| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
xingyiman
Joined: 12 Jan 2006
|
 Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 3:39 pm Post subject: The Pohang thread |
 |
|
| I would like to know how people currently posting on the boards live or have lived in Pohang? I logged my 1.5 years there and had many experiences both good and bad. Pohang is generally regarded as a hole in terms of livibility and I generally would agree with you on that count. I am just curious as to some of the more unique experiences anyone has had there with the locals or the expats. The expat teachers I knew that worked there were a bit more colorful in behavior and lifestyle than those I met from other places. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
ultra
Joined: 09 Nov 2007
Location: Book Han Gook Land Of Opportunity
|
| Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 4:34 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| It seems that the leading industry in Pohang is hostess bars. What's up with that? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
bluelake
Joined: 01 Dec 2005
|
| Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 4:49 pm Post subject: Re: The Pohang thread |
|
|
| xingyiman wrote: |
| I would like to know how people currently posting on the boards live or have lived in Pohang? I logged my 1.5 years there and had many experiences both good and bad. Pohang is generally regarded as a hole in terms of livibility and I generally would agree with you on that count. I am just curious as to some of the more unique experiences anyone has had there with the locals or the expats. The expat teachers I knew that worked there were a bit more colorful in behavior and lifestyle than those I met from other places. |
I live in Pohang (closer to Heunghae, really). I live in a relatively isolated area by choice; I love the peace and serenity in this area. If I want "big city" life for any reason (rare), it's only an hour to Taegu and not much more to Pusan. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
whatthefunk
Joined: 21 Apr 2003
Location: Dont have a clue
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
lisa3
Joined: 08 Feb 2008
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 1:40 pm Post subject: Anyone know a good preschool in Pohang? |
|
|
My husband and I have the chance to work in Pohang for a year and I was wondering if anyone could recommend a good preschool for our kids (5&4) or to warn me which ones to stay away from. We are hoping to find one that does a fair amount of its instruction in English so that the adjustment is not so hard for the kids.
Also, is it easy to buy Western style groceries in Pohang (like pasta, cheese etc.. ) and if so where.
Thanks for any information! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
fancypants
Joined: 22 May 2005
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 3:41 pm Post subject: |
|
|
A Korean friend invited me to go to Pohang with her once to visit her BF. I really liked it there! It seemed like a quiet seaside town.
They took me to a sul jip that I will never forget. The owner used to put on his diving gear every day, walk into the sea and meditate on the sea floor. He was so cool! The walls of his place were covered with stuff he had found in the sea.
Can't remember the name of the place but if you ever go to Pohang, ask around and you might find it. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
xingyiman
Joined: 12 Jan 2006
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 6:27 pm Post subject: Re: Anyone know a good preschool in Pohang? |
|
|
| lisa3 wrote: |
My husband and I have the chance to work in Pohang for a year and I was wondering if anyone could recommend a good preschool for our kids (5&4) or to warn me which ones to stay away from. We are hoping to find one that does a fair amount of its instruction in English so that the adjustment is not so hard for the kids.
Also, is it easy to buy Western style groceries in Pohang (like pasta, cheese etc.. ) and if so where.
Thanks for any information! |
Not sure about the preschool. But there is/was a Homeplus store downtown that sells western stuff. As I recall the 150, 300, 200, 100 busses pass near there on their way downtown. The best thing would be to get a membership at Costco and go to Daegu every month and stock up. Used to be a Wal Mart supercenter in Yi Dong but Emart bought them all out and now they suck just like all Emarts. Some advice....shop only at Emart and like places for the things that you can ONLY buy there. Emart is sky high. They sell cooking skillets for around 40,000 Won and you can buy them at the mom and pop stores for 8,000 Won. There are two Emarts one in Yi - Dong and the other in Chong Nim/Ocheon at the back of POSCO. They carry some western things but predominately its for the Koreans. Also be wary of clothing stores. I have seen things in shops in the trendy downtown stores for 100,000 Won and then the exact same items down at the Jukdo market for 15,000 Won. I'm not sure how familiar with K culture you are at the moment but Koreans have a fixation with shopping at the highest priced stores in town (Lotte) even when the exact same stuff is being sold by a street vendor for pennies on the Won.
Pohang is a good, quiet community where you can find peace of mind, but after a year you will be ready for something else. There are lots of opportunities for recreation there but you will definitely want to learn as much Korean as you can because nobody speaks English very fluently. This can be especially difficult should you or members of your family need to go to the doctor for anything other than the common cold.
Specialists tend a make quick once over of you, make a guess at whats wrong and then hope you don't come back again.
There is an English speaking church service downtown at the Bukbu Presbyterian Church. Not sure if you are into church going but its a place where lots of foreigners and the better English speaking Koreans congregate. They're a pretty friendly group also.
There are also a couple of English clubs (basic, advanced) that meet in a couple of downtown restuarants once a week.
There's some really awesome restaurants there, too many to list here but one in particular is east of Ocheon right overlooking the bay. Its a nice place but I forgot the name. If you head out toward Sunrise plaza you'll see it.
Over in Yi dong there are lots of western style clubs if you want a night out without the kids. Lots of foreign teachers live there and you'll innevitebly see them if you go.
In summation, there's tons of stuff to do in Pohang other than the drinking and carousing (which isn't all that great) but you'll have to find these things yourself. In the end as one poster said, it's unlikely that you'll foget your Pohang experience. Whether in a good or bad way, the place definitely makes its impression on you. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
thegadfly
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 9:23 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I'm the fellow that originally started the "Life in Pohang" thread, because I was considering a job offer. I took the job, and have been at the same school for 4+ years. I lived in Apkujeong and Mokdong in Seoul, prior to living here, and I actually like Pohang a lot better. Of course, I am not a bar-hopper, and I prefer peace-and-quiet to a place to drink until 7am every day of the week.
There are pros and cons to any area, and honestly, the fact that I like my school and apartment quite a bit probably make Pohang seem like a nice place to live. If I hated my job or my apartment, or both, it would seem like a hole -- but then, you can be bounded in a nutshell and count yourself lord of infinite space, were it not for the bad dreams....
Anyway, I like Pohang -- cheaper than Seoul in most things, quiet enough and nature is close enough to give some rest, decent food and not as many of the "backpacker" types in the expat community here as in Seoul -- a mix of things I prefer at the moment. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
aussieb
Joined: 08 Sep 2007
Location: Brisbane,Australia
|
| Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:17 am Post subject: |
|
|
| If I ever get to Pohang, I would like to visit Bluelake's fantastic looking Hanok. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
lisa3
Joined: 08 Feb 2008
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:50 pm Post subject: Any idea of crime rate in Pohang? |
|
|
| Does anyone know what the crime rate is like in Pohang? A friend who taught at a small city in Korea about 7 years ago told me his apartment was broken into shortly after he moved there and he know of an American woman who was attacked. He said he and his friends were under the impression that foreigners were "cased" when they first moved there and seemed more likely to be victims of burglary. Has anyone else gotten that impression or is it just that he was targeted which might have affected his view? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
nateium
Joined: 21 Aug 2006
Location: Seoul
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:53 pm Post subject: |
|
|
That's an amazing photo! I lived there for a year, and never once saw the beach looking that nice! The huge industral complex is just a hair to the left  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
xingyiman
Joined: 12 Jan 2006
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2008 10:15 pm Post subject: Re: Any idea of crime rate in Pohang? |
|
|
| lisa3 wrote: |
| Does anyone know what the crime rate is like in Pohang? A friend who taught at a small city in Korea about 7 years ago told me his apartment was broken into shortly after he moved there and he know of an American woman who was attacked. He said he and his friends were under the impression that foreigners were "cased" when they first moved there and seemed more likely to be victims of burglary. Has anyone else gotten that impression or is it just that he was targeted which might have affected his view? |
I had a bike stolen while I was there but nothing else. As far as being attacked by Koreans I never heard of anything like that happening. Things are pretty low key there. I think that lots o people who let delivery guys in and have like all their belongings (2 laptops, electronics, etc...) for all to see are in the most danger of getting burgalrized. There was a guy at my Takgeyon school who was pilfering money off people but the sheet hit the fan when the instructor found out it was him. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Yaya
Joined: 25 Feb 2003
Location: Seoul
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2008 10:46 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Pohang is the hometown of President Lee Myung-bak. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
thegadfly
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
|
| Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2008 11:43 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I have to admit its getting better-- the new Homever/CGV theater complex/building/whatever has some decent little restaurants in it, is across from the bus station, and Ashley's on the 3rd floor has pretty good "salad bar" with fried chicken and fried shrimp, as well actual cheesecake on the desert bar. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
