Hello Everyone,
I am twenty-three years old and am currently preparing to move to Korea to work as an English teacher for a year. This will be my first time in the country, so I am both excited and nervous. I am writing this post in an attempt to sate my nervousness a bit. I was wondering if anyone on here has any advice to help me, and anyone else in a similar situation be better prepared.
I have no idea where I will be working- I only know the general region, and it is my understanding that this is common for EFL jobs in Korea. I know that there are some intakes coming up and many people are probably in the same boat as I am. To those of you who have experience moving overseas:
- What did you pack when you moved?
- How did you overcome culture shock?
- How did you make friends?
- Do you know of any resources that would be helpful?
- Do you have any advice?
Thank you for taking the time to read through this post- I hope that this can become a great pool of resources and support for not only myself, but also other people planning on moving to a new country. ✌
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First of all, congratulations! you're about to embark on an exciting new journey ^^
I don't live in Korea, but I've been there a couple of times. As for packing, I'll name a couple of things that might sound obvious, but maybe you forgot to put it on your list ^^
- A supply of deodorant. They barely sell deo in South Korea, and their assortment is very limited. If you prefer using your own deodorant, stock up. Stock up on things you think they might not have in SK like herbs and medicine. Do a little research on that. I heard sanitary napkins are very expensive there, but that I'm not sure
- Converter. I don't know the English word for it, but it's that thing to plug into an outlet. Your country might have a different wall outlet than SK.
- Bank. My country has a device (where you put your debit card in) that you need in order to transfer money to a different account. If your bank has that as well, don't forget to bring it! You wont be able to get it in SK
- Talktomeinkorean.com has useful books to learn the Korean language
- Subway Korea is a useful app. Google maps doesn't work there, you'll need to use Naver.
- Your medical information. Bring some papers about your medical health like, what is your blood type, does your family have a history of certain diseases, do you need special medication? ask your parents about it
In overall, it's important to do thorough research. How to open a bank account, how to get a cellphone monthly plan there, prepare Korean phrases for when you are at the hospital so you can explain your symptoms. Maybe print important info out and put it in a folder so you feel well prepared. Let your parents or close ones know the address you'll be staying at.
Make a list of all the things you need to bring. There are lists online, search for "What to bring vacation list" on Google.
When I take a taxi, I always take a picture of the license plate or the id thats shown inside the car and send it to my boyfriend. So in case anything happens, they can track my steps.
Someone also said this in the comments; trust no one. Some people have this perspective that SK is like a Disney movie, but as like any other country they have scammers. Search on Youtube for scams in SK
Sorry my information is all over the place. I know it must be nervewrecking moving to a different country, but doing thorough research will calm your nerves a lot. Don't be too nervous, enjoy this experience! ^^ good luck!