Review of Footprints Recruiting

I finally have time to write a review about Footprints Recruiting. This company is one of the well known recruiting agencies for ESL jobs. My experiences with them were in 2012, but I figured I might as well right a review because it may aid others.

When I began my ESL journey in I remember one thing I continually read on message boards: be wary with recruiting companies, especially big ones. I'm glad I kept that advice in mine. I was accepted by Footprints in July 2012. They were very prompt with their responses in the beginning and setting up an interview with me.

The interview went fine, and I found out shortly after that I was accepted. I worked with a woman named Katrin for documentation, and then my application was forwarded to Luna for placement. I emailed her a few jobs that I was interested in. I had a few questions about the process which I emailed her. I never heard back from her on those questions. I even waited a week, but still no response. I tried calling as well, no one picked up anytime I called. So, I emailed another woman named Tamara. I got an out of office response, but she didn't even email when she came back from being out. 

At that point one of my good friends advised me to find a job on my own and go through another agency to have different options. So, I did both. I scoured the China job board on Dave's ESL Cafe and found the job that I would later take in Shandong Province. 

Tamara emailed me back a few days after I landed my new job with a separate email that didn't address my original email. I sent her an email basically stating that I wouldn't ever recommend anyone to work with them due to their extreme lack of communication. Luckily, I didn't rely on them and didn't allow them to waste my time. I would recommend going with another recruiter and looking for jobs on your own. And if you do decide to still go with them (or any recruiter for that matter) don't fully rely on them especially if you have a specific departure time in mind.

King Spa | Korean Spa Date with Boba!

Boba and I went to King Spa on Thursday; the spa was sooo relaxing and I definitely needed some relaxation time. I bought the vouchers off Groupon as a nice Valentine's gift. We were originally supposed to use them on February 13th, but it kept getting pushed back due to my schedule. I had been to a Korean spa (Spa Castle) before back in 2012. A friend of mines got two gift certificates from her boyfriend for Spa Castle. She decided to take me which was super sweet! I talked to my roommate about wanting to go back to Spa Castle, and she suggested I try out Kings Spa. A month before Valentine's I saw the voucher and thought why not! It was $40 for two people, not bad.

The night before was filled with laughs as always. I love how silly Boba is; I had the bright idea for him to put on my kigurumi that I got from New York Comic Con. I don't why I hadn't thought of it before! He was adorable ^^ He wouldn't let me take any pics though *sad face*

The next morning we leave around 9:50 to make the 11:05 shuttle from Flushing; I picked the H Mart location. The shuttle is free as long as you take it there and back. It was super freakin cold in the morning, we got to the H Mart with no problem. I noticed that it had a mini parking lot, so I called King Spa to check to see if we should wait there or in front of the H Mart. A guy picks up and I ask this simple question, he proceeds to tell me that I should have went to the Flushing Public Parking Lot because it's better. I explain that it's too late and I am already here and wouldn't have time to make it there. He then puts a woman on who repeats the same thing and tells me I should call the driver because the driver sometimes doesn't stop at H Mart because "it's hard to stop there." By this point it's getting annoying because they're doing everything but answer my question. It was clear that there was a language barrier. She also had a slight attitude with me even though I wasn't catching one with her. So, I take the driver's number. He answers in Korean, I repeat my question. He just hangs up -_- I call back a few times and he wont answer. Boba and I are waiting in the cold trying to figure out if we should just go warm ourselves up, relocate to the public parking lot, and catch the next shuttle at 1. We decided to wait until 11:30. An annoying start to say the least.

We wait in front of the H Mart on the sidewalk. Around 11:15, a black van pulls up. It has no logo on it for King Spa, but since it beeped I figured it might be for the spa. I knock on the window and ask. The guy shakes his head yes and we get in. 

It didn't take long to get to the spa. My roommate told me about a nice, cheap Korean restaurant across the street. We decided to go in and eat there in case the food inside was too expensive. We both ordered bibimbap. Here's a photo of the side dishes.

I really like bibimbap, but I haven't really explored Korean food outside of that. I have seen some delicious photos, but I have yet to find a restaurant to try. I think I need to go with someone who eats Korean food a lot, so they can blow my mind with its yumminess.  

Next, we ventured into the spa. The reception area was super small and really unorganized and it wasn't even a busy day. The one thing I loved about Spa Castle is that even though my friend and I went on a Saturday it was still a nice, fluid, super friendly entrance and exit. The staff was super nice and helpful, here not so much. 

We both enjoyed the Jacuzzis in the same gender locker rooms. Then we met on the second floor. We explored the floors together; I was feeling snacky so we had our first patbingsu which I have always wanted to try! That and Taiwanese shaved ice, another to do on my list. We had shaved ice in China that looked like this:

And Boba said this kind of shaved ice blew his mind lol So when I described patbingsu and Taiwanese shaved ice, he was a little hesitant. We both liked it though : )

Here it is in all it's delicious glory!

They had little chairs that basically had no legs and were on the floor and game tables. They even had chess pieces! Boba is a chess lover, so I offered to play with him. It was my first time playing a full game. I usually quit and go do something else. The game lasted a long time at the end, but I was determined to see it through. Surprisingly, I won! I kept picturing Fire Emblem in my head haha I think that was the only way that I was able to do it lol It was more fun than I thought it would be!

We look so relaxed and sleepy haha

Our cute uniforms

I really enjoyed the various nap rooms and tv rooms they had. It was super easy to find a quiet place to relax. The downside with Spa Castle is that all of the comfy chairs are in one big floor together, so it can get pretty loud. We went into one sauna and decided to spend the rest of the time napping until we took our 4:30 shuttle back to Flushing.

Boba got done changing before me and was waiting for me at the reception area. There was a lady and three of the staff talking/arguing and it was clear that they weren't understanding each other despite the fact they were all speaking English. 

We checked out and decided to stop at the cafe across the street called Koko Loko. We bought some macarons that were so so. Their coffee and drinks looked amazing though.

We stopped by the New World Mall food court and got shrimp dumplings. We headed to get bubble tea from Cha Time across the street. Then made the trek back to Brooklyn.

I personally liked Spa Castle's efficiency a lot better, their website is super detailed, so you pretty much don't have to call them for anything. But I did like the intimate setting and different rooms that King Spa had to offer. Spa Castle's food is way better and their staff rock. I feel like King Spa's staff is a little rude and they are super unhelpful. King Spa doesn't allow kids, but Spa Castle does. So keep that in mind depending on what kind of experience you have in mind.

Also, Boba and I went to a fantastic restaurant last night Coppelia, it was SOOOO amazing. It's a 24 hour Spanish restaurant; we ordered Mac and Chicharron, Flautas de Pollo, and the nachos. I tried their condensed milk milkshake and nearly tripped out because of the tastiness. And of course we had to get the Mexican Coca Cola soooo amazing >_< Someone help me!!! We will def be going back. I love how when we got to eat at Latin American restaurants the staff just start speaking in Spanish to Boba. Its like they always know he speaks Spanish too haha They hardly ever talk to him in English, and if they do once they hear his pronunciation they switch to Spanish. I need to brush up on my Spanish, I've gotten so lazy -_-

Thanks for reading! I hope warm weather comes to NYC soon : )

How I Landed in Hot Water

Hello awesome people! Today at my job I served a customer a nice, hot cup of water after her massage. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary since it's something that we do for all our customers. Upon taking her first sip, I saw her take a sip and make a face. She remarked how it was weird to drink warm water. I couldn't help but laugh and share some of my stories from China.

In a previous post, I talked about things I miss. I definitely forgot cold things haha Even our ice cream in the summer time would be be melted because the freezers would barely be on in the store. Brit and I hated to go to Pizza Hut in the summer time where it was sweltering hot and be given hot water. In the winter time, I learned to appreciate it, but in the summer time.....um no! Hot not lukewarm or room temperature but freakin hot as hell water surrounded me everywhere. When Boba came to visit I was sure to buy lots of drinks and keep them super cold in my mini fridge a week before he came. He loads his drinks up with ice, no really he goes in. Luckily, when we were in Beijing we got to enjoy normal cold drink temperatures ^^

Ice was pretty non-existent and believe me you didn't want it anyway. The water in China is undrinkable. Most restaurants in Dongying would forget this and if by a snowball's chance in hell they had ice they would have filled up the ice tray from the tap. Eileen got a HUGEEE stomach ache one time because of this.

I work at a Japanese medical salon. I am the only non-native Japanese employee. I was told the reason we serve water at 120 degrees is because it is the same temperature as your organs. It seems like I am the only person that catches some customers giving their drink the side eye.

I'm not a fan of hot drinks either, actually I kind of hate all hot drinks except for hot chocolate. I'm a Southern girl, so my aversion to hot drinks makes since. I like my temperatures hot and my beverages cold. When I first came to New York, I would burn my tongue all the time because I just wasn't used to drinking hot things. 

You give me a fresh ice cold glass of sweet tea and lemonade I'll stan for you. Give me a glass of freshly made piping hot Kool-Aid and I will look at you like you farted loudly at a funeral.