Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Koreabound2004]

Hand Sanitizer....I am a germ freak(OCD), and there is usually no soap in washrooms. I have not found any Purell or things of that nature yet, and it's a must-have, working in a school with all the "virus distributors." I have one big bottle on my desk, but after that....

[canadian_in_korea]

[Dawn]

[justagirl]

I found the hand sanitizer in the underground at Namdaemon. It was about 7,000 for a small bottle (purse size).

I'd bring spices,
seasoning mixes,
vanilla,
feminine products,
sunscreen (very expensive here--more than 14,000)
shoes/clothes (if average to large Western sized)
Tex/Mexican food (tortillas, cheese, pinto beans--LOVE Mexican!)
books
pictures of home/postcards
condoms/etc
sheets
deodorant
powdered/confectioners sugar for baking
rolaids/tums
laptop
Excedrin/Mydol

Can't think of anything more tonight.

[justagirl]

Wow--11,000 for a box of 20 tampons on that site!

[peppermint]

I bought a biggish bottle of purell with a pump for around 6,000 at the red door over the summer. the trick is not to let the kids see it- they're pretty fascinated by the stuff.

[mindmetoo]

Did someone also mention buy your favorite cold medicine? As a Canadian, the only thing I swear by is neo citrin. I couldn't find it in the states. They had some lame look a like stuff that didn't work as well. So yeah, lay in a supply of cold meds because teaching kids exposes you to all kinds of great stuff.

[kermo]

I looked for dental floss in the local grocery stores, and was sadly disappointed until I realized that in my town, they sell it at the pharmacist. I live an awfully long way from a Family Mart/Hi Mart, so maybe some people would do well to check with their local drug-stores.

Re: baking supplies-- the OP knows that it's rare to get accomodations with an oven, right? Most baking gets done in a toaster oven, which isn't perfect, but turns out decent cookies. I would buy one, except my apartment is too tiny; I have nowhere to put it!

I wholeheartedly agree about the chocolate: it's rubbish. I might add that one should stock up on their favorite cosmetic brands, as it's hard to find what you're used to (i.e., Revlon, Maybelline, what have you.)

[tommynomad]

[quote="kermo"]I wholeheartedly agree about the chocolate: it's rubbish. [quote]

Yes, but no one can truthfully say that the mud they sell us in Canada isn't rubbish, too: it's just a different kind of rubbish.

If it isn't Belgian-made (swiss or dutch will do in a pinch, if absolutely necessary), I'll usually pass in favour of making hot chocolate with real cocoa (which I haven't found here either, BTW).

[Sleepy in Seoul]

I have been trying to think of what I stocked up on when I was home last. I brought back a supply of cold and flu pills, diarrhoea pills (ones that stop it), painkillers - Nurofen Plus - I've found that over the counter painkillers here aren't as strong, Belgian chocolates made in my hometown - De Spa choclates mmmmmmmm. They have no preservaties, so only a limited shelf life damnit.

What else? A decent hat for summer and enough shoes to last my time here. It's difficult to buy shoes in my size without going to Itaewon, and I loathe Itaewon.

[casey's moon]

[quote="tommynomad"][quote="kermo"]I wholeheartedly agree about the chocolate: it's rubbish.

[peemil]

I like to pack some spare sanity...

[peppermint]