Korean Job Discussion Forums

[spirit2110]

I just moved to South Korea and have started the settling in process. Just curious: How long before you started visiting other parts of SK and began exploring in general? The first month, sooner, later?

Since I am outside of the larger cities (reside in a smaller coastal town), access to some destinations is a bit harder to come by/more expensive so I feel it may take a bit more planning. But, I don't want to rush into anything before I become accustomed to where I actually live. Typically, do you find that people start heading off for weekends away fairly soon after arriving here?

[sojourner1]

I didn't go anywhere in my first 4 months since I didn't know anything, had no one inviting me to go do things, and didn't understand what the heck was going on. It was bleak, dark, cold, I didn't have much money, and I was under a lot of stress so I didn't go much, but just hunkered down in the apartment reading on the Internet every night. When Spring arrived, I found that mountain trail hiking and Buddhist temples are the real sights to experience, not so much the cities though the amount of neon and strobe lights is incredible. Korea really is a beautiful country when you find a sunny day outside of the city.

That LP book helped me to get out as well as asking where my local bus terminal and train station are located. Ask questions to those you know who have been here awhile. I then learned how to read some Hangul and went places since you won't see English lettering in most bus terminals and train stations outside of Seoul so you do have to pay attention what you're looking at and asking for. Pronunciation is very important if you don't have written in Hangul what is you seek.

I got here in the dead of Winter in January and that probably had something to do with why I didn't try to go places until April. Have a good time in Korea.

[Atavistic]

This is a weird question, OP. Venture out when you want to, don't worry about what other people are doing.

[chris_J2]

I arrived in Korea in May 2006, & headed off for a trip to Busan in June 06 via KTX from Seoul. In August, I headed off to Japan, & returned along the east coast of Korea through Gyeongju, & up to Sokcho to see Soraksan. Chuseok in October, back to Soraksan & Hwajinpo Beach & the North Korean Border.

[jlb]

Yeah, I don't really understand why you're asking this. If you want to go somewhere, then go. There's no rule. It's your experience. As long-distance hikers say: "Hike your own hike."

[littlelisa]

Agreed with the others that you should do your own thing. If it's just out of curiosity, for me it was less than two weeks. I came about a week and a half before Chuseok, so during that time I went to go visit a friend in Mokpo. I took a little longer break too, cause I wasn't working yet (was on a tourist visa). A week after that, I went to Japan on my visa run. I was there for three days.

I haven't really traveled since, unless you count a day trip hiking, but next weekend I'm going down to Daegu with some Korean friends.

[VanIslander]

Interesting question!

I arrived in a December and started travelling outside the rural area (bridged island of Geoje) I was in during the summertime, seven months later. Gyeongju's historical sites, Jindo island's dogs and walking on water phenomenon, the southern coast's many islands and beaches. I was hooked!

In the wintertime I hit museums, shopping, restaurants and the like in areas of Busan, Seoul, Gwangju, a bit of Daegu, though I never made it to Daejon, nor anywhere in Gyonggido, always zipping through that metro-satellite province into and out of the capital once in a while.

I most travelled in my fourth year here (last year) when I took a job on the mainland that's Mon-Thu to allow for 3-day weekend jaunts anywhere I want in the country, and on those weekends, especially during the warm half of the year from April thru October, I went to all those places I hadn't been to before then: Jeju Island for its beaches and coastal sights, Bogildo for its ancient poetry on rock and camping, Ulleungdo off the east coast for its different scenery and charm, Chuncheon for its dukalbi and puppet festival, plenty of Gangwondo beaches and hikes I simply couldn't do on a 2-day weekend but seemed to have just the right amount of time to travel-and-do in three day trips.

I am at the point where I feel like I have seen enough not to have any regrets about leaving, though the beauty and surprises keep coming, and i write this post at 3 am saturday morning because I am off this weekend on another journey. I have to date travelled via buses and trains for the most part (and trips with Korean friends and adult students in their cars) and have found those methods satisfying, but the list of to-do places that are a bit too inconvenient to reach without a car has grown to where I am contemplating getting a car for a couple month blitz mega travel vacation around the country next spring/summer before heading back to my home country for good, after five pretty good years here. I have been to Japan six times and to New Zealand for a month but otherwise have chosen to get to know South Korea, the uber opposite of Seoulite expats who stay in the metropolis here and jet off to other asian destinations whenever they can. Different strokes, different folks.

[jlb]

Some advice: don't go crazy all at once. That's what I did when I first got here and I was so tired all the time I think from never resting on weekends. And now, I feel like I've seen everything (which perhaps I have 2.5 years later) so find it hard to get any motivation to leave my house almost. Moderation!

[spirit2110]

Thank you to those who shared their experiences. I don't know what is so weird about seeing what it was like for others when they first arrived here - did they venture out right away or take their time with things?

Obviously, I will start whenever I get the chance to - I am not asking so I can base any and all of my future plans on someone else's. Just using the forum to hear others' thoughts on this.

jlb - Yes, I feel the same way. I think I may start feeling anxious and go out and see everything too soon when I should be pacing myself. I am planning to stay for the year, so there should be no rush.

VanIslander - Wow. I do hope to see so much and I like the idea of feeling satisfied when I finally do leave if I took advantage of all there is to see here.

[bucheon bum]

Arrived at the beginning of June Besides a couple day trips w/in the province (gangwon-do), I didn't go anywhere until early August, when I went to Seoul, then Gyeongju. From that point on, I'd go somewhere once or twice a month.