Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ItalianPrincess]

Ok...so we're having a big debate going on over our housing. I've been living in housing provided by my husband's work and commuting to work. My husband's VISA is finishing so we're moving into hogwan owned housing for the remainder of my contract. However, I'm a little worried because of somethings I'm hearing from the other foreign teachers about their housing situations....so i'm asking about...

1. Did you get a furnished or semi-furnished apartment?

2. What ammenties did you have? ie: TV, VCR, DVD, fridge, microwave.etc

3. Did you ever have to move? Did they pay the moving fees.

[Daechidong Waygookin]

[Saxiif]

The last place I was in was a shitty half basement with a tiny bed, no cabinets, a tiny table, no desk, a fridge, a non-working microwave and a washing machine.

Now I have I nice place because I pay for it myself and bought all the furniture. Life be good.

[dulouz]

For piece/peace of mind, I prefer my own place. You might get a really nice place from the school but it all can change whenever they feel like it.
They can also still come over and do an inspection when they want and tell you to clean your room. My apt is small but its very cheap and I have a wicked view and an entire roof.

[Kimchieluver]

When I first started here I was in a semi furnished apartment. TV, sofa, coffee table, table with two chairs. The water pressure sucked and to make things worse the boiler constantly broke down. I finally had to go on a rant to get it fixed. Now I have my own apartment and it's great. I get a housing allowance so the rent isn't too bad all things considered.

My advice is to ask your hogkwon for housing allowance and rent your own apartment if you have enough money saved up. If they don't want to do that rent your own apartment anyways, that is if you have enough key money and such.

Oh, and since you're moving, go to your local Gu office or Immigration and notify them of your new adress. You're legally supposed to do it within two weeks.

Best of luck

[Derrek]

Semi-furnished. Has a built-in washing machine, but that was about it. Furnished the rest myself.

Here are pics, if you go here and look at the apartment pics link on the first page:

www.seoulstream.com

[JongnoGuru]

Derrek,

How many pyong is that? I know you said in an older thread, which I can't find at the moment. I'm guessing 16... Your place looks pretty similar to the officetel we had used as a second office, and it was 19-20 pyong.

Anyhow, your pad looks clean and uncluttered. I notice a complete lack of ... well, stuff, for want of a better term. Books, magazines, artwork, curios, knick-knacks... you have none of those?

Also, I see where you work, where you sleep, watch TV, cook and perform bodily functions. But where in there do you eat? Is there a folding table not pictured? Do you pull a chair around and eat on the kitchen countertop?

Even if you eat most meals out, I've read elsewhere that you've got a girlfriend now, so I bet the two of you are cooking & eating at least some meals together. I once lived in an absolutely shoebox-sized place -- considerably smaller than your officetel -- but there was still enough space for a small dining table. So, where do you eat?

[nrvs]

[Derrek]

Jongno -- Haahaha!

I eat sitting at my computer and typing on Dave's, of course! I have enough room for that, and I don't like to have a table taking up half of my small room. It's 16 pyong, but more like 11 in reality, once you discount for the parking space and elevator, as Koreans consider pyong.

I took those pictures soon after I first moved in, so there wasn't much stuff. And the wide-angle bends the photos to look a little bigger than it actually is (had to make that photo with photostitch, and you can see that the door is bent). I do have a small korean-style folding table, and sometimes I eat on the floor K-style with my girl. Otherwise, I usually eat out. But to be honest, there isn't much else for furnishings or anything. No one seems to say anything when they come here, but I sure have gotten comments from people on Dave's who see the pics *laugh*. I'll leave furnishing that kind of stuff to my future wife some day. The bed folds up into a small couch, but I usually leave it flat anyway. My baby is resting on it right now, actually.

We're off to shop for couple rings soon, but I told her to take a nap first, because she's had a long week. And guess where we're going??? JONGNO!!!! Maybe we'll see you?

[JongnoGuru]

[pollyplummer]

My public school sent me here. I took pictures of everything before I unpacked all my stuff. My favourite thing is that the clothes washing machine is also a dryer. It would be nice to have a microwave, but I'm okay without it. The laptop on the desk is mine, but all the other things they provided for me. I was really suprised. I'm not really sure what to do with the loft. Everyone asks me, "Why dont you sleep up there?" Because my bed is on the main floor. Is one supposed to sleep up there?

http://www.shutterfly.com/view/pictures.jsp?aid=67b0de21b32d26d18457

[Derrek]

[pollyplummer]

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/share/view?i=EeGOGTds5bvFg&open=1&x=1&sm=1&sl=0

[Daechidong Waygookin]

[pollyplummer]

The location is Bucheon, near Songnae Station. It's about a five minutes walk from Home Plus, so it's really convenient for grocery shopping. Overall a really enjoyable area. I have no idea what to do with the loft, because I dont have much stuff and no desire to accumulate a lot of things. I was thinking about just having it open for visitors or possibly a temporary roommate sometime. I'm on the 14th floor. I was sitting on the floor today, and I thought I was getting dizzy or had lost my equilibrium, but it turned out that the building was swaying.... I've never experienced that before. It made me feel a little wary, to tell you the truth. Either this is something that is bound to happen with any kind of tall building or it's another infrastructural nightmare