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MUOhio82
Joined: 25 Apr 2008
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 Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 10:13 am Post subject: Gwangju - Arriving in 7 weeks |
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Hey everyone, I'm pretty new to this whole posting thing, but figured it might be a good way to meet some people. I'm European raised, but living in Ohio for the past 10 years, and heading over to Gwanju mid June...
I've heard everything from "bring your own toothpaste" to "can you bring ME some toothpaste" (that was from a Canadian, lol) but overall I'm not really sure what to expect. I have a generally very open mind and I love trying new things and meeting people. As a 6 foot blond I've been told I'm going to get stared at, so I'm assuming I'll just stare right back.
Anyhow, I digress.... has anyone been or IS anyone around the Gwangju area? I think it'd be nice if I at least could start to correspond with some people before I come over.... anyone that has any advice or tips or anything, that'd be great as well.
Thanks!  |
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OiGirl
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: Hoke-y-gun
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| Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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Which Gwangju are you coming to?
The big city in the south?
The smaller city in Gyeonggi province in the north? |
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MUOhio82
Joined: 25 Apr 2008
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| Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 5:00 pm Post subject: |
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| That would be the city in the South.... at the end of June |
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bogey666
Joined: 17 Mar 2008
Location: Korea, the ass free zone
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| Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 6:15 pm Post subject: Re: Gwangju - Arriving in 7 weeks |
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| MUOhio82 wrote: |
Hey everyone, I'm pretty new to this whole posting thing, but figured it might be a good way to meet some people. I'm European raised, but living in Ohio for the past 10 years, and heading over to Gwanju mid June...
I've heard everything from "bring your own toothpaste" to "can you bring ME some toothpaste" (that was from a Canadian, lol) but overall I'm not really sure what to expect. I have a generally very open mind and I love trying new things and meeting people. As a 6 foot blond I've been told I'm going to get stared at, so I'm assuming I'll just stare right back.
Anyhow, I digress.... has anyone been or IS anyone around the Gwangju area? I think it'd be nice if I at least could start to correspond with some people before I come over.... anyone that has any advice or tips or anything, that'd be great as well.
Thanks! |
I'm an almost (5'11 maybe change) 6 ft blonde and nobody stared at me at all walking around town the other day.
I was almost disappointed not being stared at.
instead of staring right back.. enjoy the attention while you're still able to get it.... stares for 6 ft blondes tend to be of the "positive" variety. |
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ds_fan
Joined: 07 Apr 2008
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| Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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hi,
Im in Gwangju at the mo. Wouldnt worry about being 6ft blonde, if your white then they will stare at you anyway. plus ill stare at you too.
As for toothpaste, its available here, though rather expensive, best to bring maybe 2 tubes. Anti perserant is also available, but seriously expensive and pritty rare, bring about 3-4 tins.
Gwangju is nice enough, it all depends on your school, boss etc. Where abouts are you going to live? What school? Which recruiter?
There are plenty of english speakers here, though you only see them at weekends in the foreigner bar, which is a decent place with friendly enough people.
Any other questions or worries get in contact. |
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GoldMember
Joined: 24 Oct 2006
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| Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 5:01 am Post subject: |
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I'm running a pool on how long it will be before the lovely 6ft blonde from Ohio gets ripped off. No health Insurance (watch out for those fires), lousy apartment, extra work with no pay.
If you want in PM me!
Hope you negotiated at least 2.8 to work out in the sticks. |
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krats1976
Joined: 14 May 2003
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| Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 7:51 am Post subject: |
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| GoldMember wrote: |
I'm running a pool on how long it will be before the lovely 6ft blonde from Ohio gets ripped off. No health Insurance (watch out for those fires), lousy apartment, extra work with no pay.
If you want in PM me!
Hope you negotiated at least 2.8 to work out in the sticks. |
Gwangju is hardly "the sticks."
I lived there for 3 years and enjoyed it. It has all the shopping you need (you can find just about everything at HomePlus or E-Mart).
The bus system gets you just about anywhere you need to go pretty efficiently and if you get bored, it's pretty simple to catch a train or bus to Seoul for the weekend.
As for what to bring, if I were going back I'd bring:
* clothes for 4 seasons (I'm not tall, but definitely not Korean-sized!)
* good walking/standing shoes
* a laptop
* taco seasoning
* my George Foreman grill
* a Costco membership (the closest one is Daejeon, but it's right next to the train station...)
Anything else, I could pretty much find there. |
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MUOhio82
Joined: 25 Apr 2008
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| Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 9:31 am Post subject: |
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Gold member, count me in on that pool, lol. We'll see how long I last, I'm pretty hardy though so I doubt it'll be too bad.
ds_fan, I have no idea the exact whereabouts of the school, but it's Canadian run, and all the teachers I've emailed have said nothing but good things, the apartment building is new, so I can only hope for the best and try to pack my clothes very tightly rolled for all that deodorant I'm apparently bringing over.
krats, a COSTCO?! Of all things in Korea, that is the LAST thing I would expect to find, lol....
I'd love to hear some more from everyone, feel free to message me, any info I can get it great... |
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kingplaya4
Joined: 14 May 2006
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| Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 12:31 pm Post subject: |
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| Korea is hardly Shangri-la but you can find virtually anything here, no need to bring toothpaste, its not very expensive. Clothes if you're big yes, particularly if you're wide, no Koreans aren't all skinny, but the clothing makers here still seem to think so. Also, buy any electronics you'll want anytime soon, suprisingly Korean products back home are cheaper than they are here. |
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UberJRI
Joined: 22 Apr 2008
Location: Not where I want to be...yet
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| Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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| MUOhio82 wrote: |
Gold member, count me in on that pool, lol. We'll see how long I last, I'm pretty hardy though so I doubt it'll be too bad.
ds_fan, I have no idea the exact whereabouts of the school, but it's Canadian run, and all the teachers I've emailed have said nothing but good things, the apartment building is new, so I can only hope for the best and try to pack my clothes very tightly rolled for all that deodorant I'm apparently bringing over.
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Would this school happen to be called You and I English? If so, I'll be going there in August, and I'm also curious. If it's the same school, I've heard some good things as well from the other previous and current teachers. |
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mdspeakeasy
Joined: 31 May 2006
Location: Gwangju
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| Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 9:30 pm Post subject: |
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I'm one of the partners in the foreigner bar in Gwangju - Speakeasy.
I love Gwangju - Been here 5 years and still having fun.
This thread is going in the right direction.
Gwangju is NOT the sticks it has everything you need - it's a city of 1.5 million people.
There's a thriving foreigner community with lots of great activities - sports clubs, a local foreigner published magazine, oranized orphanage visits, lots of musicians to jam with, etc.
If you are going to work at You and I there are two of them and I've known lots of teachers from both schools and no one that I know has ever quit or gotten stiffed for money. Both owners are Canadian and decent guys. You're safe.
If you read this - drop by Speakeasy and have a welcome to Gwangju beer on on me.
Dave |
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krats1976
Joined: 14 May 2003
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| Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 5:23 pm Post subject: |
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| MUOhio82 wrote: |
| krats, a COSTCO?! Of all things in Korea, that is the LAST thing I would expect to find, lol.... |
LOL Yeah. I remember seeing a Costco sign as I was driven from the airport to my apartment when I first arrived in Korea. For the first few months I was there, I figured I must have just been really jet lagged & was seeing things. LOL
Turns out, there are five: 3 in Seoul, one in Daegu and one in Daejeon (next door to Seodaejeon station on the rail line from Gwangju to Seoul).
It was the best source of Amerian cheese (which is now available at HomePlus & other big markets), and cleaners. Korean laundry detergents irritated my skin, so I got the Costco-sized Tide or All which would last me for months.
I had a car, so I'd head up to Daejeon once every few months or so & pick up cheese, cleaners, cereal (Honey-Nut Cheerios & granola), & ground beef (much cheaper than other stores). I loved Costco!
| UberJRI wrote: |
| Would this school happen to be called You and I English? If so, I'll be going there in August, and I'm also curious. If it's the same school, I've heard some good things as well from the other previous and current teachers. |
Used to sub at You & I... decent place and the owners are trustworthy. I got annoyed with their methodology, but otherwise it was OK. Their full-time employees seemed to be reasonably pleased with their set-up. |
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RokofKangnam
Joined: 20 Sep 2005
Location: Between a ROK and a Hard Place
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| Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 5:51 pm Post subject: |
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| mdspeakeasy wrote: |
If you read this - drop by Speakeasy and have a welcome to Gwangju beer on on me.
Dave |
Heck, is this offer for anyone ?  |
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MUOhio82
Joined: 25 Apr 2008
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| Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 6:47 am Post subject: |
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Yes, UBR it actually is UNI, so looks like we'll be working together
As for buying stuff in Korea, I live outside in a kayak most of the summer, so running water is a plus for me, haha.
Dave, I'll most likely take you up on that offer, someone did tell me that if I like hockey crazy Canadians I'll have a great time, which incidentally I do.... do people actually PLAY hockey over there, I'd love to get in on that.
I also have heard nothing but good things about the school and I'm pretty excited to start. I'm fairly outgoing, love meeting new people, and anything outdoors I'm down for. Now.... if only I could bring my bike without having to pay some insane fee to ship it over... I guess I'll just suck it up and buy a new one....
So the foreigner community is pretty friendly overall? |
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UberJRI
Joined: 22 Apr 2008
Location: Not where I want to be...yet
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| Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 7:58 am Post subject: |
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| mdspeakeasy wrote: |
If you read this - drop by Speakeasy and have a welcome to Gwangju beer on on me.
Dave |
I'll have to take you up on that offer! |
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