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Snowkr
Joined: 03 Jun 2005
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 Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 7:12 pm Post subject: Wonju, anyone? |
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Hi all.
I will be in Wonju in a few weeks. I've heard nothing good and nothing bad about this little place. SO I've basically heard nothing. Supposedly it is a "sister city" to Roanoke, Virginia (2 hours from my home)
Can anyone tell me something to help me look forward to spending a year in this small city? All I know is that there are some universities, a Korean army base (I think) and a national park nearby.
Can someone out there please enlighten me further?
I would appreciate it.
Oh and by the way, I am new to Korea but not new to teaching in Asia. |
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just because
Joined: 01 Aug 2003
Location: Changwon - 4964
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| Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 7:15 pm Post subject: |
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Very middle of the road Korean city...
400 000 people(but with the size of a city of 40 000) that has all the things every other city in korea has but may lack the western comforts you are used to....
It is near a nice mountain and Gangwondo is good for hiking and nature..
Also the Korean basketball league champions are from there 
If you want action and western influences then Wonju isn't for you...if you want the little more Korean experience with some nice nature closeby then take a look. |
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chronicpride
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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dulouz
Joined: 04 Feb 2003
Location: Uranus
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| Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 7:43 pm Post subject: |
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I did my first year there. JB sums it up pretty well. You can get really bored. All this talk about some nice mountians nearby is .... you only really get there 4 times a year, 5 when you are busy.
I could have lived in the mountains but why? |
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bossaco
Joined: 13 Feb 2005
Location: jongro-gu
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| Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2005 8:01 pm Post subject: |
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my husband's hometown... been there a couple of times - 3 chuseoks and 3 seollals plus numerous jessas
i would love to live there in a small western style cottage if only my husband's not working in seoul  |
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mullethunter
Joined: 04 Mar 2005
Location: may i present... the euro mullet
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| Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 12:19 am Post subject: |
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i live about 30 minutes outside wonju (between wonju and yeoju) and i've been there a couple of times to go to the korean exchange bank to wire money home.
haven't seen much of the town, but apparently there's an e-mart there (crucial if you love cheese and a few other western foods).
i just found out that a guy i knew from my previous job is living there now, he says the place sucks because there's not many foreigners there, or at least he hasn't met any. sorry, that's all i know. good luck |
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Harpeau
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
Location: Coquitlam, BC
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| Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 12:29 am Post subject: |
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Visited there a few times. Lots of nature in the vicinity. I was struck by the amount of trees there were around there. If you like nature, then you may enjoy it. Small town though.
Cheers!
Harpeau |
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dulouz
Joined: 04 Feb 2003
Location: Uranus
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| Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 1:42 am Post subject: |
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Warning!!!! Wonju E-Mart doesn't have cheese.
The two bars worth mentioning are U2 in newtown and Post Docs at the big market downtown. Rodeo Drive has clubs that foreigners go to but the fisrt two are the reliable ones. |
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Pyongshin Sangja
Joined: 20 Apr 2003
Location: I love baby!
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| Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 3:47 am Post subject: |
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| Wonju has a Rodeo Drive? |
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Snowkr
Joined: 03 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 3:52 am Post subject: |
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Many thanks, all!
I do want the smaller city athentic Korean experience but what do you mean by lacking in western comforts? I know the food is probably all Korean and I don't expect everyone to speak English to me.
What I'm concerned about is medical facilities. I worked in a big developed major chinese city and couldn't get the medical treatment I needed.
By the way, I love nature and I love church. Also love Asian markets, gyms with pools and shopping malls. I was told Wonju has these at least? What about horses? And is it possible to send postcards from Korea? I never could find them in China!
Should I be worried about plumbing, safe water, dangerous drivers...etc?
Also, please tell me they don't use those holes in the ground as a bathroom! |
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Pyongshin Sangja
Joined: 20 Apr 2003
Location: I love baby!
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| Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 7:28 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| I do want the smaller city athentic Korean experience but what do you mean by lacking in western comforts? |
You've seen Chinese bathrooms, you'll be fine in Wonju.
| Quote: |
| I know the food is probably all Korean and I don't expect everyone to speak English to me. |
Good. Cause I'll give you a dollar for every person that does.
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| What I'm concerned about is medical facilities. I worked in a big developed major chinese city and couldn't get the medical treatment I needed. |
Koreans hospitals are unlovely but not thoroughly unpleasant places that are very much "pay-to-play." You'll survive.
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| By the way, I love nature and I love church. |
Korea is 34% Christian. There's a bit of a premium on nature.
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| Also love Asian markets, |
Koreans are thinking about establishing some markets. They aren't big on Asians, though.
They exist. However, most Koreans are capable of drowning in three inches of water.
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| and shopping malls. |
The food court in a Korean mall is, to me, the most poignant part of the experience. I positively break down and cry.
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| I was told Wonju has these at least? |
Ohhhh, you meant WONJU! No, it's got none of these things. Sort of a concentration camp/salt mine atmosphere.
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| What about horses? |
As pets or meat?
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| And is it possible to send postcards from Korea? |
The Korean post office is there to help. And search and seize a bit less than the Chinese. Hey, that rhymes.
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| I never could find them in China! |
Korean postcards are indeed hard to find in China.
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| Should I be worried about plumbing, |
I know I am. I just shattered the sewer main. -
Define "safe." How are you with viruses that cause meningitis?
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| dangerous drivers...etc? |
I prefer the term "Motor Rally" when referring to Korean drivers.
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| Also, please tell me they don't use those holes in the ground as a bathroom! |
No, they don't. But they might just use your front porch. |
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Snowkr
Joined: 03 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 2:52 pm Post subject: come on now... |
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Spare me the sarcasm, please! Although I do like the comment about Korean postcards in China. That was clever.
I'm not sure how seriously to take this last post so if anyone else would like to contribute, I'd be grateful.
"concentration camp/salt mine"? Ever been to one of those for real??? |
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FUBAR
Joined: 21 Oct 2003
Location: The Y.C.
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| Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 4:17 pm Post subject: Re: come on now... |
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| Snowkr wrote: |
Spare me the sarcasm, please! Although I do like the comment about Korean postcards in China. That was clever.
I'm not sure how seriously to take this last post so if anyone else would like to contribute, I'd be grateful.
"concentration camp/salt mine"? Ever been to one of those for real??? |
Seriously... you did deserve some of those comments. Go search google for a Website regarding living in Korea. They will tell you all that you need to know. The sites will have pictures and general comments that you may want to look at before you depart.
Or you can look on this site for different posters that have blogs. They can be good sources of info if you take the posts with a grain of salt. |
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Snowkr
Joined: 03 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2005 3:17 am Post subject: |
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I laughed pretty hard at those comments but I don't think my questions were all that ridiculous! (maybe the one about horses...)
I've done the google search already, thank you very much.
Any more real comments on Wonju would be appreciated... especially from those who have worked there!
Ta |
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Snowkr
Joined: 03 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2005 3:21 am Post subject: |
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| Thanks, chronicpride. |
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