Procedures to go Apply to TaLK (Los Angeles)

I know this process is hard, time consuming, and generally confusing despite the effort that the TaLK office has put in. I'll break it down a bit from my experience doing it from Los Angeles.

To apply, you'll need:
-Knowledge of when the deadlines are(There are 3 rounds; the early, the on time, and the late. I barely made it before the on time.)

-Completed Online application A+B+1000word essay (Try not to go over 1000, but no less than 950)

-A sealed Transcript (order it before you even come in. It takes a week or two and costs around $10-$20)

-A lesson plan (found on the TaLK website. Just think of a skill that you would like to teach the kids and work around that. Don't make it too complicated, they're just kids you're gonna be teaching.)

-Two Signed and Sealed recommendation letters (Someone you can trust and would be honest and helpful. These recommendation letters aren't the regular essay-like letters, but rather systematic and graded. Take a look and you'll understand)

-A criminal record check (This is by far the most confusing and time consuming. I'll break it down a little later on in this post. $50-$60)

-Confidence.

Remember, this is from my experience from the Los Angeles Area.

I suggest getting this all in order before moving on to the next part, but if you're short on the deadline, the criminal records check can be submitted a bit later. The drawback to that would be delay in acceptance results and if you have a big blemish on the record, you've wasted your money and time.

-Submit your Applications A + B + Essay

-After the TaLK office has been notified of your submission, Jai (pronounced like the letter "J") at the TaLK office will give you a call to set up an interview appointment.

*Note: The drive to Downtown LA is horrible so it's best to hit the roads after 10 AM and leave before 3 PM.

Location:
680 Wilshire Pl. Suite #200
Los Angeles, CA 90005
1-213-386-3112 ex. 201

-At the interview, dress semi casual, be relaxed, be polite, be confident and be yourself. Don't stress about it too much, They're just trying to see why you're doing this and if you have a team player personality. You'll be fine. Also, it's a good time to submit all of your documents while you're at the office (why waste time and gas money?)

*Another Note: There's a little parking lot to the left of the building. Go in there and get the pink ticket. Up in the TaLK receptionist office, ask them for the ticket validation. Get it stamped and bring it back down to the security guard sitting in his booth next to the entrance and he'll give you a special coin. Use that coin for the exiting booth. (Normal quarters won't work)

-The process time took about 3-4 weeks so just chill and wait for the email. BE SURE TO ADD talkkorea@gmail.com to your address book so it doesn't get lost in the spam folder (It's not very pleasant, trust me). Call up Jai at 1-213-386-3112 ex. 201 if you have any questions.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Criminal Records Check (I had a lot of trouble with this part)

-First, get a live scan at the nearest location possible. You'll have to sign a form and they'll finger print you and send for a record check. You only a need state level check (not FBI) and make sure your hands aren't mangled like mine, it only makes things harder. The cost was about $57 for me and it takes about a week or two for the results. Open it once you get it and make sure there's nothing wrong with it.

Note: bring 55 dollars in cash. ($20+$9+$26). Go around 9 AM and you can do this in one trip.

-Next, go to the Norwalk City Hall located at:
12400 E. Imperial Hwy
Norwalk, CA 90650
Be sure to avoid the solicitors. They are really pesky and can't be up to any good. Go up to the 5th floor room 5214 and get your background check notarized. It'll cost you $20

-In the same building, go to the 2nd floor room 2001 to get your notarized background check authenticated. It'll cost you $9.

-Now drive all the way to Ronald Regan Building
300 S. Spring Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013
and go to the 12th floor, room 12513 to get your authenticated notarized background check apostilled. I arrived around lunch time so it was packed and some of the workers were at lunch. It wasn't pleasant. It'll cost you $26. The building is hard to find. Fortunately, I found public parking a block away and asked the attendant.

So if you were efficient, you could have the interview after this AND turn in all of the documents at once. Huzzah. Best of luck. My next post will be about what to do after you get accepted so look forward to it.

Also, I would like to give credit to: http://melandsteveinsouthkorea.blogspot.com/2009/08/getting-criminal-background-check-in.html for helping me when I did it myself.

-Steve T.

Goin to Korea

After hearing about the Teach and Learn in Korea (or hereby known as TaLK) program from Joanna, a good friend and former TaLK scholar, I decided to take the plunge and embark on the new life adventure. As a child, though I remember very little of it, I am told that I was very out going, adventurous, daring and mischievous. I took sometime to assess my current life situation and I found that I had lacked experience of a foreign land and a foreign culture. Some of the great people I know and I've heard about took time in their life to face something completely different to their own accord and I believe it is that that makes them wise and mature. For example, my good friend and former professor Mark Michelon took 12 years off from his Masters/Bachelors career to pursue his passion (skiing, teaching) before he returned to art and my older brother who went to Hong Kong for a year and subsequently found his passion for photography. These two are merely examples of great people that have inspired me and made me want to do it. It's not something normal people do and to be honest, I've never liked being called normal nor do I believe I am. I rather be different, I rather have great stories to tell and great experiences to live and see things not many people see.

Screw normal, I rather have an adventure.
-Steve T.