As of right now, it has been nearly five months since coming here for the first time. what once seemed like an impossible dream of making my way to Korea has now become an everyday reality. There's been some challenges along the way but for the most part, Korea has been an incredible country to explore and discover. I consider myself very lucky that everyday is an opportunity for new adventures.
Since being here there have been a lot of small things I have learned along the way that have helped me live a comfortable life. Here is a small but helpful sampling of what I have learned.
If you wear eye glasses in Korea, it is very easy and affordable to get new ones. I was able to visit an eye glasses store in Seoul and in the end purchased a new pair of glasses, new lenses and a have my old glasses repaired for 40,000 won, an insanely cheap price compared to the states. If you were waiting to purchase new eye wear until after coming to Korea, this is the perfect opportunity to do so.
Traveling in Korea is a breeze. Not only do larger cities have an easy to use subway and taxi system (most of which will have a very frequent use of English) traveling between cities and towns is easy thanks to the excellent train systems here. The slowest train, the Mugunghwa will take anywhere from 2 to 6 hours between locations but is the cheapest (around 14,000 won). The next train in line is the Saemaul which is a step up in speed and price (around 20-25,000 won). Finally, the KTX is the fastest train that Korea offers, able to travel from one end of the country to the other in less than 6 hours. It is the most expensive option (anywhere from 34,000 to 50,000 won), but as you can probably tell, you have plenty of train options that can fit every budget and time frame. The website allows you to book your tickets in English and redeem them at the station. Be sure to bring your passport when redeeming them. You can find a link to the English Korail site here.
Along with trains, taxis and subways, buses are also an option. While a majority of bus schedules are in Korean, a little time spent learning the schedules and having a Korean friend help translate will cut down on travel time in the city immensely and will be a cheaper alternative to a taxi or subway.
Getting a haircut is also an easy experience if you live in a larger city. Most places will known enough English for you to express how you want your hair. An alternative is learn some basic hair-related phrases (trim, cut, perm) in order to make the process easier. Be warned, there are many places that cut hair for many different prices so be sure to choose carefully. Ask other foreign teachers, Korean friends and co teachers before making a decisions. Guys and especially girls are at a risk of having their hair butchered if not careful. As with many things in Korea, doing your research before doing anything else is key!
Finally, a side note: wi fi is not something that is widely available in Korea like back in the states. Coffee shops and restaurants are often your best bet to find hot spots, but even then, some places may be lacking. If you have a device that relies on wi-fi, it is best to find a reliable hang out spot that you can frequent. If you have a mobile phone device, it is best to stick with your service and try for the largest data plan possible. While it may cost more initially, if you frequently use your devices, it will be considerably less than going over a limit.
There are many useful tips for foreigners living in Korea. This is just a small sampling. I will post more as time goes on and I discover more new tips and tricks.
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