Author: The Time Traveler

The Time Traveler is an upcoming author who holds great appreciation for both classic literature and history. The author aspires to publish historical fictions and other written works in the near future, in hopes of creating works that entertain, inform, and inspire. The author also appreciates all things aesthetic and enjoys traveling around the world to learn and observe.
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Irvine French Baking Class #1: Lemon Tart

On a crisp October morning, I went to attend a French baking class in Irvine that I had signed up for a few weeks back. To tell the truth, my very first dream was becoming a patisserie. Of course, back when I was little, I had no idea that such a word existed. So I told everyone – my family, relatives, and friends – that I wanted to own a bakery to decorate cakes. I thought it was the same thing as a “patisserie.” But I didn’t become a “bakery owner,” and my dreams shifted around multiple times.

But today, I finally got to revisit my very first dream and bake a lemon tart at the Irvine French baking class! 🍋🥧

Photo by an_vision.

Making a Lemon Tart – The Beginning

The materials all being provided for (with a fee of $10), my fellow classmates and I simply had to follow instructions given by our French instructor, Sylvie Roux. She was efficient and friendly, giving us professional tips and knowledge on the details of making a good lemon tart.

Materials provided.

Everyone received a ceramic pie holder/mold to create their lemon tarts on, and each holder was named with a French word. Mine was “Montmartre,” the famous hill in Paris. Others got “Paris,” “France,” “Merci,” “Bisou,” and other beautiful French words.

Lemon Zest

So the first thing we had to do was create lemon zest. The 11-12 of us got into groups of two to create the lemon zest under the guidance of 3 French instructors. Some people were given zesters and others graters.

I was the only person to receive a knife to cut the lemon peels as supplies were low. If I had been better acquainted with knives, I wouldn’t have had a problem. But as I was only a baker by heart, not by hands or actual skills, I cut myself. (It was so embarrassing!) The cut wasn’t deep so I tried to hide it away, but my caring class mates and teachers got me a band aid.

It had only been 10 minutes into the cooking class and I already hurt myself! 😖

Lemons used for creating the lemon zest and juice! 🍋 🍋 🍋

I thought that I was the only person to cut the lemon with a knife (and cut oneself with it), but others were also given knives later on to cut the lemons. Luckily, no other baker was injured, and we successfully made 200g of lemon juice and piles of lemon zest.

Zests ready to go.

The Sugar Dough

After producing the lemon juice and zests, our next step was to create the sugar dough. In large groups of about 5 to 6 people, we took turns mixing butter, powder sugar, lemon zest, almond powder, egg, yolk, vanilla extract, and flour.

Mixing the ingredients altogether.

After about 40 minutes, we got a gritty dough to work with.

My little batch of dough.

Each of us had our little batch of gritty dough (sugar + butter). As instructed, we covered them up with plastic wrap, left them in the fridge for 30 minutes to get:

Voila!

The Lemon Cream

The lemon cream was created before the sugar dough. Our French instructors were very efficient with time, so we worked on the lemon cream while waiting for the sugar doughs in the fridge. Similar to how we produced the dough, groups of 5-6 took turns heating the lemon juice and mixed it with sugar, zest, 6 eggs, agar agar, and cold butter.

Mixing ’em up.

It’s Baking Time

After creating the lemon cream, we took out our doughs, rolled them on the sheets and put them in our molds.

While our doughs baked in the oven at 370°F for 15 minutes, our French instructor introduced us to making meringues. It was surprisingly easy: you mix egg whites and sugar together at high speed:

The Finishing Touch

Once the doughs were taken out (and cut out of the molds by our instructors), we all poured lemon cream into what had become crusts. And with the meringue our instructor created, we each took turns decorating our lemon tarts.

Mine looked as follows:

Lemon Tart & Dreams

The lemon tart was délicieuse! The sweet and sour complemented each other so well. But I think I can definitely do better next time, especially with the decoration..

The French baking class led by Slyvie Roux was such a treat – a fun experience where I got to reconnect with my younger self who wanted to create pastries and “own a bakery.”

Though I most likely won’t become a patisserie at this point, I can and will bake more pastries. And hopefully create better-looking lemon tarts. 😉

Photo by an_vision.

To learn more about the Irvine French baking class, check out these links:

P.S. I attended the Irvine French baking class again to learn how to bake apple pie and tarte tatin. Check out the post HERE.

*Update: A couple of weeks after the class, I tried to bake the lemon tart by myself at home, and it turned out great!

My lemon tart (feat. strawberries & blackberries instead of meringue)

And it was délicieuse! 😁

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Bella Grace: Epitome of a Beautiful Magazine

Last week, when it drizzled in the ever-sunny city of my residence, I stopped by at a Barnes & Noble bookstore. For the past few years, I’ve been on-and-off writing my first novel, and I wanted to research the tone and style of recently published books.

As is always the case whenever I’m in bookstores, I was tempted to make a purchase. But reminding myself that I already have piles of novels and stories to read at home, I resisted all temptation to purchase another book. (Plus, after the pandemic, the libraries will reopen.) But when passing by the magazine racks next to the cashier, I had to stop and purchase Bella Grace‘s Issue 29. It was just too aesthetic!

Bella Grace Magazine

The front and back covers of Bella Grace.

The magazine was extremely costly; compared to an interior design magazine my mother purchased recently ($12.99), Bella Grace was a $19.99. It’s the most expensive magazine I’ve ever purchased!

Older issues of Bella Grace.

But the content of the magazine is heartfelt and wholesome. It’s created and compiled by romanticists, optimists, and those who believe in the following:

“an ordinary life can be extraordinary, there is beauty in imperfection, and that magic can be found in the everyday.”

Bella Gracec

And their collection of writings and photographs truly reflect such beliefs and attitude toward life.

Some pages from the 29th issue of Bella Grace.

Submissions

And Bella Grace is looking for submissions! They’re looking for narratives, photography, lists, and Instagram collections from writers and photographers who share their beliefs.

“At Bella Grace, [they] believe that:

  • Every cloud has a silver lining.
  • An ordinary life can be an extraordinary life.
  • There is beauty and magic to be found everywhere.
  • It’s OK to embrace imperfection.
  • Life should be lived with a full heart and open eyes.”

As I share these beliefs, I submitted photographs and a poem to the editor a few days ago. I’m really happy to have found a magazine that shares some of my beliefs as well as aesthetics! ✨

If you are a writer or photographer, especially a romantic or an optimistic one, I highly encourage you to read Bella Grace. And even take part in their movement to share life’s beauties!

P.S. To visit Bella Grace’s official website, click HERE.

P.P.S. For submission guidelines, check out this link: https://bellagracemagazine.com/submission-guidelines/

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Cafe Lola Summerlin: An Aesthetic Café by Red Rock Canyon

This summer, I had a chance to visit Las Vegas with my family. But as we are in the midst of a pandemic, we chose to explore the outdoors around the city instead of lingering in the populous hub. As we had already visited Death Valley, Grand Canyon, and Sedona, we decided to explore Red Rock Canyon this time.

On our way to Red Rock Canyon. It was unusually cloudy and windy. It eventually rained when we arrived at the visitor’s center.

On our way to Red Rock Canyon, I proposed that we stop by a café to pick up lattes and whatnot. It was June but cloudy and chill; which means it was perfect to sip some warm drinks on the way. Besides, I had researched online and found out that there was an aesthetic café in the area. And I am all for anything aesthetic, especially cafes.

When we arrived in front of the cafe, the exterior was neat but nothing noteworthy. And as the sky was cloudy with rain starting to trickle, it almost looked gloomy.

But when my sister and I went inside, it was a feast for the eyes!

The interior was so pretty that I stood there gawking it all in. I had to collect myself before moving forward to the cashier to order. My eyes feasted further on the chic decorations set up all throughout the cafe.

Roses galore! 🌹 🌹 🌹
Every corner was Instagram-worthy.

I ordered Lola’s Signature Vanilla Rose Tea Latte (plus three macarons) while my sister got the Americano. The drinks weren’t bad, but they weren’t stellar either. I wouldn’t drive all the way here again for the drinks. But I definitely would for the beautiful interior!

The pink folder in the back is the menu.
The pink drink is Lola’s Signature Vanilla Rose Tea Latte.
The small pink cup with a rose is a decoration set on each table. ❤️

I highly recommend Cafe Lola to anyone who loves visiting aesthetic places. The interior, decorations, drinks, food, and everything inside the cafe were too pretty to not take photos of. If you’re ever visiting Red Rock Canyon, or Las Vegas even, stop by Cafe Lola! 😉

*NOTE: The location I’ve been to is the Cafe Lola in Summerlin. There’s another Cafe Lola in the Henderson area. They’re both in Nevada but the Summerlin one is next to Red Rock Canyon.

**UPDATE 7/19/22: Cafe Lola opened another shop at 7379 S Rainbow Blvd – in Southwest Las Vegas! Check out their IG post for all the deets!

Visit Cafe Lola’s official website here 👉 Café Lola

P.S. Check out my post on their Henderson location HERE. It’s as aesthetic as the Summerlin location! ✨

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Raccoon in the Hood 🦝

Surprised raccoon staring down from pine tree.

The town I live in abounds with animals of all kinds. We have squirrels, rabbits, lizards, rats, doves, ducks, crows, parrots, coyotes, and even mountain lions roaming about. But I had no idea that I would come face to face with a raccoon!

Encountering My Neighbor, Raccoon

One evening, after a walk in the park, I was coming back home with my mother. We were chatting about something I don’t recall when we heard a loud “thump” near a pine tree that grows right in front of our house. For a moment we both thought it was one of the squirrels. But the thump was too loud for an animal that small.

Then, we saw a black shadow scampering back up from where it fell. And to our utter surprise, we saw a raccoon staring down at us!

It was bizarre to see a raccoon for the first time in my life. It looked exactly like it does in movies and cartoons, with its bandit-like fur around its eyes and fluffy black-and-white tail.

We were astounded to see the creature in front of our house and stood in shock for a few seconds. Then we pulled out our phones to capture the cute yet frightening wild animal.

While taking pictures of the raccoon, we noticed that it was as surprised as we were. It was still on the tree branch, looking down at us with, I conjecture, even more amazement and fear. Here is a comic strip I made recounting my encounter with the raccoon:

As we did not know what our wild neighbor might be capable of, we carefully headed inside, staying as far away from him. And as we slithered away, the raccoon also slowly crawled down from the tree and disappeared into the night.

Photo of the actual raccoon we saw that night!

It was an interesting night to say the least! I feel lucky to have met my neighbor raccoon that I did not know existed until that night.

Who are some of your wild neighbors?

P.S. Here are some resources about what to do when you encounter raccoons:

The Humane Society of the United States

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

LA Animal Services

City of Sacramento

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Chung Sul Youn Kim – Life of a Pioneer

Photo of Chung Sul Youn Kim and her mother at University of Illinois's Commencement.

It’s past Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, but I would still like to share Chung Sul Youn’s story. It is not as well known as it ought to be, especially considering the fact that she was a pioneer in many different ways. As one of the first Korean immigrants to the U.S., she paved the way for Koreans, Asians, women, and scientists.

Chung Sul Youn (Sue Kim)

Chung Sul Youn (Sue Kim). Photo from Mass Transfer: News from Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Illinois Spring/Summer 2017.

I learned about Chung Sul Youn only after talking to a Korean War veteran I wrote to this summer. The Korean War veteran, Mr. David Valley, shared the many achievements of his wife, Chung Sul. He and Sue (Chung Sul) had met and married after losing their wife and husband, respectively, to the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

After learning about Chung Sul’s life briefly from Mr. Valley, I was able to order his biography of her, which is titled, Can Do: Biography of Chung Sul Youn Kim. And finishing the book, I feel like I’ve unearthed an invaluable story, a little known history that needs to be shared.

Let me share Chung Sul’s story with you.

Chung Sul’s story shines. Photo by Nong V.

Early Years

Photo of Chung Sul Youn, age 7.
From Can Do: Biography of Chung Sul
Youn Kim by David J. Valley.

Chung Sul Youn was born in Korea on December 21, 1932. She grew up in the Korea annexed and oppressed by the Japanese Imperial government. It wasn’t until 1945 that Chung Sul and her family lived in a free Korea. Despite the harsh colonial rule, Chung Sul’s family wasn’t as affected by the Japanese government’s immoral actions as the other poor Korean families. Her father, In Sang Youn, ran a successful, independent business manufacturing ondol paper, so he was able to educate his children and provide for his family even in those difficult times. Hence, after Korea attained its independence from Japan, Chung Sul attended Seoul National University, which is still considered the best in South Korea.

The Korean War

Tragically for the Koreans, only five years after their liberation from Japan, the Korean War broke out. On June 25, 1950, communist North Korea (backed by the Soviet Union) attacked South Korea. The sudden, bloody invasion interrupted everyone’s lives. People scrambled southward to stay alive, leaving behind their homes and the lives they knew. Chung Sul and her family also evacuated away from Seoul, eventually escaping to Busan when the Chinese intervened and ruined Korea’s golden opportunity to unify under democracy.

Video created by the Australian Government’s Department of Veterans’ Affairs
showing the phases of the Korean War. Click HERE to visit the page.
*The naming of “Sea of Japan” shown in the video is contested.

It was during this chaos that Chung Sul’s father decided to send his children to the United States to further their education. He knew from early on that Chung Sul was an exceptional chemist and scholar. He believed that she would “become a world-famous scientist – the next Madame Curie.” (Valley 115).

Marie Curie, one of the most renowned
female scientists in history. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, LC-DIG-ggbain-07682 (digital file from original neg.)

Studying in the U.S.

After applying and getting accepted by Dennison University with a tuition scholarship, Chung Sul left her home country in 1951 to further her studies. From there, she transferred to the University of Illinois in Urbana to study chemical engineering.

A professor at University of Illinois told her that she could not be a Chemical Engineering major. His reason was the following: “females cannot handle the courses…The last time [they] had a female [major in Chemical Engineering] was in 1932, and she failed miserably” (Valley 140). These were times when women weren’t seen as capable of studying science.

But she proved the professor and anyone who doubted that they were completely wrong.

Chung Sul at Commencement 1955
with her mother Yong Kim, University of Illinois
President Lloyd Morey and Liberal
Arts & Sciences Dean Joseph R. Smiley
(Source: Mass Transfer: News from Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Illinois. Spring/Summer 2017)

Chung Sul graduated with the highest grade average, receiving multiple honors. She was even admitted as an Honorary Member of Tau Beta Pi Society for Integrity and Excellence in Engineering when women were not accepted as regular members. Chung Sul went on to earn a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Cornell University.

She became the first Korean woman in Korean history to earn a Ph.D. degree in the field of science.

Image from Can Do: Biography of Chung Sul
Youn Kim by David J. Valley.

Further Accomplishments

To summarize, Chung Sul (Sue) worked for many different corporations: Standard Oil of Ohio, Georgia Pacific, University of California Davis, Aerojet Corporation, and California State University, Sacramento. Throughout her professional journey, she faced (again) prejudice and skepticism as an Asian woman. She was told that she had “two strikes against [her]: [she was] an Asian, and a woman” (190).

But she defied all expectations as she…

  • “found a way to copolymerize acrylonitrile with bulky hydrocarbons, 1,2-olefins” at Sohio (187).
  • “discovered ligno-sulfonamides produced by the reaction of the waste pulp ligno-sulfonates and fatty amines from meat packers” were “excellent oil-based emulsifies” and helped Georgia Pacific receive five patents based on her discoveries (194).
  • “established the Polymer Research Institute” at California State University, Sacramento.

….and achieved many more things that you should read about in her biography! 😉

Image from Can Do: Biography of Chung Sul
Youn Kim by David J. Valley.

An Inspiring Individual

What I found particularly inspiring about Chung Sul Youn, Sue Kim, is that not only is she an incredible chemist who made positive impacts wherever she went, but also she always knew what was truly important in life: families and friends.

Upon marriage, she supported and followed her husband’s trajectory across the country all the while making contributions to society and science in various ways that she could. She made scientific discoveries while giving birth to and rearing two children. When her father fell ill, she left everything to be at his side. These are just a few examples of how Chung Sul chose her families and friends over furthering her achievements and success. She was a prolific chemist, a good friend, caring daughter, supportive wife, and a loving mother. Despite her unlimited potential and talents, she chose to be there for her loved ones over work when forced to choose between the two. She never forgot to love and care for her loved ones.

In Conclusion

Back in the day when being an Asian woman was a great hindrance to one’s career, Chung Sul broke all prejudices and expectations. She truly was a pioneer.

Mr. Valley’s biography of
Chung Sul Youn (Sue Kim)

I recommend Can Do: Biography of Chung Sul Youn Kim, to Korean and Asian Americans. If you are Korean or Asian, you will be able to relate to her life. She was one of the first Koreans to arrive in the U.S. and experienced what Asian Americans experience even today. If you are a woman studying chemistry or are working in the field, you will learn how she paved the path for female chemists in the ’60s and ’70s.

Even if you aren’t a female chemist of Asian backgrounds, Chung Sul’s story is bound to inspire. It is a vivid biography of an individual who saw beyond work and success.

It’s about an individual who knew what truly matters: the people around you and the time you spend with them.

P.S. I just found out that Dr. Chung Sul Youn “Sue” Kim had been awarded the 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign! As the “first woman to have received a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign” and as innovator, research scientist, professor, director, and pioneer, it’s no surprise. 👍

Update 8/28/2025: This month, I got to speak with Dr. Kim’s sister, Won Ok, who is 5 years younger than her. She told me that she wanted to share aspects of Dr. Kim beyond her academic and professional achievements, including her many outdoor adventures and her “most generous, compassionate” heart.

One of the anecdotes she shared that I was truly amazed at (and still am!) was when Won Ok immigrated to the U.S. during the Korean War, following after her sister. Chung Sul, who was an undergrad at the University of Illinois at the time, and Won Ok, who was a high school student, had to live apart. But Chung Sul always looked out for her little sister. Won Ok said that Chung Sul even cooked Korean food for her (bulgogi beef and rice) when there weren’t any local Asian grocery markets at the time! Even when the sisters lived apart (one in a college dorm in the middle of a busy schedule) and had no car (or Tupperware, for that matter!), Chung Sul managed to make traditional Korean food, pack it somehow, and bring it to her little sister who would have been homesick in a new country. This reminded me of what I read in Mr. Valley’s biography, when Chung Sul made kimchi (again, no Asian ingredients!) for her older brother. Won Ok laughed and said that the bulgogi and rice tasted horrible (and I remember reading that the kimchi tasted bad, too), but she shared how incredibly thoughtful and compassionate the gesture was. And I cannot agree more!

It was such a privilege to talk with Won Ok and listen to more inspiring stories about Dr. Kim. 😊

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EPIK Essay: Thoughts on Teaching & Encountering Cultural Differences

Empty classroom with the world map showing.
Photo by Jeffrey Hamilton.

While applying to EPIK this year, I had to write personal statements on teaching as well as encountering cultural differences. Below are my teaching philosophy and thoughts on cultural differences (2 of the 3 EPIK essay prompts).

*But as EPIK essay prompts may change, be sure to always check their official website!

Prompt #1: My Teaching Philosophy (on TEFL)

*TEFL is “Teaching English as a Foreign Language.”

Students in rural north Thailand. Photo by Mario Heller.
Duties of the Student

Learning cannot be accomplished without the effort of the teacher as well as the students themselves. While teachers provide the necessary tools, tips, and methods of studying, this must be met with the efforts of the students to bring about results. The key to mastering a new language is repetition and memorization. So, students should memorize terms learned in class until they become so accustomed to the words that they can remember them in situations that require them. While students can practice memorizing by themselves, they can’t with conversations. Therefore, teachers should focus on conversations in the classroom, having the students practice amongst themselves and also providing materials with which they can practice listening.

Duties of the Teacher

It is the teacher’s duty to create a learning environment where students feel safe to make mistakes. The most important thing when learning a new language is to not feel bad about making mistakes. So, it is crucial for the teacher to make the class a friendly learning environment. It should not, cannot be a place of immediate mastery and perfection. Such pressure discourages students from answering questions; they become shy, unwilling to share with the class. This should be prevented, as participation plays a big part in students’ absorption and application of new materials. Students should be comfortable about making mistakes as well as asking questions when they do not understand a lesson.

Not Just a Subject

Most importantly, since English is a language, an everyday method used to communicate, EFL teachers should remind the students that while it is a subject to study, English is also something approachable in our daily lives. Showing the students that studying English doesn’t always require studying, that it can be fun in the forms of watching movies and shows in English, listening to pop songs, or even playing games using English will help the students have less burden, less repulse of studying another language and actually enjoy learning to speak the invaluable, universal language.

Prompt #2: On Encountering Cultural Differences

Photo by Jeremy Bezanger.

Encountering cultural differences in today’s world is inevitable as well as ubiquitous, as the world has become closely connected through the technological advancements of the past centuries. And more often than not, encountering something that is different from what one is accustomed to is unpleasant or weird. But cultural differences can be understood and respected if the cultures involved communicate and share the history and reasons behind their practices. (And if the cultures learn how and why their traditions can be viewed in different ways than they perceive them.) If cultures communicate and understand one another, then cultural differences won’t divide different peoples or lead to hatred and stereotypes.

This is why I want to teach English to South Korean students. So that they, too, can learn the language of the world to communicate with the rest of the world. That when they encounter different cultures, they may understand others as well as be understood. That they may become cosmopolitan individuals that share, work, and live with others around the world. 

Advice to EPIK Applicants

Like how I did, you will need to answer the following EPIK essay prompts:

  1. Answer both why you want to teach EFL AND why you want to teach in Korea.
  2. Explain your teaching philosophy briefly. How will you connect your background skills and experiences to teaching English in your classroom? How do you plan to further develop your teaching skills?
  3. Share your thoughts on encountering cultural differences. How do you plan to adapt to Korean school life and culture?
Photo by Markus Krisetya.

I hope my essay/personal statements give you some ideas and thoughts to write about. But I highly discourage plagiarizing or using my thoughts word-for-word since…

#1: The EPIK team already read my essays and know the contents.

#2: Plagiarism is against the law.

Good luck applying to EPIK!

P.S. To read about my EPIK experience, check out my post HERE.

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Applying to EPIK: Not So Epic Experience (Part III – The Questions)

The EPIK Interview

My EPIK interview via Zoom finally took place on Friday, September 17th. But my EPIK coordinator had trouble with Internet connection that day too, so his screen was pitch-black. Hence, I had my interview without seeing him, only hearing his voice. It wasn’t ideal, but regardless, I was grateful to just proceed with the interview at this point. Some of the first questions I was asked were:

– Why EPIK?

– How do you feel about having a co-teacher?

– What kind of teaching experience do you have?

– What is your 5 year plan?

The What-If Questions

Photo by Mathew Schwartz.

Throughout the interview, my interviewer asked me many “what-if” questions. Some of the “what-if” EPIK questions I remember are: “What would you do if…

  • …your co-teacher gave you more work than was needed?
  • …your co-teacher was teaching something wrong?
  • …you don’t work well with your co-teacher(s)?
  • …the housing you were provided with lacked certain amenities/appliances?
  • …the school’s class schedule changed suddenly?

The Lesson Demo

Now, I had an easy time answering all the questions, because they were all similar to the old EPIK questions asked to previous EPIK applicants. (Except for the ones about housing and class schedule). And I had prepared extensively, writing down the answers to about 40 potential questions I had compiled and practicing answering them repeatedly. In fact, towards the end of the interview, I wished the EPIK coordinator would ask me more questions, as I had my answers all ready.

But there was this section in the interview that wasn’t mentioned by the previous EPIK applicants on YouTube. It was only talked about quite recently in the Spring 2022 EPIK Kakao chatroom, when someone who had her interview earlier shared briefly that she had to do a lesson demo. Thanks to her information, I pulled out the lesson materials I had created beforehand. But to my surprise, the EPIK coordinator chose a random topic for me. He assigned me the topic of weather (if I remember correctly) and gave me some time (I think it was 5 or 10 minutes) to prepare. Afterwards, I had to pretend like I was teaching a class for 5 minutes on the designated topic.

Because I had this wonderful teaching material prepared already (I had created it for fun over the summer while waiting for the Spring 2022 application to open), I asked politely if I could use a topic of my choosing, mentioning the PowerPoint presentation I had prepared. My coordinator allowed me to proceed with my materials, and I presented my lesson demo without the given preparation time. I thought I did a great job, since I received much positive feedback on my demo lesson.

Photo by Mathew Schwartz.

The Interview Ends

My EPIK coordinator was Jeffrey, and he provided me with much useful information about the program. Each time I answered a question, he gave me feedback (which were all positive), along with additional tips for becoming a successful EPIK teacher. He told me to maintain the positive, friendly personality that I displayed, as it was crucial to be outgoing during the first weeks at the Korean school(s) I would be assigned to. And for lessons, he suggested that I narrow down my English expressions to just one, and utilize as many hand gestures as I can while teaching (clapping, thumbs up, etc.)

My EPIK interview ended after about 40 minutes. I had much fun showcasing my abilities and potential to becoming a good EPIK teacher.

The Awaited Email & The Result

I had heard from a fellow applicant in the Kakao chatroom that he heard back from EPIK just 4 days after his interview. But my wait time was longer, as the Friday I had my interview was interestingly right before Korea’s three-day national holiday, Chuseok. So I did not hear back from EPIK until a week later, on a Friday afternoon.

I had my CRC ready to submit, a 180 hour TEFL Certificate, B.A. from one of the best universities in the U.S., 2 solid recommendation letters, and a 2 year professional experience. I had made it as far as the EPIK interview, during which I had shown my competencies and received positive feedback.

My heart was pounding in excitement. I paused a moment before opening the email to calm down a little.

This was it….!

Snapshot of the email from EPIK.

I clicked and saw the following words:

Dear EPIK Applicant,

Thank you for your application to the EPIK Program, Korea’s government-operated native-English teacher selection program for public schools.

After taking time to fully consider your application, we regret to inform you that your application has not been selected to proceed forward for EPIK’s Spring 2022 term.

– The EPIK Team –

The email goes on for a couple more paragraphs, explaining that this term was “particularly competitive,” and that the decision is a reflection of my suitability for the term. It is “not necessarily a reflection of [my] ability or qualifications as a teacher.” Plus it kindly states that the decision is final, and that EPIK is “unable to release any information related to the reasons for this decision and will not reply to inquiries of that nature.”

Yes, reader. I was not selected. And I’ll never know why. (Photo by Matthew Henry).

That was my experience applying to EPIK. There were frequent changes which were often not properly announced beforehand. Plus, I spent $182 on documents no longer needed for the initial application. And since I did not get selected in the final round… Now I have an apostilled national level criminal record check just lying around on my desk.

Conclusion

My experience with EPIK was exceptionally expensive and definitely not so epic. But on the brighter side, I will no longer have to spend more money shipping my documents across the Pacific. Neither will I have to cover the costs of mandatory quarantine. The 1.4 to 2.1 million KRW (~1,178 to 1,768 USD), as stated by EPIK, will NOT be covered by the program.

I know that God has better plans for me, so I am no longer disappointed by the result. But I will miss the prospect of teaching and traveling abroad, of meeting new people and exploring South Korea for an entire year.

Alas, I will miss the path not taken.

Photo by Soyoung Han.

P.S. For anyone planning on applying to EPIK, here are some great resources to refer to:

1) As mentioned in my previous post (HERE), be sure to check out YouTubers who’ve gone through the EPIK process. It’s really helpful to hear their experiences as well as the EPIK questions they were asked.

2) Check out bloggers who share their EPIK experiences! Some great blogs I came across are ariography and Korealizations. Ariography’s EPIK interview content is from 2018 and Korealizations’s from 2014, but they are still relevant and useful. The only thing I’d add is that as of 2021, there is an on-the-spot lesson demo. Plus the interview is via Zoom, not Skype. (And, of course, there was that CRC requirement (read about it HERE) that was cancelled in September. Hopefully EPIK doesn’t bring that back again!)

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Applying to EPIK: Not So Epic Experience (PART II – The Interview)

So in my last post, I left off at the part where I find out that I had wasted my money, time and energy on the criminal record check that was no longer needed for EPIK’s initial application. It was no longer required as of September 6th. I had applied early on August 27th.

I was upset to say the least, but I maintained my optimism. EPIK had stated that the apostilled national level criminal record check would need to be submitted eventually, after the applicant was admitted. Trying to stay positive, I thought to myself, “I guess I won’t have much work to do after I get accepted.”

The EPIK Interview Email

Photo by Solen Feyissa.

I had braced myself to wait for about two months to hear back from EPIK, as previous applicants shared that two months was the average wait time. (I had done some research on the EPIK process through Google, Reddit, YouTube, and more). But to my surprisingly pleasant surprise, I received an email from EPIK on September 6th, which had arrived nearly at midnight. I was able to read the wonderful message next morning:

Hello,

Thank you for your application to the English Program In Korea!

You have passed the first selection phase and we would like to invite you to participate in a webcam interview via Skype.
Please click on the following link and follow the instructions in order to book your interview date and time…

– The EPIK Team –

I moved one step closer to my dream of teaching, traveling, and living abroad! With my own apartment paid for by the program! I booked my Zoom interview for the following week on September 16 so that I would have enough time to prepare.

Preparing for the Interview

To prepare for the interview, I compiled a list of questions asked in the previous terms. To do this, I watched multiple YouTubers talk about their EPIK experiences.

*TIP#1: When preparing for the interview, be sure to check out YouTube videos of previous EPIK applicants. They share many of the questions they themselves had to answer.

There are many, many useful videos out there. To name a few, here are some of the YouTubers I personally found most helpful:

  1. Red Dragon Diaries. Here’s a link to his EPIK Interview video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOoJSwbcrgI
  2. TastyTea (her video is no longer available to the public) :'(
  3. Katherine Walsh. Here’s a link to her video on the EPIK application & interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nE7bQn786c

And while researching the EPIK interview process, I saw this crazy story from the above YouTuber named Katherine Walsh, who had her documents sent to North Korea because the person helping her at the post office thought “the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea” was South Korea!! It’s a funny yet horrific story.

Imagine getting your papers sent to North Korea! 🙁

*TIP #2: The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is NORTH Korea. Republic of Korea is SOUTH Korea. The one that is NOT democratic calls itself democratic.

Even if you already know this, like the YouTuber in the video, beware that the person helping you at the post office might (sadly) not know!!!

*TIP #3: Also, be sure to join the official Kakaotalk chatroom for EPIK applicants. Kakaotalk is Korea’s most popular mobile messaging app. It’s a must-have when living in Korea.

You should be able to find the link to join on EPIK’s official Facebook Page. Follow that too! Both platforms are where fellow applicants can ask questions, receive feedback, and share experiences with one another.

The Interview…Delayed.

Disappointed yet again. (Photo by Matthew Henry).

My interview was scheduled for September 16th PST. That Thursday, I spent all morning and afternoon preparing for the interview, going over the questions and answers multiple times. I practiced to the point where I could say the answers right away when asked, as thoroughly as possible. I was ready!

But about an hour before the interview, I received the following email from my interviewer:

Unfortunately, we seem to be having some technical issues and internet issues on our end today and are not able to establish a good connection for the interview. I apologize for the inconvenience, but would you be available to reschedule? If able, I will open some time for early next week or the weekend that was previously unavailable.

– Jeffrey Conde
EPIK Coordinator –

I was bummed out yet again. But luckily, I was able to reset my interview date and time with my EPIK coordinator for the following day.

Stay tuned..

Check out the next post HERE.

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Applying to EPIK: Not So Epic Experience (PART I)

After working for a company for about two years, I left in search of a new one. It’s not that I disliked the company or my colleagues. In fact, my job was very fulfilling, my superiors and teammates great, and I loved the industry that I worked in. But with the onset of the pandemic, I realized that the work I was limited to was not something that I wished to do in the long run. So I left in pursuit of a different role that I could see myself doing even decades from now.

On top of that, my family decided to move back to South Korea and I needed to find a job that could ensure my independent survival.

It was then that the idea of teaching English abroad dawned on me.

Why not teach English abroad? Photo by Element5 Digital.

Why not travel abroad to South Korea for a year to teach English and have housing provided for me by the English abroad program? The program offered paid accommodation and flights as well as a severance bonus. It seemed perfect!

(There are many different programs for teaching English abroad, from the ones in Taiwan, Japan, South Korea to Spain, Czech Republic, and United Arab Emirates.)

Flag of the Republic of Korea (South Korea). Photo by Lauren Seo.

EPIK Overview:

Acronym for “English Program in Korea,” EPIK is a one-year program where citizens from English speaking countries (now only accepting applicants from Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the U.K., Unites States, and South Africa) can go to South Korea to teach English in public schools.

Established back in 1995, EPIK is affiliated with and sponsored by the Korean Ministry of Education. Check out the official website HERE.

1) Applying to EPIK for the Fall 2021 Term

As excited as I was to teach and travel, I began my application immediately. It was the May of 2021 when I started the process, and the deadline was sometime in July. For the timeline EPIK created for the application procedures, visit this page.

I reasoned there was enough time for me to submit my application.

And I did. By the end of May, I was able to gather all the required documents for the initial application except for the second letter of recommendation, which was scheduled to arrive on the first week of June.

But the application for the Fall 2021 term, out of nowhere, closed on May 24, 2021 in KST.

I don’t remember the exact time in KST that the application closed. Neither am I certain about May 24th. Perhaps it was May 25th. But I do remember clearly that the application closed on the last week of May, because I was beyond disappointed about how randomly the application closed. And EPIK neither put this important update on its website nor did it announce it beforehand; I was able to find out about this news only when I went inside my application portal.

So I could not apply for the Fall 2021 intake.

Photo by Tim Mossholder.

2) Applying to EPIK (again) for the Spring 2022 Term

As upset as I was, I was far from giving up. Since I had all my materials ready, I decided to retry for the Spring 2022 Term. The timeline for the Spring term showed that the application opened in August. This time, I was going to submit my application the week it opened.

The Spring 2022 application opened on August 23rd, 2021.

But to my unpleasant surprise, the required documents had changed. For the Spring 2022 term, EPIK required applicants to submit an “Apostilled CRC” in addition to the…

– Online Application
– Professional Photo
– Two Letters of Recommendation
– Proof of English Education
– Lesson Plan Worksheet/Handout Samples

The Criminal Record Check Process

So, at this point, the only thing I was missing was the apostilled national-level criminal record check. And as naïve as I was, I decided to go ahead and try to attain it. If I had known beforehand how much I’d spend and what would happen, I would not have started the process.

Referring to various websites and EPIK’s own guidelines, I went ahead and applied for an FBI criminal record check through one of the approved channelers. EPIK writes that “applying directly through the FBI for a CRC is an incredibly time consuming process that can take multiple months.” So, as directed, I chose an approved channeler called Inquiries Screening.

For a complete list of FBI-Approved Channelers, visit HERE.

Inquiries Screening

Long story short, I paid Inquiries Screening $45 to do the job. They requested that I mail the FBI Departmental Order Submission Form along with 2 separate sets of fingerprint cards to them. To get my fingerprints done, I had to go to a post office and spend $62 to get two sets of inked fingerprints, as duplicate copies were not accepted. After paying a total of about a $100 and waiting for about two days, I received a link from Inquiries that gave me access to my background check.

*TIP: Inquiries Screening did a good job, but I was told by the post office lady that it is way more convenient (and cheap) to use a channeler named “Biometrics4All.” Here is their info posted on fbi.gov:

Biometrics4All, Inc.
www.applicantservices.com
(714) 568-9888

The Apostilling Process – Monument Visa

Now that I had attained my criminal record check, I needed to have it apostilled by the U.S. State Department. To do so, I contacted Monument Visa, which appeared to be the most trusted, popular choice. For a service fee of $55 (plus the Fedex 2-3 Business Shipping of $20), I successfully requested to get my criminal record check apostilled through Monument Visa.

Finally Submitting My EPIK Application

Now I was able to submit my application, as I finally had all the required documents for the initial application. Although my criminal record check wasn’t apostilled yet, EPIK wrote on its guidelines that either one of the following were required for the initial application:

– “A scan of a nationally apostilled national-level criminal record check dated on or after August 1st, 2021. Please review the “Required Documents” section of our website for details on which documents are acceptable and how to obtain them.“

OR

– “A scan of a non-apostilled national-level criminal record check dated on or after August 21st, 2021 + a scan of proof of application for a national apostille (receipt, e-mail confirmation, scan of application for apostille, proof of payment, etc.). Acceptable proof will be determined by the EPIK Office. If you have inquiries on this, please email [email protected].”

Using the second option, I successfully submitted my EPIK application on August 27th, just 4 days after the application opened. Along with the non-apostilled criminal record check and proof of application for a national apostille, I submitted my online application with the two letters of recommendation, lesson plan, hand out, an official TEFL certificate as well as the required essays.

Seoul, here I come! Photo by Cait Ellis.

In total, I spent $182 to submit my EPIK application. I could have saved much more if I had chosen a different channeler and requested the documents even earlier on to save on shipping. But even if I had, I would have had to spend about $100.

Be aware: applying to EPIK will NOT be cheap nor easy.

A Ridiculous Announcement

After submitting my application and required materials, I minded my own business and went about my daily tasks. But from time to time, I checked in on EPIK-related news, since EPIK sometimes made crucial changes without properly announcing them (i.e. my experience during the Fall 2021 application term). I periodically checked their Facebook page, YouTube channel, as well as their official website.

Lo and behold, I saw an unbelievable update saying that changes had been made to the application process for the Spring 2022 term. It was as follows:

“Due to various delays in criminal record check (CRC) and apostille processing times in many countries caused by COVID-19, we have decided to postpone the requirement for an apostilled CRC at the time of application for the Spring 2022 term. Applicants applying on or after 13:00PM on September 6th KST will not need to upload an apostilled national level criminal record check (CRC) with their initial online application.“

– The EPIK Team –

So EPIK made the change for the Spring 2022 term that required all applicants to submit an apostilled national level criminal record check only to repeal it a few weeks afterwards. And as an early, eager applicant, I had wasted my energy, time and money on it. On something that was now unnecessary in order to apply.

I wanted to cry. (Photo by Matthew Henry).

There you have it. My not so epic experience applying to EPIK.

But wait. It’s not over yet… 🙁

Check out my next post, “Applying to EPIK: Not So Epic Experience (PART II – The EPIK Interview)”.

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My Latest KFC Review: Still Terrible

Reflection of the KFC restaurant in a pool.

KFC was one of my favorite fast-food restaurants out there. With its menu of coleslaw, mashed potatoes & gravy, fried chicken, as well as biscuits with jam and butter, KFC had a solid menu of gustatory harmony.

KFCfooditems
Photo by Aleks Dorohovich.

But about a decade ago, things changed. My family and I were given undercooked fried chicken – so undercooked that we had to ask them to fry it again. Even after the request, the chicken bits were oozing pink blood, so my mom had to cook them at home herself before we had any. After witnessing such poor quality, we stopped going to KFC for a while.

After years of staying away and eating Chick-Fil-A instead, our nostalgia for KFC kicked in as we remembered how good the combinations of coleslaw, chicken, and biscuits were.

And so, after about a decade, we made our way back to the same KFC store that served us bloody chicken pieces to order an 8-Piece Fill Up which contains eight crispy chicken, two plastic bowls of mashed potato and gravy, one plastic bowl of coleslaw and four biscuits. With packets of jam on the side like ketchup.

My Latest KFC Review

And I have to say… KFC once again disappointed us!

The “crispy” chicken just had a thin coat of fried batter-like substance which peeled off when bit into. And the biscuits had become smaller and more stale than ever before.

My family and I did finish our lunch (unsatisfactorily) with much of the coleslaw and mashed potato and gravy left over. The two menu items tasted relatively the same as they did about twenty years ago, so they weren’t horrible. But as our tastes have improved over the past decades, the menus were simply “not so bad as to be inedible,” i.e. just tolerable for consumption.

Photo by Kina.

How can a fast-food restaurant with arguably a menu better than Chick-Fil-A be so terrible?

I just couldn’t understand it; neither could my family. And after browsing online, I found that many people shared our sentiment towards the fast food restaurant: pure disappointment.

I couldn’t find a reliable source clearly explaining the reasons behind the downfall of KFC’s quality over the past years, but from the bits of information I could gather, it appears that Colonel Sanders, the founder of the restaurant chain, sold it to someone else. Hence the changes for the worse. Whatever may be the reason, hopefully KFC manages to improve. Because if it doesn’t anytime soon, I could see it shut down for good.

Photo by Maxime Lebrun.

I know for a fact that KFC fares better with the public in Asia such as in South Korea and Japan.

Perhaps it’s the problem with local management rather than the menu or the company. Hopefully the KFC opening soon nearby my place is better than the one I had for today’s lunch. Hopefully I’ll write a positive KFC review next time.

It’ll be the last chance my family and I give to our once-beloved Kentucky Fried Chicken.