Job Discussion Forums

pest2 · Joined: 28 Oct 2006 Posts: 170

Hi, I am about to finish working in Korea (yea!!!). Immediately after that, I'm going to Australia with my fiance for a month or so. Then, we plan, after officially getting married in Australia, to move to Taiwan for a year or so to work.

So, I want to see if there's a way I can ship my stuff from Korea directly to Taiwan rather than shipping it from Korea to Australia and then Australia to Taiwan... obviously this is because of the exhorbanent costs of shipping anything to and from Australia and because of delivery time.

The problem is that we were planning on waiting until after we get to TW to solidify jobs... and in any event, we wont be working until a few months from now.

Is there any service or way to ship our stuff from Korea directly to TW?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

773 · Joined: 29 May 2005 Posts: 213

I have never heard of any service that could help you with what you need...but I was thinking, maybe you could have a friend in Korea ship your things to you after you are settled in Taiwan (assuming you aren't shipping a whole housefull of goods)? You could have your boxes weighed and priced up in Korea, then leave a friend with the boxes and money needed to ship them.

Yikes, shipping from Australia is EXPENSIVE...I sent two boxes from there to the UAE about 3 months ago and they still haven't arrived, and it cost me AUS$300 to ship them BY SEA. Nightmare! It would be a great idea to avoid shipping stuff to and from Aus if you can!

pest2 · Joined: 28 Oct 2006 Posts: 170

BJ · Joined: 03 Dec 2003 Posts: 173

Three months is about right. I sent 4 boxes to england some 10 years ago, they took 3 to 4 months to arrive. 2 turned up after 3 months one after 4 the other never arrived.
The post office, whilst comaparatively cheap, is always loosing my pacels, boxes so a lesson is to register everything:)

If still in korea seal the boxes well, number 1 to 3 etc and register them. custom slips on the outside detailing content.

pest2 · Joined: 28 Oct 2006 Posts: 170

someone could make money going into business as a 'box holder' for people who move from one country to the next and dont have an address yet... it seems like alot of people who go to Taiwan dont necessarily have an apartment or job lined up before they get there.

MomCat · Joined: 02 Dec 2004 Posts: 297

pest2,

I shipped boxes home and back for three summers and can sympathize with the hassle and expense. You're welcome to ship them to me but I'm probably not in a city where you want to end up. (Hsinchu).

Cat

SandyG20 · Joined: 12 Sep 2007 Posts: 208

Jumping in here too - I plan to be in Taiwan - next fall - I know the 2 suitcases and carryon won't be enough (read enough to know clothing and shoes will be hard to come by in my size) and of course I might want some care packages sent over. So what is the cheapest service to use - US Post Office, Fed Ex and the cheapest way to go? I live in a very small no where kind of town in the USA right now - so not many places to choose from. I am not a clothes horse - but still I know that luggage won't be enough - especially if I want to bring over some teaching materials and extras for fun and comfort (CDs, books, ect.).

MomCat · Joined: 02 Dec 2004 Posts: 297

SandyG20,

The USPS has recently stopped surface shipping, so everything goes airmail. A 12pound box will cost about $70. (DHL is about $150, FedEx a little more.) In otherwords, there is no more cheap shipping.

If you're flying a non-US carrier (China Air, EVA, Singapore Air) you're allowed more weight per bag on the International flight than with a US carrier (Delta, United).

A couple of years ago I shipped over a bag of books Media Mail but I'm afraid the Post Office has stopped that service too.

Good luck,
Cat

pest2 · Joined: 28 Oct 2006 Posts: 170