A “visa run” is no amazing race, nor is it a beer run. We had two days in Fukuoka, Japan to obtain our proper work visas (E-2 type) from the Korean consulate. Any native English speaker likely wants to pronounce the first syllable of Fukuoka as that favorite, versatile, descript obscenity. The closest I can describe its proper pronunciation is: foo- COKE- ah. So anyway, off we went to Fuck-ooh-uck-ah to get the magic sticker in the passport that allows one to work in Korea for one year. With all the visas I’ve acquired, the reasoning behind the processes to obtain them is still unclear. My two beloved co-worker friends & I were required to take the trip, fully paid by our employer (lucky us).
Day one: go to the Korean consulate. Give them the application, passport, a photo, and money (around $50 U.S.). Check. Done by early afternoon. Next personal mission: get to the nearest disc golf course before the sun goes down. Donae had it in her to join me on what turned out to be an adventure. This required us to figure out the ways of the ‘regular’ subway system, and then transfer to the ‘JR train’. Check. We got there with an hour of daylight to spare, yet the park was closed. I’m talking ghost town. We took advantage of the pleasant evening and strolled the coastal grounds of some luxurious resort-y hotel that, in this off-season, seemed abandoned. We rounded up Stacey at the hotel and headed out for dinner. Starving, we chose half a dozen menu items to share. Easy-Bake Oven (as coined by Donae) was the best way to describe the dishes they brought out. What they called “pizza” was a six-inch tortilla baked with a spoonful of cheeses and a few drops of pesto. The Spanish omelet was served on a little soap dish, as were the edamame. Because we are not size zero Japanese, we were still hungry. Luckily, there was a convenient store conveniently located near our hotel so we could spend $20 on a few snacks.
Day two: find a place to have lunch and watch game six, before heading back to the consulate to pick up the passports. With help from the hotel staff, we learned that all of the nearby pubs and sports bars would not open until dark. But what do you know; they played the game on the lobby’s flat screen. So we sat for the first few innings, long enough for everyone to get excited about Matsui’s outstanding performance that put NY in the lead. For lunch, we dined at Hard Rock Café. Not bad. Back to the Korean consulate, our visas were done. My passport is now full, not an empty page. I’ve had a blast getting all of those stickers & stamps. At a nearby park, we rested before searching for a cup of coffee.
To the Starbucks, we did succumb: a reliable brew in foreign lands. Back to the airport for an overnight in Incheon where I’d meet up with a creative, adventurous friend I hadn’t seen in over three years. After a satisfying dinner, we found a random rooftop for beer drinking, moon gazing, and nice conversation. Ending the perfect evening, we made it to the subway just in time to catch the last train that would take us to our Guest House near the airport. Another night away, then back to enjoy the last weekend before the teaching would begin.
Day three: Early morning brought us news of the shooting that had just occurred at Fort Hood. Fukuoka. Fukuoka. For Fukuoka’s sake, don’t ever forget how lucky you are. And when the day seems bad, when the demons crawl in, when you start to feel a little sorry for yourself… don’t ever forget… Life is Good.
