Korean Job Discussion Forums

Qinella · Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Location: the crib

I'm sure there are threads about this topic, but I haven't time or patience to sift through them all. (If anyone has links, that would be great, too.)

I've heard that deodorant is hard to find, so I have seven bars of that. I've also brought several pairs of pants, shoes and shorts, as well as plenty of contact lenses and accompanying cleaning solution.

What other types of things do you personally wish that you would've brought with you?

Thanks,
Qinella

canuckistan · Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 3:09 am Post subject:

More shampoo/conditioner. I tried so many--I have long curly hair, can't live without good conditioner...Korean shampoos can be harsh and the conditioners oily. Even though it says "Pantene" it's different stuff.

Manner of Speaking · Joined: 09 Jan 2003

If you're Canadian and have time, order two copies of your birth certificate and bring them with you. If you lose your passport or need to renew it, having these in your wallet will save you some time.

Jellypah · Joined: 27 Oct 2004 Location: ROK

I wouldn't worry about contact lenses or solution. You can get both here, no problem. I'm not sure how much they cost where you're from, but they're cheaper here than Japan. Glasses are a bargain!

If you're female, and you use them, bring tampons! I wish i would have brought more cold medications. I had some sent after. Working amongst kids can make you sick a lot. My pharmacist here is very nice, but he doesn't speak English. I act out coughing or sneezing, and he hooks me up, but even still, I don't know what it is I'm taking!

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

qinella, deodrant is sold in supermarket. Foreign shampoo etc can be found in costco - you know, the kirkland brand.

Otherwise, there are foreign stuff stores around town. PM me when you get here, I will get casey's moon to come out as well (long overdue meeting!)...

canadian_in_korea · Joined: 20 Jun 2004 Location: South Korea

I actually get my mom to send me all of the "women" things I need. Body lotion, body butter, deoporant, shaving cream etc. I have seen everything in the stores/markets here but not usually the brands I use or it is about 3-4 times more expensive than home. I have really sensitive skin so I have to be very careful what I use. Interestingly in the winter my scalp get very dry and I need a really good conditioner, I usually use Aussie three minute miracle every day. If I don't have that my scalp gets really itchy....but if I use the Korean shampoo Elastine its fine. Perhaps I'm just adjusting to it...who knows.. Razz

peppermint · Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:37 pm Post subject:

Two things I always bring that take up very little space: spices and posters. Having something familiar on the walls makes a new place seem like home a lot faster. Allergy meds, a bottle of pepto bismol tablets ( food poisoning is disturbingly common here)

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

peppermint · Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 10:27 pm Post subject:

I think every single foreigner I know in this country has had food poisoning at least once here, so it seems inevitable that you'll get it sooner or later.

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004

Peppermint, Carrefour sells a lot of spices. Failing that, Hannam supermarket.

Son Deureo! · Joined: 30 Apr 2003

Bring Pepto-Bismol in pill form. You will get food poisoning sooner or later, and the food will be a little rough on the digestive system at first.

I second peppermint's suggestion, dump your spice rack into your suitcase. They're hard to find here.

Both of these take next to no space, and will be useful.

SarcasmKills · Joined: 07 Apr 2003 Location: Seoul

A sandwich isn't a sandwich without the great taste of Miracle Whip.

peppermint · Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2005 4:12 am Post subject:

Saunagukin · Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2005 8:07 am Post subject:

I'm just planning my return to Korea. I'm loading up on spice packets...like chili, gravy, ranch dressing, fajitas, taco meat, etc. They get you through a foreign food fix. Usually, you can find them at Hannam or Haddon but they're expensive and don't take up much room in luggage.

Also, if you wear a size bigger than US 10(women), bring enough clothes...finding sizes 10 & up is questionable. Shoes, too.

I'm also bringing soft pillow cases, hard to find soft ones in Korea.

I found the allergy meds to be fine. However, the antacids leave something to be desired...like relief. Bottle of Tums or Rolaids. Again, you can find it in the foreign shops, but it's expensive.

HamuHamu · Joined: 01 May 2003 Location: Seoul

I'm at home now, stocking up on all the things that I have wanted for the past 3 years.....some of them are surprising, things I never thought to bring when I first went over.

Like -- RICE. I used to like Asian sticky rice but now I am soooo sick of it and I find it doesn't fry very well if you want to make fried rice. A small bag of Uncle Ben's cost me $2.00 in Canada, and doesn't weigh a lot or take up much space.

Sauce packets - gravies, marinades, flavourings, sloppyjoes mixes - $1.00 each and so valuable when you want a taste of home. Sure, you can find stuff in Korea, but you've gotta go looking, the good supermarkets aren't always close to where you live, or not convenient, and always expensive.

Clothes, and most importantly SHOES. To get leather shoes or summer sandals in Korea I have found near impossible. You can always find women's high heels, but flat summer sandals I find near impossible, and for a leather shoe that I paid $70 for at home, something of that equivalent is about $150 - $200 in Korea. Sure there are lots of those $10 shoe shops but they are so poor quality and usually ugly, that I haven't bought shoes in years.

As for clothes, people always say "If you are bigger than size <blank> bring lots of clothes." Well, if you are SMALL, BRING LOTS OF CLOTHES too!!!!! Koreans are NOT as small as I had expected, not like Japanese women!!! I can't buy clothing small enough to fit me, and although I am petite, I'm not abnormally small. I wear GAP size XS in shirts, and 0 or 1 in pants and I can RARELY find clothing in Korea to fit me. People don't believe me when I say that, but then they come shopping with me and are dumbfounded to see that I am not exaggerating. There doesn't seem to be a wide discrepancy between sizes here...only a slight size variance between S and M. Same for bras and undies - I wear 34A Embarassed

, but can't ever get a bra here to fit me....don't know why, but if the cup fits, I cant' get the band around my ribcage, if it fits around my ribcage, the cup doesn't fit. Strange indeed. (Maybe some of the other women here can tell me where I should be shopping....?)

Bedsheets - really hard to find a set of sheets that has a bottom fitted and a top flat sheet. Find out what size your bed is before you go.

I also stocked up on tiny cheap dollar-store stuff for my classes....Canada flag erasers, pencils, stickers. I felt dorky doing it, but the kids here LOVE getting stuff like that, and they are even happier when it's from another country.