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Korean Job Discussion Forums
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joolsd
Joined: 18 Jun 2006
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 Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 1:45 am Post subject: Living in Pusan |
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Helloooo
I'm moving to Pusan in around a months time as soon as I get hold of my transcripts. I would like to hear from anyone living there at the moment. What's the City like to hang out in? Im from Brighton, England so I like a good night life, good music, live and dance. Can you ride a motorbike there like in most Asian countries or will I need a license? Are there any water sports going on and beaches for foreigner beaches? Does the place have a happy vibe?
Ok Cheeeers
Jools |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 2:04 am Post subject: Re: Living in Pusan |
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| joolsd wrote: |
| Can you ride a motorbike there like in most Asian countries or will I need a license? |
Yes and yes, unless it's a scooter at 124 cc or smaller.
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| Are there any water sports going on and beaches for foreigner beaches? |
You're kidding, right? No? Okay, research: Haeundae Beach. There are three other major ones there too.
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| Does the place have a happy vibe? |
Interesting question. I've always thought: yes, except for taxi drivers as grumpy and cunning as you'll ever meet. But my Korean friends say that Busanites are famous for having a miserable attitude and bad moral character. "Good" people want to leave the city, I have heard several Koreans who don't know each other, have said. I find it puzzling. Except for the fact that there are the poorest possible neighbourhoods, streets and areas of squalor compared to the rest of the country, but they are off the main track and not dangerous seeming to me, but I culd just be naive about that. Living the typical expat lifestyle, taking transit or biking around, you'll hit all the nicest spots and find the vast majority of people decent enough. The expats there enjoy it - I have only heard a small fraction of complaints compared to some other big cities. Busan has its advantages. I'm there at least once a month.
Good luck whatever. |
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denverdeath
Joined: 21 May 2005
Location: Boo-sahn
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| Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 2:47 am Post subject: Re: Living in Pusan |
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| joolsd wrote: |
Helloooo
I'm moving to Pusan in around a months time as soon as I get hold of my transcripts. I would like to hear from anyone living there at the moment. What's the City like to hang out in?
It could be worse; it could be better. All in all, not too bad.
Im from Brighton, England so I like a good night life, good music, live and dance.
I guess it depends on what you mean by "good". Music. Live? Not much of that...at least none that I'd consider very good...although there are some places that serve up some live stuff. There's a fair number of foreigner bars that serve up lots of dance music, but you may be very disappointed if you you're looking for some hip nightclubs.
Can you ride a motorbike there like in most Asian countries or will I need a license?
You are supposed to have anything over 50cc's licensed for the road. I believe you are supposed to have a regular driver's license for any motor vehicle(UK plus international should suffice). I think you need a special class(Class 1) license for anything over 125.
Are there any water sports going on and beaches for foreigner beaches?
There are a bunch of beaches that have some kinds of water sports and different kinds of festivals usu spring though fall. I don't think there are any "foreigner" beaches, if that's what you're asking. They're more like Korean beaches with a handful or two of foreigners on them.
Does the place have a happy vibe?
I think the vibe's okay. It'll depend alot on where you work and live, how your workplace is, what your co-workers are like, and how well you interact with the locals.
Ok Cheeeers
Jools |
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joolsd
Joined: 18 Jun 2006
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| Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 3:01 am Post subject: Thanks |
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Thanks for the feedback,
after teaching in South China, Guiyang for a year and for the last two years teaching in Vietnam and Thailand I feel Im ready for a different kind of challenge, but I also need to be somewhere not to huge. It sounds quite positive to me and Im looking forward to biking around and exploring the coast line and surrounding areas.
I'm not really looking for anywhere thats hip because I know what the asian standard club scene is like. As for the taxi drivers Ill stay clear of them
Cheers guys
Julian |
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denverdeath
Joined: 21 May 2005
Location: Boo-sahn
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| Posted: Wed Jun 21, 2006 3:25 am Post subject: |
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| I actually don't find the taxi drivers to be that bad. It helps if you know where you're going and are able to ensure that the driver doesn't take you on the "scenic route". Having said that, most drivers that I've dealt with have been fairly honest. You may to get into a bit of an argument over fares when you hop a taxi over to Gim-hae. Taxi drivers are like Koreans or people back home...they're all different. I've had a few whack jobs...one guy yelled at me because I got in the cab on the wrong side of the street(I had no idea where I was as it was my first week here)...I've seen a couple guys fighting over sth numerous times...in Dae-goo, I saw three taxi drivers that had boxed in another car and were laying the boots to the driver of the car(have no idea why, but rarely see that kind of stuff)...usu I don't feel very frightened in the cars even when they're flying, but one punk in Dae-juhn who was flying at about 200kph driving me across town to home at around 4am had me a little worried. There are lots of tunnels that connect various parts of Busan that usu cost an extra 600-800won - the good drivers will ask you if that's okay before choosing their route; some don't. Anyway, the worst thing about taxis is that they are cheap but they really add up if you use them too much. The subway's good, so use it or get yourself the bike you mentioned - just be careful as it seems like there's some kind of pecking order in place: bigger gets more respect(and sometimes they are also very well insured while you may not be, being on a scooter). |
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