about an old farmer and his cow, and apparently they had to add Korean subtitles to the movie to make sure everyone could understand him. But besides the normal differences between country-side and city, it's just normal stuff. The difference between Seoul and Jejudo country-side might be the difference between Scottish countryside and Australian English, though, many Koreans can't understand them, even.

10. What is the best way to make sure I am understandable since I will have a Canadian accent?

In English or Korean? In English, put pauses between main groups of words (especially after nouns), speak clearly, make your grammar simple, and cut out all slang. In Korean, learn their pronunciation rules, practice them for hundreds of hours.

11. What kind of entertainment is there in Korea? Movies, sports, music concerts, video games?

Everything. Concerts might be a little different, because half the country lives close enough to Seoul to go to a concert there if they wanted to. The major pop performers put on shows all the time. There's posters for all sorts of concerts and plays put up all over the place. Outside of major cities, there will be very few western style entertainment places. Major cities have everything. Demand for English video games are low... most people who want them steal them off the internet. It is impossible to buy them from your home country due to licensing agreements. There are places to find them, but it's hard. Or you can have someone from home send a used game.

12. What is the size of a typical apartment that you get while doing ESL in Korea?

You're looking at, in general, 250 square feet to 500 square feet. This obviously can vary tremendously. It's usually either a studio or a small one-bedroom apartment.

13. How do I go about washing my clothes? I assume self serve laundry mats?

Hopefully you have a washing machine. It'll probably be small, and front loading. You'll probably buy an A-frame rack to put your clothes on to dry. Perhaps a fan. Driers are rare, but they do exist. My washing machine is a washer/dryer combination. Dry cleaners are extremely common, and most should wash your clothes for you if you really want. Many will also do pickups and delivery from your house. In general, you're going to live in an apartment building of some sort, and the bottom level is going to have an assortment of shops, like a convenience store, internet cafe, dry cleaner, nail salon, etc. As there will be several apartment buildings near your house, one of them will have a dry cleaner.

14. Are the washrooms similar to the ones in North America as in a private bathroom with a shower and a toilet and a sink?

Most washrooms you'll see will have a shower that drains into a drain in the middle of the washroom. Sometimes the sink drains into the same drain. The walls and floor are tile. The setup allows you to clean your entire bathroom with your shower hose, but you may be showering literally in front of your bathroom sink and mirror. There's very few bathtubs. If Koreans want a bath, they go to the public bath house, of which there are many. Expensive apartments have western bathrooms.

15. What are the grocery stores like? Is it more like an open market or is it more like the closed in buildings you find in Canada?

They run the gamut. The big ones are much the same as the west, although they may not stock what you want them to. The small ones are often best, as they're walking distance from your house. They'll only stock normal Korean stuff, which will include milk, but maybe not bread. The open air markets sell traditional Korean food, cheap clothes, chinese imports, and various other things in a mishmash. There's often small supermarkets thrown into the mix.

16. Can I drive a car with my G license?

Don't know what a g license is. I had to turn in my american license, take a written test in English, and I got my Korean license. Get yourself an international license while you're in Canada. I think that will cover you. Find out for sure, though.

17. Are the road signs pictorial or do they use words?

Both. The system took me about a week to adjust to. For me, the drivers were fine. They follow their own rules here, but you just learn the local customs and you're fine. Be very, very cautious about jay-walkers here. People here literally put their head down and walk out in front of oncoming traffic, praying that everyone will stop as they jay-walk across the street. It isn't everyone. It isn't even most. But I have seen it numerous times. Drive slow and careful.

18. What are the medical facilities like? Are they walk-in clinics and family practitioners or just hospitals?

You have everything. I peronally go to a stomach specialist office near my house. I don't have stomach problems, but they take care of everything. Keep in mind that privacy isn't necessarily kept by medical professionals here. This is doubly true if your boss and the doctor are friends. If you have anything sensitive, you'll want to visit a doctor away from your house or school.

19. I am a 46 for my pants size and a 12.5 for my shoe size so how easy is it to find pants and shoes in my size in Korea?

I wear 36 pants, and I can find sizes ok, especially for slacks. 46 might be trouble. You'll probably be in the top 1% for sizes in Korea. Nobody makes sizes for the top 1%. Especially in Korea. That goes for your shoes, too. I went looking, and every shop said the largest size they stock is an American size 10. That's not quite true, but 12.5 may be a challenge.

20. As far as needed a BA goes does it matter that I have a three year degree and not a four year degree?

If it's a BA, it shouldn't matter. At least not for immigration. Immigration, and the public schools, require a 3 or 4 year bachelor's degree. As for individual director's preferences... who knows?

[afsjesse]