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Lnngo88
Joined: 25 Apr 2011 Location: TX, USA
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:45 am Post subject: How to Prepare for Korea? |
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I'm about to leave in 3 weeks. So now the reality of of me leaving is kicking in. I kinda mentality prepared myself for it, but it was never anything that I worried too much about since all the paperworks took their sweet time to process, and I was prepared for the school to drop their offer. Now, everything is done, I'm just waiting to get my E2 visa and for the school to book my flight.
How did you guys (first time teachers) prepare yourself to live abroad? And to teach for the first time? Are there any support group for foreign teachers online that aims at the city that they work in? I tried to look for groups on Facebook, and they're either just recruiting for teachers or dead. |
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refugee
Joined: 17 Jun 2011
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 6:24 am Post subject: |
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I'm in the same boat as you. Just waiting for my Visa now. If it makes you feel any better I'm not worried in the slightest
I feel like I should be at least a bit nervous though. I think either it hasn't sunk in yet or I'm an emotionless husk of a person.
Where are you moving to and from? My advice, which doesn't really count for much because I'm not there yet, would be to not party too much when you 1st get there. Find your feet teaching and whatnot first then once you think you're doing OK go mental!!! |
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Lnngo88
Joined: 25 Apr 2011 Location: TX, USA
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 8:06 am Post subject: |
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refugee wrote: |
I'm in the same boat as you. Just waiting for my Visa now. If it makes you feel any better I'm not worried in the slightest
I feel like I should be at least a bit nervous though. I think either it hasn't sunk in yet or I'm an emotionless husk of a person.
Where are you moving to and from? My advice, which doesn't really count for much because I'm not there yet, would be to not party too much when you 1st get there. Find your feet teaching and whatnot first then once you think you're doing OK go mental!!! |
You know what, that's exactly how I felt last week when people keep asking me how do I feel about going. I just said, I'm not worried, because I don't know what to expect to be worried.
But now, it's like, will I make friends? How do i get around? What if I get lost, and not know my way back? How can I read signs, and ect.?
I'll be teaching at ECC school in Daejon. Luckily, I know one person in Korea (he was a foreign exchange in my highschool), so hopefully, he can show me around and help me make friends.
Where are you going and when? |
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CarolinaTHeels
Joined: 07 Apr 2011
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 8:08 am Post subject: |
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After getting your documents apostilled and signing a contract do you guys have to actually go to the Korean embassy or consulate for the visa or can the school do all that through mail and what not? |
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Lnngo88
Joined: 25 Apr 2011 Location: TX, USA
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 8:59 am Post subject: |
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CarolinaTHeels wrote: |
After getting your documents apostilled and signing a contract do you guys have to actually go to the Korean embassy or consulate for the visa or can the school do all that through mail and what not? |
I sent my documents to the school and they take that to the Immigration office to obtain my Visa for me. At least that's what I've been informed by my recruiter last night (the school just received by docs). |
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marsavalanche

Joined: 27 Aug 2010 Location: where pretty lies perish
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 10:13 am Post subject: |
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bring lots of big towels, pillows, voltage converters, razors, pasta sauce, peanut butter, and english books
also be sure to bring an extra bag to keep these things in
you wont find any of those in korea
source: ive been here in seoul 6 years
Last edited by marsavalanche on Tue Jul 12, 2011 10:16 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Mike in TN
Joined: 16 Apr 2011
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 10:15 am Post subject: |
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CarolinaTHeels wrote: |
After getting your documents apostilled and signing a contract do you guys have to actually go to the Korean embassy or consulate for the visa or can the school do all that through mail and what not? |
The embassy in Atlanta allows mailing the documents for an E-2. They stated that change should be effective at all the Korean consulates in the U.S.
I sent my info off a week ago. |
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Colorado
Joined: 18 Jan 2006 Location: Public School with too much time on my hands.
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 3:53 pm Post subject: |
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marsavalanche wrote: |
bring lots of big towels, pillows, voltage converters, razors, pasta sauce, peanut butter, and english books
also be sure to bring an extra bag to keep these things in
you wont find any of those in korea
source: ive been here in seoul 6 years |
Really? Six years eh, and you still haven't found the peanut butter? Which part of Seoul are you in?
All of the above are readily available in Korea. |
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420trader
Joined: 22 May 2011
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 3:58 pm Post subject: |
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Ramen wrote: |
i brought a tube of ky jelly. fortunately, i never had to use it.  |
Why fortunate? A nice lil Korean girl and a fun detour is great with a lot of KY!
As for the other guy, yeah, all of those items can be found in Korea. |
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nathanrutledge
Joined: 01 May 2008 Location: Marakesh
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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You should smoke a fat bowl and relax. The closer to take off date, the better.
There is a thread around here by Skippy, about the stupid questions people ask on here, and sir, your question is stupid.
Why? Because every single person who has ever come to Korea has felt the same way you feel right now. And most of them have posted threads on here about it. Most of those threads have dozens of answers.
You're going to be fine. Korea is like America except with more Asians and less space. You're going to get off the plane and the airport is going to be just like the one you left (probably better, it IS ranked as the best in the world). You're not going to notice the cultural stuff right away (America is a low context culture - i.e., we're very dense) and by the time you DO start to notice the cultural stuff, you'll have been here a few weeks.
Seriously, calm down (to be fair, your post is calmer than most), enjoy the last few weeks with friends and family (none of them will come to visit, despite their promises to), and remember, you are not the first person to do this, nor will you be the last.
And for the love of god and all that is holy, read the other threads on the board that answer your EXACT question. They are scattered about here like Asians in Korea. |
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Modernist
Joined: 23 Mar 2011 Location: The 90s
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:12 pm Post subject: |
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How do i get around? What if I get lost, and not know my way back? How can I read signs, and ect.? |
You WILL get lost. Just have to prepare for that. Korean cities are frankly a mess from a planning standpoint. They basically don't use street numbers or signs, the street names are very confusing at first, and there is nothing like a clear grid. Instead there are meandering little streets that could be alleys, or not. There are huge 6 lane roads that deadend for no clear reason. There are businesses EVERYWHERE and it is difficult to identify them, unless they are one of the huge chains. There are rarely tall buildings to use as landmarks, and the mountains will all look the same at first.
I have excellent navigation skills and and I have been almost totally lost 3 times since I've been here. If you get lost, your fallback is the taxi. They are all around and even though they rarely speak English, they know 'Korail.' That will get you back to a main train station in any city that has one, and that can help you orient yourself quickly. DON'T get on a bus unless you know where it is going. The drivers NEVER speak English and they may end up going very very far out of your way before they get back to someplace you know.
Regarding stuff, there are of course lots of threads and posts about that. I would advise bringing towels and pillows if you can. Yes, you can buy them here, but Korean towels are thin and scratchy and basically suck. Bring deodorant, as said hundreds of times before. Bring a couple of kinds of snacks you like a lot. Bring adapters for your electronics, having them for the first few days will save you time. Bring a Kindle or a Nook -- really, if you like reading those things will save your sanity. English books and magazines are rare and expensive most of the time.
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the airport is going to be just like the one you left (probably better, it IS ranked as the best in the world). |
Incheon is SO AWESOME. When you see that place, every American airport is going to look pathetic by comparison. |
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marsavalanche

Joined: 27 Aug 2010 Location: where pretty lies perish
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:44 pm Post subject: |
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you were too easy on him nathan.
op dont forget forks and spoons. they only use chopstcks here |
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gem
Joined: 06 Dec 2010
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 6:00 pm Post subject: |
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Prepare to improvise alot and to go with the flow no matter how ridiculous the situation is. Bring any type of snacks like popcorn, protein bars, drink mixes, etc...that you can squeeze into your bags. Also bring advil or tylenol and any vitamin supplements that you regularly use. Good luck! |
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Captain Corea

Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 6:06 pm Post subject: |
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Personally, I'd suggest bringing any spices, vitamins, or OTC medicines that you think might need during your time here.
Beyond that, most other things are easy enough to find
Sorry...forgot about clothes. Some people who do not fit into the Korean body type mold may have difficulties in finding clothes that fit. Pack accordingly. |
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winterfall
Joined: 21 May 2009
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Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2011 6:54 pm Post subject: |
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The only thing you have to prepare yourself for is the inevitable feeling of homesick. I binged on fast food, steaks, ice cream and snacks for 3 weeks before I flew to Korea. Gained almost 40 lbs. My doctor hit the panic button, warning me of an impending heart attack if I didn't stop now. Didn't crave western food for a good yr after that. Took me a while to get back to my pre-morbidly obese weight .
As for things to bring: multivitamins you can buy here from Costco. Western snacks if you can fit em, deodorant and splenda or Sweet n Low (They don't sell em here). |
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