It always feels sad to say goodbye.

     It always feels sad to say goodbye.       It has been almost a month since I came home. I helped my parents, especially my mom, move things and clean. My mom just started a tourist base an hour from the city center. There were a lot of things to do, specifically, little things that needed to be done. Then I became an inpatient at Bodi Setgelten (the one I was hospitalized back in May of this year). I spent 5 days and got home today. Now, I have a few more days before I go.       No matter how many times I have said goodbye to my family and friends, I always feel sad. Initially, I felt like crying. I cried once when I had to leave my 3-month-old brother. Even though I don't cry anymore, I always feel sad.       Back in May, I thought to myself that I needed to come back home at least once a year. It helps my sanity and physically ( I am in a cooler environment when it is the hottest in Japan).  Also, I g...
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I expected more...

 It was a weird week.

    It started as normal. My normal working schedule has been back in place since the second week of April. I needed a little adjusting, but otherwise, it was pretty normal.


    A friend of mine stayed for two days before going to South Korea.


    Toward the end of the week, I checked my upcoming flight information. I have a transfer at Daegu International Airport. There was a notation saying "I need a transit visa."

So, as a rational person, I went on to the embassy website to check and get the list of materials I would need.


    That is where I encountered the website language can be set to either Japanese or Korean, not English. The website is designed for Japanese and Korean people. For people like myself, who can converse comfortably, but hard time reading Kanjis, the website doesn't service. So, I went to different countries (USA, Singapore, and Mongolia) embassy websites. Then there is no page for transit visas.


    Then, I thought to myself, surely the Embassy in Tokyo knows. I prepared documents (based on regular visa requirements), just in case I can apply for a transit visa. So, I spent 1.5 hours on the train to get there. They opened back up at 13:30 pm, and I was there on the dot. I go through security, get a number and wait. I didn't wait long before they called the number. Since English is strong in any official environment, I asked,  the lady behind the glass, if I could speak in English. Initially, she said okay. Then she insisted that I speak Japanese. So, I explained my situation in the best way I possibly can. The answer she gave me was "I don't know. Call your airline" I was shocked by that answer. Surely, she has the access and means to look up information. She neither typed anything at her workstation nor tried anything. I expected more from a country's embassy and official personnel.


    Then, I sent an email to the embassy about the same thing. I got the exact same answer. It felt like I wasted my day off.


    Yesterday, I called my airline. I explained my situation and the embassy's response. The representative was shocked to hear the answer, too. That person was so nice and even confirmed with the Daegu immigration to get an answer for me. It turns out I don't need a transit visa.


    All this could have been solved by a detailed page for transiting through South Korea.

    Health front, I am doing well. I weighed myself a couple of days ago. I was down 2 kgs. Forgot to check my BGL.


    That's it for now. 



Update (2025.04.17): 

    I have received official confirmation that I don't need a transit visa or need to take my luggage. According to the notification, a transit area has been opened at Daegu International Airport recently. This makes transfers easy.  

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