Tax Info For Americans

A wonderful friend of mine is currently looking into what us Americans need to do when it comes to tax time while living in Korea. We'd thought we were exempt but have recently discovered otherwise. I will add more to this when I know all... But here's a start:

http://www.overseasfiler.com/articles/who_must_file_a_tax_return

~~Raw~~

www.rawkorea.com
Random find on Children's Day & sooooo happy to have noticed this place! My friends had actually tried to find the Gangnam location months ago without success, so we were pleased to have stumbled upon the Apujeong one.

The great thing about this place is that not only is it really sushi (not just sashimi like most Korean places) but this is Japanese-American sushi! So my friends from the states (& the many others who have visited there & eaten sushi), this is the place to go if you're missing the 'real deal'.

Below are some pictures I took off their website, but they are all from their leaflet. Not ALL the rolls are shown on either - there are some really amazing ones not listed (like the spicy tuna!). We also tried the Salmon Crunch Roll - my current favorite. Bonus: if you get it take-out you get 10% off!

These sets are a REALLY great deal:

Directions / phone numbers

The one on the left is Gangnam / Right is Apujeong:

E-2 Visa Extension After Contract Finishes

In preparation for leaving Korea, we discovered there was (of course) another step in the process we hadn't heard about before. Although our contract states something about getting return airfare to our home country paid for by our school as long as we leave within 10 days of finishing our contract, the government has other ideas about this.


I'm not 100% sure how to explain this except to use our own situation as an example...

Our contract finishes on June 18th, 2010 which is a Friday. Our ARC expires June 19th. We weren't planning to leave the country until June 22nd in order to give ourselves some time to send money home (after making sure we got it all) and closing down our bank accounts, etc. So we have to apply for an extension of our Visa from the 20th-22nd.

Rumors circulate that without doing this you could end up getting fined 100,000 won/day for every day you stay in the country after the last day on your ARC when you try to leave the country. I don't know how true these rumors are but I'm not willing to take the chance. If you find yourself in the same situation, you can apply for this extension online & it only takes a few days to get it back. Then you print out the paper and bring it with you to the airport. Better safe than sorry!


Here is the link for the site (Hi Korea). You must first create an account. (This will require putting in your ARC number.)
http://www.hikorea.go.kr/pt/StipDetailRM_en.pt




After you have created your account you can then apply for the extension. I went to the wrong one many times so I thought I'd try to make it easier for others:
http://www.hikorea.go.kr/pt/CvlapplInfoDetailR_en.pt?cvlapplCd=12700000095&locale=en&cvlapplGbSeq=

Good luck!

Haddon House / Haddon Supermarket ~ A Great Place for Foreign Food Supplies

Everyone gets homesick when they move so far away. And food, especially comfort food - although comfort food can be just about anything familiar when every meal comes with kimchi - can really help you with that. I have been on many quests to find specific food products since coming to Korea; some successful, and others not so much.

Recently I went to Haddon House, a place I heard of but everything I'd heard made it sound like an urban myth... Was it really even there? And there weren't any accurate directions online - everyone said it was so difficult to get to the first time.... Fortunately, we didn't have too much trouble. I had someone who could read Korean with me, and we asked Koreans for help when we weren't sure. So I will post what I believe to be accurate, easy directions here. And you should definitely use them. Haddon House - or Haddon Supermarket as the sign reads - is a wonderful place to get your foreign food items. They are fully stocked with loads of things we haven't seen elsewhere & some of their prices are cheaper than other places.

Do keep in mind when you go that foreign food shops that prices on things you are familiar with will be more than you are used to paying. Consider the fact that someone had to import it. And that you don't have to pay for it. But its there...

Bobby and Rodel were soooo helpful (so much so I wished I was still in the Philippines!) and friendly to us, as I'm sure they will be to you. They even wrapped up our frozen items in newspaper and individual plastic bags to ensure they would make the train journey home without defrosting!! And they answered all our questions as well as allowing us to take pictures to share some of the product information with you!

Directions:

* From Oksu station (it is a connecting station but it doesn't matter in terms of exits as there's only one set of exits for both train stops) take exit 3.

*At the bottom of the stairs go left across the road. (There is a street sign saying this is 34 Hallimmal-gil.) Go past the taxi stand and continue on the road & up the hill. (Keeping Seoul Okjeong Elementary School on your right & Baskin Robbins on your left.)

*At the top of the hill you will find yourself at a gas station. Turn left. Walk for about a minute and you will see the building pictured in the 3rd photo below. There is an entrance on the side of the building in the picture but the main entrance is actually on the opposite side of the building.

Subway Map showing the exits and the area Haddon House is located:

Map near the gas station of the area:

Building where Haddon House (or Haddon Supermarket) is located:

Lots of baking goods including jell-o & pudding! (4,000 won/ea)

Tortillas of all sizes! And naan bread:

Wow. Cut off the Cheetos at the top by accident. Tostitos are 7,000 won but I believe they were the most expensive.

Alcohol! There is an entire wine section (separate) as well.

Taco seasoning, gravy mixes, etc.

Truffle oil. Wow.

Loads of variety with balsamic vinegar and olive oil

A friend said they'd seen these elsewhere, but they were more expensive. Here you get 12 in a package and they cost 12,500 won.

Some cereal I haven't seen in a very long time!

Condiments. A really great variety compared to what I've seen elsewhere:

REAL (as opposed to sweet) Garlic Bread

Fresh basil, cilantro, and other herbs:

Cheese! (This is actually the smaller cheese section, the other one is HUGE)

Again, the smaller deli meat section - they have so much!

Frozen spring rolls/samosas

WOW!!! Waffles

Swiss Miss puddings

Beer, juice,etc.


Cherry coke, mountain dew, mountain dew code red, etc...

Aside from the wine, they have a huge section of canned goods, the largest variety in types and brands of pasta I've seen anywhere in Korea so far, as well as a great section of baby food. They also have a larger beer selection than many other places - don't get TOO excited, it still isn't like home but its better than most!

Anyway, as I was TRULY impressed with both the shop & the service I promised to recommend them... And I do! :)

Telephone: 02) 794-0511 Fax: 02)2298-2596

A few words of Caution...

Browsing the net recently, my boyfriend found a really interesting article. I would suggest reading it if you are considering teaching abroad, especially South Korea. I will say, don't believe everything you hear on the web, but I also advise you to move forward with caution.

Months ago we had a conversation with many other foreign teachers we know. And we began to discuss if we would recommend teaching abroad in South Korea to people we knew. Most of us said that we would have to tell the person it is so hit or miss, you may very well find yourself unhappy. That said, I've met plenty of people who have come over and had the most amazing time. But again, the tone of your school will most likely have the strongest affect on your overall experience.

This article also gives a list of questions to ask. I think they are brilliant. And even if you think some of what you read here or in the article is far-fetched, I would strongly advise asking these questions. It can't hurt & has the possibility of preventing you from ending up at a school you will grow to hate.

Of everything in the article the biggest thing I would suggest doing would be to get the emails of some current teachers at the school!!! At least the email of one teacher. Ask them questions. They will be the biggest help to letting you know what your potential school will be like for a foreigner.

http://www.transitionsabroad.com/publications/magazine/0503/teaching_english_abroad_the_good_the_bad_the_ugly.shtml

Gyeonggi Province Information

I will come back to this post at some point and add more information specific to the Gyeonggi province. For now, I will post this link from the gov't which leads to a 42 page PDF file filled with really helpful information (I only wish we'd known about it 9 months ago!)
Thank you Ben for finding this!

http://korvia.netorage.com:8711/harddisk/user/4.VIDEO/GEPIK%20LIVING%20GUIDE%20BOOK.pdf

Please let me know if the link stops working!

~Hopyeong / Pyeongnae Buses~

As I have recently informed a few people this information was already up I thought I should add it quickly!

*M2104 - Goes from the bus station in Hopyeong (not Emart) to Pyeongnae and about 3 other stops in Namyangju and finally lands you directly at Dongdaemun Station (not Stadium or as it has newly been renamed History & Culture Park)

*1000 - (red bus) Goes from the bus station in Hopyeong around the area, stops at Emart, in Pyeongnae and takes about 40 minutes to bring you to Jamsil.

*1100 - (red bus) Goes from Emart to Pyeongnae, a few other stops in Namyangju, to Jamsil and continues to COEX finally stopping in Gangnam.

Getting Around

Your school will usually arrange for someone to meet you at the airport and bring you wherever is deemed necessary after your arrival (your school, temporary housing, or your new apartment) so you needn't worry too much about that. It is also kind of fun to come through the arrivals door & see someone waiting with a sign bearing your name. (Although it was creepy to have the guy take hold of my cart and usher me towards his van & whisk my boyfriend & I off without really being able to speak a word to us about what was going on - good thing we knew Koreans are pretty harmless!)



After your initial drop off you will need to get around on your own. Everyone's situation is a little bit different based on where you are located but I will try to list some basics (& more specifics when possible).



To start here is a general site for transportation from Korean Tourism:

http://www.knto.or.kr/enu/TR/TR_EN_5_1_1.jsp



*T money cards - are essential to getting around & will make your life so much easier. They look like a credit card in size and shape & can be purchased at any convenience store. The first time you must of course purchase the actual card (2,000 won maybe?) and add money onto it (we usually do it in 10,000 won increments but its up to you really).

- These reusable/refillable cards can be used on the buses, subways and even in taxis!

- Your rate is discounted (at least on the buses) by using them. For example: Bus rate is 1,800 won... your rate will be 1,700 won.

- You are also able to get free transfers within a half hour. So if you take a bus into Seoul, get off & take the subway, you aren't charged anything!

http://www.knto.or.kr/enu/TR/TR_EN_5_4.jsp

~Buses~

*Buses in Seoul typically will have the routes in both English & Korean at bus stops. The buses may even say in English/Korean on the front where they begin & end. Outside of Seoul this isn't as common but it happens sometimes.

-The last buses typically run around midnight.

Here is a great site for bus information - and actually says much of what I was going to list here in a very organized & we'll written manner so I will just refer you to them!:

http://www.lifeinkorea.com/information/trans/buses.cfm

*Some specific information on buses in Namyangju (Hopyeong / Pyeongnae especially) in the Gyeonggi Provence section.



*Airport buses run from all over the country to both Incheon & Gimpo airports. There are many websites listing the buses, their stops, prices, times but I like this one:

http://www.airport.kr/airport/traffic/bus/busList.iia?flag=E&fake



And because I am in Namyangju, and was given NO help with things like this I will provide a link specifically for those traveling from this area to the airport (the bus starts in Maseok & the second stop is for Pyeongnae - if you are in Hopyeong you will use this stop as well. It is directly underneath the only footbridge crossing the main road from "Seoul" through Pyeongnae & into Hopyeong):

http://www.airport.kr/airport/traffic/bus/busView.iia?seq=205&flag=E

~ Subway ~

Seoul subway maps are pretty easy to come by, and you will most likely have a guidebook when you arrive which has something to start you off. A website with a good Seoul subway map:

http://www.smrt.co.kr

Heres a list of subway stops for places you may want to go but aren't labelled as such:

Samseong (Line 2 - green line): COEX

Anguk (Line 3 - orange line): Insadong

or Jongno 3 (sam)-ga (intersecting stop of Line 1, 3 &5): Insadong (Anguk stop is easier to find Insadong from)
Hoehyeong (Line 4 - light blue line): Namdaemun
Dongdaemun History & Culture Park (Line 1 - dark blue line): Easiest access to most Dongdaemun markets

Yeoksam (Line 2 - green line): Tomatillo Mexican Restaurant (Exit 2 go into Gangnam Finance Center down two flights on escalators) *Maybe not huge on people's lists but they have great Mexican!

Myeongdong (Line 4 - light blue line): Easiest access to Namsan & North Seoul Tower (as well as some really great shopping!)

Korea 101 ~ Arrival in Korea

If you know you'll be working right away try to arrive on a Friday to give yourself at least two days to adjust to the time differences and a little breathing room to get settled. It is not common practice for foreign teacher to work on Saturday, though many Korean teachers do. (You may want to make sure which category you fall into & address this if it matters to you - though I would advise against working Saturdays... the weekends are short enough as it is!)

Some teachers have to stay in a hotel or some other temporary housing when they initially arrive. But here's some advice in the case that you are brought to your apartment & your jetlag / the whirlwind sensation that accompanies being dropped on the other side of the world & not having a clue what you're doing causes you to be unable to think of what you might want to know later:

-Ask how to operate your heating (heating typically also = your hot water). I spent my first night in June taking a freezing cold shower which wasn't pleasant. The heating control will most likely operate your floor heat as well. Probably good to know whats what whether you arrive in February or August.

-How to turn on the gas. It's better to know sooner than later & how to do it properly.

-If a washing machine is installed, ask how to operate it. (Does it have a dryer? When to add fabric softener? If you care.)

• If your apartment does not have a washing machine - when will you get one? Is there service in your building or area?
  

-Can you get a map of your new surroundings? (Possibly even sent with your information packet / online beforehand.)

-Where can you get things you might need in the first 24 hours? (We went with bowls, spoons, cereal, milk, water & toilet paper - it makes waking up on your first morning a little bit easier.)

-Your address. Sometimes this can be a bit tricky in Korea because the streets are labelled a bit oddly & some streets don't really even have names. The buildings are also given numbers as they are built (so building 1 could be next to building 5) rather than in sequence as we are used to. We have friends who still don't have their address 10 months into their contracts. Letters are fine to have sent to your home address, but..
Packages often cannot be sent to your apartment because of small mailboxes and no one to leave them with (aside from just leaving them in the hallway). Either pick up packages at the local post office or have them sent to your school - which is convenient & possibly more secure. (In which case you need at least your schools address.)

-Contacting home: Ask about setting up Internet in your apartment. You can probably get help making an appointment with someone from your school. In the meantime, ask about a PC room (pronounced pi-shi-bong) nearby. They are typically open 24 hours. If you don't have a method already, setting up a Skype account & adding some credit to cheaply call landlines/mobiles back home is really helpful (and easy to do!).

-Bank Account: Try to set up a bank account with the help of your school ASAP. You only need your passport for this & once you have sent away for your ARC (alien registration card) you won't have your passport for about a month - which can make receiving your first paycheck a bit difficult. We REALLY wish someone had given us this particular tip.

• We've used KB (Kookmin Bank) and have been fine with them. We were even able to set up our accounts to directly wire money to our home bank accounts through the ATM which is less stressful than the other lengthy option. (Helpful to set up immediately if you have someone who speaks Korean there - like a co-teacher.)


• Also, you should have the option of getting a debit card vs. an ATM card. (Debits can be used like credit cards at stores whereas ATM cards cannot.)


• Unfortunately there is a law in Korea which prevents you from being able to use your bank card outside of Korea (this only applies to foreigners). I thought including this might be helpful for later on, as in, don't plan to use it when you go on vacation to China!

-I would give the same advice for setting up your mobile phone. We're pretty sure you can do this ASAP before getting your ARC, though some help from a co-teacher may prove useful.

• We opted for pay-as-you-go phones. We bought used phones from Techno Mart (Seoul) and every 30 days you have to add 10,000 won credit. If you have credit left over and hit the 30 days you will still receive calls/texts but will not be able to make/send them. We usually go through just that amount.


• You can usually pick the last 4 digits of your phone number, making it easier to remember. They might also use your birthday (my birthday is December 30th, so the last 4 digits of my number would be 1230).


• Another friend suggested renting a phone from the airport for the first couple of weeks until you get one set up, which could make things easier. I don't personally know much about these rentals but I've seen them at Inch eon & I'm sure it's pretty easy to do with your passport. (The only downside would be if you have to go all the way back to the airport to return the phone!)

-There is a pretty specific system for garbage disposal in South Kore. Our manager briefly explained this to us when we arrived, but we know others who weren't so lucky. I will explain it here but I know this only to be true for Namyangju & it is possible that the bags are different colors in other areas.

• White bags are for anything non-recyclable and non-food. In Namyangju they have blue writing on them.


• Orange bags are for food garbage waste. (We keep ours in the freezer to prevent our apt. from smelling; many Koreans like to keep theirs in the hallway.)


• Plastics, paper, glass/metals/foil are all recyclable. It makes things pretty easy as we can recycle 90% of our waste, only using the white bags once a month or so. Our building has bins outside to collect them, as well as an area to put your food bags & one for other garbage. I'm sure yours will have their own setup but something similar.


• Both white and orange bags come in different sizes & should be available at any convenience store (GS25, 7-11, Family Mart).

-Don't let your school take you for granted. Be prepared to say 'No' to something if you feel it isn't right or goes beyond the agreements of your contract. We found out quickly that our school expected us to work as many hours as possible - teaching hours that is - without any time to prepare for our classes. Because we didn't protest immediately (we didn't know any better) they figured we were capable & refused to back down later on.

- Dr.'s visits are cheap. Once you have your insurance card (usually comes by mail to your school after a month or so) you can go see the Dr. / chiropractor / dentist for almost nothing here. I had an x-ray done + the visit to see the Dr. for 5,000 won (less than $5). My friends have had cleanings (and deep cleanings), whitening procedures and even their wisdom teeth removed here for a fraction of the cost in America. I suppose the trick for most of us is finding someone we feel comfortable with - someone who speaks at least some English. You don't really want to be examined by someone who can't tell you what's wrong do you? If it seems there is no English-speaking Dr. in your area you can always try to get a co-teacher to go along with you. I have a feeling that most doctors learn a decent amount of English as they go through their training, even if they are a bit shy about using it.

• Depending on how far you are, I consider the worst-case scenario to be schlepping to the International Clinic in Itaewon (Seoul): http://www.internationalclinic.co.kr/
• Recently I've read some not so positive things about the international clinic. So here is a suggested alternative: http://schuh-internationalclinic.com/intro/intro01.asp
• And here's a link to another really helpful website. This particular page lists hospitals with English-speaking staff: http://wiki.galbijim.com/Hospitals_with_english-speaking_staff
• And for the ladies: I've heard rumors that gynos will not treat unmarried women (actually that would be cannot considering it's said to be a law). However, I have not yet heard a story about a woman who had a problem finding someone to treat her.

-Paying bills: Your accommodation should be paid by your school. (And if they have to put you up somewhere for a period of time before your new 'home' is available, they should be paying for that as well.)

• Heat, hot water (usually together), electricity, phone bills, Internet & cable are all paid by you.
• Usually your building/apt. owner will give you a month bill for certain utilities (heat & hot water/electricity). Things like your Internet will come separate. Gas is also paid separately (at least in Namyangju). It is possible that in the bigger sky rise apartments bills are set up a bit differently. Please let me know if this is true/how it differs.
• Bills are paid through direct transfers from your bank account to the account of the person / company. Ask your co-teacher / manager for advice the first time. Our bank has a machine just for paying bills. I'm not really sure what you do on it as there is always someone there to assist us. But we give that person the bill for say, our Internet & cable, they press a few buttons & the machine scans the bill. I give them my bank card which is inserted, punch in my pin & the machine does the rest. Sometimes we've had to go to the bank for which the company / person holds an account. Once you've gone through the motions once, you should be set for the rest of your year.

-Your contract should include a 'settlement allowance'. Under GEPIK contracts, this is only given the first teaching year. It is for 300,000 won (a little under $300) and is for buying anything you need for your apartment which wasn't included in the list of things in your contract.

• Typically your contract will include: A telephone, refrigerator, washing machine, television, vacuum cleaner, microwave, gas cooker, electric fan, iron, bed, sofa, kitchen table, wardrobe, desk, chair. It may have a stipulation that if space is limited you might not receive all of these items.
• So the settlement would be for things like: an electric kettle, dishes, utensils, pots & pans, lamps, a toaster oven (I would highly recommend a toaster oven if you do not have an actual oven in your apt. It becomes frustrating not to be able to cook anything over the course of a year).
• Our contract also stated that we should receive our settlement within 14 days of arrival in the country. You should check the wording in yours.

-$1000 US or the equivalent was the suggested amount to bring with you to get you through the first month / until you get paid. Looking back I feel like this was a reasonable amount. Be advised that you will probably spend what feels like a lot in your first two months as you set up. (That's why the settlement allowance comes in handy). But you will also be paying for things that you only have to buy once (unless you lose them) like your ARC. Don't be too hard on yourself if you've come with the objective to save money. And take into consideration that over the first few months you'll probably have some money coming out of your paycheck as a housing deposit (ours was 300,000 -each- over 3 months). The nice thing is that when you leave, unless you've done some damage, you have that money to look forward to.

• If you intend to save money while in Korea (many teachers come here with that purpose) try to give yourself a budget. But again, don't be too hard on yourself when you first arrive. Even if you have some trouble sticking to that budget, you will probably find that after a few months, Korea has made you cheaper. Things are less expensive here than most of us are used to. When I visited home it was shocking to compare the price of things in the U.S. to the price in Korea.

-Vacation Time: This will have to be agreed upon / approved by your school. If you want specific dates off, I would suggest discussing this ASAP. In our experience at least, Koreans tend to do things a little bit more last minute than we're used to. We found if we were given a verbal agreement on vacation time, and pushed for written permission, we were usually given it. That way, when we purchased our airfare and reserved our accommodation we knew we wouldn't be throwing our money away later.

• On that note: Airfare travel in Asia from Korea tends to be more expensive than if you were traveling from Japan or China. But if you give yourself time to search you can usually hunt down decent prices.
• Also, make sure you look at the visa regulations for your home country; our biggest problem arose when visiting China. We'd booked our flights & then discovered only a week before departing that we needed visas. We were able to get them through a travel agency without actually having to go to the embassy in person. (A one month - 30 day- visa for U.S. citizens to visit China = $150. For the U.K. = $50. I believe a 12 month multiple-entry visa for U.S. citizens was $240. If you think you may want to return to China it is probably more cost-effective to do it this way.)
• Always check embassy websites for the most up to date information as it does change over time & you're always better off getting it from them.

-Make an effort to learn Hangul (Korean language). It is simple and easy to read & will make your life here much easier. My friends might find it a bit interesting, me saying this as I made the attempt soon after arriving, got busy & then never attempted it again. My boyfriend did learn & although it doesn't mean he understands everything he reads, many phrases/words turn out to be Konglish. A combination of Korean & English and can be incredibly useful. Also, as you learn what different foods are called, this will be helpful on menus.

-Lastly, here are some helpful numbers/hot lines:

Foreigner Assistance / Translation:

• BBB 24-hr. Language Assistance: 1588-5644
• KTO Tourism 24-hr. hot line: 1330 (Seoul)

Hot lines:

• Emergency: 119
• Police: 112
• Directory Assistance: 114
• Medical Information Center (24-hr. / nationwide / English): 1339

I hope this has been at least somewhat helpful. Again, please feel free to comment, correct me, or give any additional information you think would be useful. My only goal is to provide the best information possible. I will try to update this from time to time & will make additional entries as necessary.xx

Visas & Vaccinations

~Things you Need for your E2 Visa~

If you think you want to come to Korea to teach, I would suggest beginning to gather these materials as soon as possible so that you can get the process going. English teachers in South Korea come on E2 Visas. Once you have an offer made to you things can move quite swiftly. Presumably you will be using a recruiter of some sort who will aid you in getting ready... But, here's a list of the things you will need to send to Korea once you have received a formal job offer:

*Your original degree or a notarized copy of your degree (if you aren't sure about the notarized copy of your degree contact your nearest Korean embassy)

*A copy of your university transcripts. You must ask you university to mail you a copy of your transcripts. It is vitally important that you do not open the envelope the transcripts arrive in. They must be sent to Korea in the sealed envelope from your university. You are usually charged for these in the U.S. & it is also common to ask that they are sealed & signed over the seal.

*Your current resume /CV

*Four passport photos

*A photocopy of the photo page of your passport

*Signed contract from the school

After you've sent this information to Korea, they will get back to you (about 10-14 days later) with your Visa Issuance Number which you must then use to obtain your visa.

*Visa Issuance Number from the Ministry of Justice in Korea

*Your Passport (You will want to make sure your passport will not be expiring anytime soon especially if you are considering traveling during/after your stay in Korea as many countries will not allow you to enter if your passport is to expire within six months.)

*Completed application form with one photograph affixed

*Visa Fee $45 / 27.50 pounds

Websites for Consulates / Visa application Forms:

U.S. http://www.dynamic-korea.com/consulate_service/visa.php

U.K. http://korea.embassyhomepage.com/

Aus. http://aus-act.mofat.go.kr/eng/as/aus-act/images/res/visakorean.pdf

Canada http://www.mofat.go.kr/english/visa/apply/index.jsp

~Vaccinations~

You do need vaccinations for South Korea. The specifics of which ones you require may change over time & depending on what you are already vaccinated against. Your best bet is to make an appointment with your doctor & discuss what you are planning to do. Often you will need to go to a doctor specifically for traveling abroad.

List of possible/probable vaccinations:
Hepatitis A
Diphtheria
Tuberculosis
Hepatitis B
Japanese B encephalitis (When I was getting mine, I was told this was not available in the U.S. currently)
Typhoid
Rabies
Poliomyelitis

To Bring... or Not to Bring

There is much discussion about the things you will need in Korea. And even further discussion about what you can and cannot buy once you are here. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but I will do my best based on my experiences and those of my friends. I will add to this as needed & if you strongly disagree with something I've put here (no you CANNOT get that or yes you CAN there is absolutely no need to bring it...) do comment. I welcome your help.

~Things to Bring~

*Extra passport photos. (About 6) You will need them for various forms/cards here.

*Some non-perishable food items that can help to lessen your initial homesickness (your favorite: tea, coffee, hot chocolate, type of candy or chocolate, snack food, gum, etc.)

*Postcards / Pictures from home are fun to share with co-teachers & students as well as having them for your own comfort. I would also suggest bringing a few favorite photos of family and friends for sharing / decorating your place.

*Stickers! Scratch & sniff or anything that's a little bit different (ones with eyes which move, fuzzy, etc.) will go a long way to impress your students. Kids love them & they are useful in rewards / discipline. (Note: These may not work as well with older students.)

*Decorations - It's nice to bring small things which can be used to decorate your place & make it feel more like home. Obviously the pictures/postcards from above will help. Also: magnets, cards, magazines, maps, posters. Some people also suggested small throws, picture frames. Look around the place you're living now & maybe pick a few meaningful items that won't take up a lot of room/weight in your suitcase.

*Sheets - I've had some people say to bring sheets & others have been frustrated to have brought them & find them so easily. It's up to you. I thought that the first night might be made a little easier / more comfortable & so I brought some older sheets in a vacuum-sealed bag (to take up less space), with plans to discard them when my time here was finished. I promise they have sheets in Korea. Will they be as comfortable as those from home? I can't say. Do you care?

E-Mart, (kind of like Walmart or ASDA) & HomePlus (Tesco) are two major places to find sheets, pillows & comforters. There are also many family run shops that are pretty easy to find.

I also brought my own pillow. I had read somewhere that this can be a very comforting thing when moving so far from home. I thought, why not? (As my boyfriend scowled.) But it has been quite a comfort to me, especially after my boyfriend went through 2 or 3 pillows & could never find one quite right. Again, this is an issue of preference not necessity.

*Plug converters - are essential if you bring anything electrical from home (laptop, straighteners, electric razor, ipod, etc.). You CAN buy them in Korea. We brought one & bought a second here as we found we needed it.

A note to those from the U.S.: Although you need to be able to plug something into the sockets here you do not have to worry about voltage as Korea's is the same as ours.

*Cooking utensils & Pyrex containers - were recommended for those of you who really like to cook. Things are available here but if you are particular about the quality of your cooking materials you might save yourself the frustration/trouble of looking here.

*Spices / seasonings - some can be harder to find here. It is possible to get quite a few things in Itaewon (foreigner's "district") but sometimes these are expensive. Many of my friends have had specific spices sent from home (taco seasoning, hot sauce, Lawry's, BBQ sauce, salad dressings).

If you have a question about a specific food item, don't hesitate to post it & we'll see what we can do about finding out whether its available here & whether or not its costly - I WISH I'd had the option to ask that before I came!

*Deodorant - It is available in Korea, though it can be expensive. There is also a limited variety, and if you prefer a specific brand I would suggest bringing some considering it doesn't take up much room. Again, I've seen quite a few kinds of Western deodorant in Itaewon but many seemed to have been there for a very long time...

*Makeup - They have makeup here. And a lot of it is inexpensive. Koreans prefer to whiten their faces as much as possible, so finding a bronzer or matching color for anything other than the lightest shades of skin color will prove difficult. (I bought some powder here & thought it was fine until I went to put it on a few days later & discovered it's purpose was to lighten your skintone!)

*Hair products - Korean hair does not differ much from person to person. It is thick & straight. Anything else and you're probably going to have trouble finding suitable products. A friend advised bringing some "If you have curly or bushy hair or you like certain products."

*Toothpaste / brushes - are also available in Korea. The biggest issue here is that Korean toothpaste's typically lack fluoride causing Westerner's problems after not having it for months. I would suggest either bringing your own toothpaste or looking carefully @ the toothpaste here before purchasing it. (Arm & Hammer is the one brand in particular we've found here with fluoride.)

*Birth Control - is available here & isn't terribly expensive either, but you probably won't have brand choices. I would try to bring what you can to save yourself the trouble at least in the first few months.

*Travel t.p. - I always carry a travel roll of toilet paper in my purse. Korean's don't seem to use it as often / mind as much when there isn't any. Overall I haven't had much trouble, but you never know. Often in public toilets the tp dispenser is outside the stalls so you must take some in with you. And for some reason every time I go to a place that only has squat toilets the tp seems to be kept outside the stalls. (Most public bathrooms have both types - some even have pictures on the doors.)

Target's travel section has $1 Charmin travel rolls that don't take up much space & have proved useful to me all over the world, not just in Korea.

*Clothing - Larger sizes can be harder to find. MyeongDong is a great shopping area in Seoul. Currently there is a Forever 21 & in March 2010 an H&M will also be opened making for some easier shopping. Brands stores like Adidas, The North Face, Nike, Puma, etc. are common.

*Shoes - Larger shoe sizes (especially for women) are also harder to come by. If your feet run large you might want to bring a good shoe supply with you.

~Don't Need to Worry About Bringing~

*Tampons - They are available here, though not in every store.

*Makeup remover sheets

*Nail polish/remover - it is ridiculously inexpensive here

*Razor blades

*Shave gel / cream - they typically do not have women's shave gels here but men's work just fine

~Easy to Find Brands~

*Aveeno, The Body Shop, Dove, Listerine, Herbal Essences, Clinique, Gilette

*Makeup shops: The Face Shop, Watsons, Olive & Young, Skin Food + more upmarket brands (like Mac) at GS Square & Other department stores.

Before You Go ~ Read Up

A selection of notes / advice for things to look into / check on / do BEFORE you get on the plane.

~Get Informed~

*Research Korea, the area you will be going to go & if possible, even your school. Try to become acquianted with things. The more knowledge you have, the more comfortable you should feel (both before you leave & when you initially arrive).

*Many hagwon (private school / academy) teachers I have asked for information from suggest not taking a chance on a private school as they can be too hit or miss. They also don't have government regulations meaning they can do more of what they wish. (Yet another reason to read your contract!) Then again, everyone's situation is different & I've heard of just as many people working for hagwon's enjoying their time as I've heard public school teachers being shafted.

I honestly think it can all be hit or miss but I wanted to include this as a point to consider.

*If you're coming with a partner you may want to consider working at different schools so that you aren't living together + working together.

~Helpful Reading~

These are listed with the newest publications first for relevance:

*Frommer's South Korea

By: Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee

Published: May 24th, 2010

*Moon: Living Abroad in South Korea

By: Jonathan Hopfner

Published: December 2009

*Moon South Korea

By: Robert Nilsen

Published: June 1, 2009

* Lonely Planet: Seoul City Guide

By: Martin Robinson & Jason Zahorchak

Published: June 1, 2009

*Rough Guides: Korea

Published: August 2008

*Culture Shock! Korea: A Survival Guide to Customs & Etiquette

By: Sonja Vegdahl & Ben Seunghwa Hur

Published: July 2008

*This is Korea: All You Ever Wanted to Know About Korea

By: Choi, Jungwha & Lim, Hyang-Ok

Published: 2007

*Lonely Planet Korea 7th Ed.

Published 2007

*An ESL Teacher's Handbook For South Korea: What the Recruiter Probably Never Told You

By: Professor Paul R. Friesen

Published: July 7, 2006

*Rough Guides: First Time Asia

Published: March 2006

*Korea: A Walk Through the Land of Miracles

By: Simon Winchester

Published: Orig. 1988 / New Preface 2004

*Korea Calling: The Essential Handbook for Teaching English and Living in South Korea

By: Allegra J. Specht & Jay W. Freeborne

Published: November 1996

Before You Leave ~ Contracts

*We were advised by our recruiter to try for a contract 'in Seoul or surrounding cities' as jobs in Seoul are 'harder to come by'. We've since discovered this isn't exactly true. If you're looking to live in Seoul / any specific city / place you should hold out for what you want. You may be happier in the end. One friend said not to live in the 'sticks' (i.e. outside of Seoul like we do) unless you are "really content with your own company." And he was right. It can be lonely sometimes, even if you know there are other foreigners in your area.

*Read your contract. Read your contract. Read your contract! Anything which sounds odd - ask about. You should be aware of what you're getting into and what rights you have (though not many as a foreigner in Korea, you do have some).
-Things like vacation: Currently, if you teach in a public school you are entitled to 20 vacation days whereas in private you usually get 10.
-Many people we know who were unaware of the details of their contracts were taken advantage of by their schools. Koreans typically work long hours & Saturdays; they also do as their superiors ask almost without question. That is their way. If your contract says you will be working OT you should ask for specifics: when? How much? Make sure you are compensated accordingly and that the answers you receive are clear. Ask about your role in the school? What is it? What kind of teaching will you be doing?
My partner & I were told we would be working OT & would be given extra money for this OT. We never thought to ask how much OT we would be working. Most teachers taught about 20 lessons a week - we ended up teaching 30 + another 10 in our after school program. It was a lot to take on without any teaching experience and when first moving here.

*We are in Gyeonggi province, so public school contracts here are through GEPIK. They are currently in the process of changing these contracts & their guidelines. It is easy to find information on the web about what is typical of a contract in Korea.
We initially received a standard GEPIK contract but were then given a modified version (and once we arrived we actually were made to sign a THIRD contract). The contract changes ended up negatively affecting us later on. We should have read the new contracts & compared them to the originals. Also, we attempted multiple times through phone and email to make contact with GEPIK representatives supposedly there to help us and we never heard a thing. Reading your contract could help you to avoid situations like these.

*Get an answer from your recruiter / school before you come as to what type of teacher you will be. There seem to be two types of teachers at public schools; the 'regular' teachers, who typically work from a book and the teachers in 'centers' (which are more a combination of hagwon and public school programs). Center teachers maybe have to create their own curriculum.
Our program is one of three flagship centers of its type in the Namyangju area of Gyeonggi Province. We are somewhere between an English Village, a hagwon or academy and the regular public school program. We do not teach from books & instead create our curriculum, incorporating games, virtual reality skits, PowerPoint slide shows on English-speaking countries, storybooks, arts & crafts etc.

*When you have your phone interview try to ask questions. If you come up with more questions after - try to get them answered. Most people we have met and talked to agreed that your school can set the tone for your stay. Do your best to ensure it will be a happy one!

~Typical Contract Provisions~

Working hours: Public schools typically have you working 8 hour days but teaching only a portion of those.

Working days: Monday - Friday (It isn't standard to work on Saturdays. Check to be sure before you sign a contract, especially if you would prefer not to work Saturdays.)

Payment: 1.9-2.0 million won is standard for a first time teacher in Korea.

Overtime: The standard range for overtime pay is 15,000 -20,000 won. The vast majority of schools offer 18,000 won.

Class size: 10-12 students per class is standard. This can change drastically depending on the type of teaching you're doing and how your school/center is set up.

Housing: Single accommodation (fully-furnished) Most housing these days in single studio apartments, usually much smaller than what Westerners are used to. Some are shared apartments (with other teachers from your school). Accommodation is paid for by the school. Teachers are responsible for payment of utility bills. Up until now, couples traveling together to Korea have been able to live together (and are usually given 2 bedroom apartments). GEPIK is supposed to be changing their contracts so that if you are not a married couple, you cannot live together.

Severance: Equal to 1 month's salary. You will be paid an extra month’s wages on completion of the 12 month contract. This is a legal requirement.

Vacation: Paid 20 days (public) + National holidays / Paid 10 days (private/hagwon) + National holidays. There are 10-15 national holidays per year.

Health Insurance: 50% of your health insurance premium is deducted from your monthly salary. The other half is paid by the school.

Airfare: Airfare is usually paid for in advance by the school. In some cases though the school may ask you to pay for the flight and reimburse you on arrival. Keep your receipts as proof.

Advice for Those who Come After

Moving to a new country can be difficult. Arming yourself with as much information as possible can make that transition smoother. This blog aims to give newcomers some helpful information about coming to South Korea & getting orientated after arriving (specifically, much of the information which was not available to me when I came in June of 2009). Hopefully it will make moving across the globe a little bit easier.
Most items will be more relevant to those living in/around Seoul. (I live about 40 minutes Northeast of Seoul in Gyeonggi provence.)
I asked many friends and fellow ESL teachers for advice about the types of information they thought I should share in this blog. The one response I got over and over was for people to try and gather as much information as possible about Korea's culture and customs before coming. If you've never been to Asia, it will be an adjustment. And if you resist accepting the differences here, even long after your arrival, it will make your year-long stay here much harder.

If you believe something is missing, please don't hesitate to post it as a comment or send me a message. The same goes for mis-information; please let me know if you feel I've got it wrong. Over time this information will probably fall out of date, but I will do my best to keep updating it for as long as possible!