Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Samurai Blur]

I was talking to a friend the other day about our first experiences with traveling to a foreign country from the U.S. I thought some of you might find this funny, and have experiences that you can relate to this one.

My first time leaving the U.S. was my trip to Korea to meet my girlfriend's family. About an hour before we were scheduled to land in Incheon the flight attendant handed me a sheet of paper to fill out. You know the one that asks why you're coming, if you have anything you're going to sell, with whom you are staying and where, etc. Well, I didn't know the address of where I was staying. When I got off the plane my phone didn't work so I went through the immigration line and when I got to the desk where they stamp your passport I handed the lady at the desk my papers. She looked over them for a second and then said, "You have to provide an address for where you will be staying." She didn't seem very nice, to be honest, but I simply said "Well, I didn't know that I needed an address, no one warned me of this at the airport before I left. If I can use your phone I will call my friend and get the address from her." To which she replied "Why you didn't know?! It says it right there!" and pointed to a sign to her left.

[Dude Ranch]

having an address of where you are staying is pretty much standard issue for any country

you are lucky she didn't send you right back on the same flight to your home country or demanded to see a return ticket

the UK border guards especially can be a real pain in the arse for foreigners

A friend of mine returned to the UK on holiday a couple of months after completing a working visa there. She wanted to see friends one more time before traveling across Europe. Anyways the border guard didn't buy the story and insisted she was trying to work illegally in the UK. They deported her by sending her on a flight all the way back to the US again, and she got a nasty little stamp in her passport banning her from the UK for seven years

have your stuff together whenever you travel and don't screw with these guys. they are on a glorified power trip and are just waiting to take it out on someone special like yourself

[seoulsucker]

On my return flight from the PI last month I listed my reason for visiting Korea (in Hangul) as galbi and soju. The immigration officer cracked a smile and said, "I'm very sorry, but we have no more soju in Korea. You must go back."

[byrddogs]

[Samurai Blur]

[beercanman]

I like to make things like that up. I might put down the Dong Chim Motel in ShinChon or something. Once on a visa run to Fukuoka a white girl standing in line in front of me had no address when an immigration lady checked her card. I just happened to have a list of hotels printed from online in my pocket. I felt pretty cool at that moment.

Sometimes the officers are cranky. A Thai lady once was pissed off at me for not understanding her instructions, stand in front of camera, first time I had to do that. Never mind I was all messed up tired and disoriented on arrival and her English was nearly incomprehensible to me.