Believe me, I understand the trials foreigners go through; the tedious paperwork required to secure your visa, the social confusion stemming for culture differences, dealing with an exploitative hagwon, having to say "goodbye" to someone you developed feelings for during your time in Korea, finding the essentials you need, keeping yourself entertained, getting married, etc. If you have any questions about anything; CONTACT ME at oppegaard24@hotmail.com, and I'll help. If you have any suggestions on sites or how I can help other expats please email me.
Culture Books
Korea-Culture Smart! by James Hoare
Korean Business Etiquette: The Cultural Values and Attitudes by Boye Lafayette De Mente
Korean: Lonely Planet Phrasebook by Minkyoung Kim, J. D. Hilts
Land of Morning Calm: Korean Culture Then and Now by John Stickler and Soma Han
Learning to Think Korean: A Guide to Living and Working in Korea (The Interact Series) by L. Robert Kohls
Palaces of Korea by Tong-uk Kim and Tong-uk Kim
Teaching in the Land of Kimchi: Discovering South Korea As a Working Ground by Melissa Christine Karpinski
The New Korea: An Inside Look at South Korea's Economic Rise by Myung Oak Kim and Sam Jaffe
Helpful Sites
General Sites:
Korea4Expats.comVisa Requirements:
Korea Immigration Service
Visa-immigration office
Immigration:
Korea Immigration Service:
Korea Migrant Center
Korea Immigration Offices K4E
Associations/Clubs
ATEK - English Teachers
Foreign Spouse Association (ISKA)
List of Sports Team/Clubs
General Information/Resources:
Clinics, Doctors, Hospitals
Dentists
Expat Parents Forum
Info Helpline Korea 24-7
Korea Telecom - Phone Service
Legal Information
Mountain Spirits - David Mason
Regional Tourism Information
Seoul Convention Bureaul
Seoul Tourism Organization
Visit Korea
Tour Seoul
Tour Korea
Public Transportation:
Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation
Seoul Interactive Bus Map
Seoul Interactive Subway Map
Newspapers:
The Korea Herald English Newspaper
The Korea Times English Newspaper
Joongang Daily English Newspaper
Korean Government Sites:
Disease Control and Prevention
Driver's License Agency
HiKorea (Government of Korea for Foreigners)
Invest Korea
Korea Consumer Agency
Government (Ministries)
Ministry of Education
Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Employment and Labor
National Organizations
National Health Insurance Corporation
National Human Rights Commission
National Pension Scheme
National Tax Service
Post Office
Postal/Zip Codes - Korea Post
Korea Post
Blogs-Some Personal Favorites:
The Marmot's Hole
Me the Clueless Foreigner
When we arrived I was met by two gentlemen, the current CEO and president of the BCM franchise. I was lucky; they both spoke decent English. They quickly showed me the location of the hagwon and helped me to my room. They simple said, "You probably need to rest. See you tomorrow at the hagwon at 10:00am." I wasn't shown where the markets were, I didn't have a bank account, and I had no way of contacting them or my family back home.
During the month that followed, I sat through hours of orientation in a language I didn't understand, Korean (I still don't know why) and eventually became ill due to fast food/GS food and the stress of living socially isolate in a foreign country. My coworkers seemed too preoccupied to answer my questions. Luckily, I had a great future mother-in-law who, without being able to speak any English, showed me the best places to get the basic essentials I so desperately needed. After I had the information I needed, the stress quickly subsided, and I was able to enjoy and appreciate my time in Korea.
I can remember my first month in Korea. When I first got to this beautiful country, I was met at the airport by a taxi driver who had no association with my hagwon other than a set of instructions and a misspelled last name "opegaurd." The ride from Incheon to Seoul National University Station was exciting and anxiety-ridden. I had flown to the other side of the world to continue a relationship with a woman I cherished, my future wife, and employment.
Thanks for this great and helpful information. Thanks for helping all by posting this valuable information in this great article.
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