Korean Job Discussion Forums

chaz47 · Joined: 11 Sep 2003

ok i m in Japan and i start in Korea in about 2 weeks... what to do about saving money until i start the new job... i am thinking that Korea must be way less expensive to survive in until the job starts than in Japan... problem is i have a student ticket out of Hirosaki to Nagoya on this Saturday... should I stay in Hirosaki someplace cheap... find someplace to stay in Nagoya, cheap... I think waiting in Japan is a good idea just in case the whole deal goes south... i don't know... it is a slight predicament... advice?

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

Korea is way less expensive than Japan. You can get a goshiwan room in Korea for about $300 a month.

chaz47 · Joined: 11 Sep 2003

i was just thinking though, if i go to Korea then i will have to pay for a visa run to Osaka, wouldn't it be a better idea to stay in Japan as inexpensively as possible and avoid the additional cost of the visa flight?

a friend of mine emailed me that Hirosaki has some fairly inexpensive apartments... and a direct flight from Aomori to Korea, not sure if it is to Seoul or Busan though...

any thoughts on life in Busan?

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

The employer will pay for the visa run.

chaz47 · Joined: 11 Sep 2003

(ditto post because the time is short, please do forgive...)

actually the advert says that i am eligible for reimbursement of visa run at the end of the contract... i kinda wanted to keep my account padded in case things are not so good... i don't know...

my study abroad cooridinator is suggesting that i go home and catch a one way from Chicago following my actual processing of contract and visa... since i have a return flight from my study abroad (officially ending this Saturday) this may be a viable option except i don't want to spend too much money... he said that with a valid international student ID i should be able to get an uber cheap ticket back to Korea once everything is squared away with the employer...

while i may be able to deviate my return ticket to Korea instead of the US it is not likely that i will get the full refund of/or the value of my ticket... so it may be a better idea to fly home spend another $300 for rent and work a crap ass job and wait for the paperwork to clear and then come back to Korea... seems kinda redundant but i think if the bureacracy decides to rear its ugly head i would rather be in the US than paying to stay in Korea... but... $300 in rent at home is two months at one of the afformentioned places in previous reply to this thread...

it all depends on what the student travel agency says about deviation of my ticket... lame... advice is welcome to this posting if you can figure out the ramblings...

endofthewor1d · Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Location: the end of the wor1d.

earlier this year, i got stuck in fukuoka for three weeks on a visa run. i was dirt poor at the time, and was forced to spend my nights in internet cafes.
it's not something i think back too fondly on, but if you really really really want to save money, it's not a terrible option. the one i stayed at had private stalls, reclining chairs, and showers. i've slept in worse places before.

now that i think about it, i think most of the reason i had such a bad time was that i spent it all in a bit of a panic, and i forgot to bring extra socks. if i were making a solo trip to japan today, i might consider the internet cafe option.

wherever your travels take you, good luck... and bring socks!

JacktheCat · Joined: 08 May 2004

chaz47 · Joined: 11 Sep 2003

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

chaz47 · Joined: 11 Sep 2003

i think they (the school) stripped the offer down to target in country hires... the guy who was supposed to take the position got hospitalized and couldn't catch his flight or something...

i think i may take Sheba's advice and just tell them i need some airfare upfront, the recruiter seemed to like me... whatever that means... he still has yet to send me the policies and procedures or the contract... and now miracle of miracles i cannot contact American Airlines with my phone card as they only provide a contact number which is an 800, not accessible internationally for some reason... what a pain... so now i need to wait at least one more day to deviate my student ticket... which i am told they will inevitably royally screw me on...

i fear that i may be returning to the realm of Garrison Kielor...

the horror

the horror

Derrek · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

chaz47 · Joined: 11 Sep 2003

ok, leaving Japan tomorrow... i was unable to get any money out of and/or deviate my student ticket... my transcripts should be on their way to Korea today (Thursday US time)... i think i will try to get the employer to provide me a one way once they get the transcripts... i just feel to uneasy landing in Korea and unaware of what may be awaiting me as far as visa bureacracy... so i calculate it as:

flight home: free
rent, one month: $400
flight, one way to Korea: $800
--------------------------------------
$1200 out of pocket...

while if i stayed in Korea what would it cost me until my visa cleared, if my visa cleared...

ticket to Korea from Japan: unknown (estimate $400)
rent, gyeoshin house, one month: $300
-------------------------------------------------
$700 out of pocket

neither includes food and entertainment...

i don't know, while the second option seems to make more financial sense i have a hard time gambling with the loss of the ticket home and shelling out an additional $700 to wait it out and see if it happens...

suggestions?

if it does work out for me how should i phrase my request for a one-way to Korea when it was not stipulated in the offer?

thanks all...

OiGirl · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: Hoke-y-gun