1. Start your visa process as soon as you confirm your exchange to Korea. If I didn’t, I would have found out too late in the process that I was a Korean citizen. Because of my citizenship, I had to undergo a separate and longer process for a Korean passport at the Korean embassy as opposed to a student visa.
2. Download the following apps: a. Papago – Simply take a picture of Korean you want to translate (e.g., a page of the menu at a restaurant) and Papago will translate for you immediately. b. KakaoTalk – This is the standard messaging app of Korea. From group projects in school to making appointments at businesses, you will need KakaoTalk in order to communicate with others. c. Naver Maps – Between Naver and Kakao, the former has a better map application. Naver Maps seems to be more accurate, updated, and comprehensive with business information. Naver Maps will also tell you the fastest combination of transportation to get to a destination. If you’re in a rush to get somewhere, the app will also tell you which platform to get on at the subway so that you get off right by the exit. d. Kakao Taxi – This app is the Korean version of Uber. You simply put in your destination address, confirm your pickup location, and wait for the app to coordinate a taxi driver to pick you up. Although most foreign cards don’t work as a payment method with Kakao Taxi, you can choose the option to pay the driver in cash after the ride is completed. e. Wise – You may have to wire transfer money from your bank account to pay for rent or a business service. This app is an easy way to do so by using daily currency conversion rates. 3. Prepare a credit card (or two) with no international fees. Do your research on cards that have no international transaction fees. Almost all credit card companies should work in Korea; I brought my Discover card, which surprisingly worked at establishments nine out of ten times. In the rare case Discover wasn’t accepted by the card reader, I used my Visa debit card, which had a small international transaction fee. If I could turn back time, I would have applied for another Visa or American Express credit card with no fees. 4. Bring a couple hundred dollars in cash to exchange into won after you arrive. Although you should be able to use your card for payment in most restaurants and retailers, a few places, such as underground shopping malls, markets, and street food stalls, only accept cash. If you ever run out of USD to exchange, you can always draw cash from an ATM. For my Discover card, I had to go to an ATM in Myeongdong to get cash because the biggest bank ATMs (such as Shinhan and Woori) in my area did not accept Discover. 5. Think about what you value for your living accommodation. If you value convenience, book an accommodation as close as possible to your school or the subway station to minimize walking. If you value meeting new people, book an accommodation catered toward international/exchange students and contains shared spaces where you can meet new people. I booked my accommodation on goshipages.com, which provides listings for goshiwons, which are buildings catered toward students seeking to save money and have small single rooms that contain just enough space for a bed, desk, closet, and sometimes a bathroom. I booked my goshiwon late and there was only rooms without private bathrooms left, but I was okay with it because I valued the goshiwon’s emphasis on international students. I wanted to meet as many new people as possible and expand my perspectives! 6. When taking public transportation, keep in mind the following: a. Get a T-money card. Instead of constantly buying the single-use cards, you can use a reusable card at any GS25 or Seven Eleven. You can reload the cards at the convenience stores or at the subway station. b. All subways and buses have free Wi-fi! If you have a limited data plan on your SIM card, take advantage of it. c. Subway cars have seats designated for the pregnant and elderly. Even if the subway cars are full, Koreans still won’t sit in these seats. d. Try to minimize conversations. Korean people usually will just go on their phones or read a book while riding the subway. 7. Be adventurous! Don’t simply stick to the area near your home school. Seoul is an exciting and incredibly large city; each province within Seoul has its own identity and charm. You can try unique regional foods and go to various attractions. Even better, go beyond the borders of Seoul and take the train to another city. Here are some suggestions: a. In Seoul i. Seongsu-dong: This is the new “hip” area for young adults, known for trendy and aesthetic cafes and restaurants. ii. Hongdae: For a long time, this area named after Hongik University has been popular amongst college students. Hongdae is one of the best areas for clothing shopping. There’s also great dining and attractions (e.g., cat cafes) here. iii. Myeongdong: Despite being known to cater toward tourists, Myeongdong has a famous street for food stalls and shopping. This is a must-visit during the Christmas season, when the streets are beautifully lit and decorated! iv. Apgujeong: This is also a trending area known for cafes and restaurants! As an area near Gangnam, Apgujeong establishments are a bit higher scale. v. Itaewon: This area is home to much of the foreigner population of Korea. Itaewon has delicious food, particularly foreign food made by people from the region. You can try authentic Indian, Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, Moroccan, and Nigerian food at Itaewon! vi. Euljiro: Once again, this is another trending area known as “Hipjiro” amongst young adults. This is perhaps the area most known for their food on this list. Because the restaurants here are so famous, waiting lists for dinner, especially on the weekends, can be hours long. If you want to avoid the line, go for lunch on a weekday or eat an early dinner. My most memorable meals were here; I regret not coming here more. b. Outside Seoul i. Jeju Island: Visiting Jeju was like visiting Hawaii. The beaches and blue waters are reminiscent of Hawaii. The people are incredibly kind and the food (especially the fresh seafood) is amazing as well! ii. Busan: Located near the sea, Busan is a beautiful Southern city with flavorful food. Eat milmyeon and daeji-gukbap (pork rice soup), ride the cable car over the sea, and visit the colorful Gamseon Culture Village! iii. Jeonju: Jeonju has a traditional charm. Rent a hanbok and walk around the Hanok Village. I could spend a whole day in the village just by shopping, sightseeing, and eating regional food, like the renowned Jeonju bibimbap. iv. Yeosu: Yeosu is the southernmost city of Korea. There’s an ample amount of beautiful nature and attractions to see and delicious food to try. 8. Learn basic Korean phrases. Although Korea is generally an English-friendly country (e.g., the subway system is translated in English), knowing Korean is respectful and helpful. It’s true that many Korean people learn English in high school, but don’t assume everyone will understand English. At the most basic level, at least know yes/no, greetings, “thank you,” and numbers/counters. Korean people are generally very happy to hear foreigners attempting to speak in Korean and will respond very favorably (and compliment you)! Perhaps one of the most useful phrases is “Eolmaeyo? (How much is it?)” because you can point to anything (e.g., a menu item, a product in a store, a food item at the market) and simply ask “How much is it?” Many Koreans will recognize that you are not proficient in Korean and respond by entering the price on a calculator and showing you or writing down the price for you. 9. When you reach the end of your exchange and it’s time to think about how you will get to the airport with two heavy suitcases, simply turn to Trazy. This website sells reasonably priced packages for taxis that are big enough to carry your suitcases. You simply select the size of the car you need, input a pickup address, and schedule the date and time of your pickup. You must schedule the ride at least a few days in advance. Do NOT use Kakao Taxi to go the airport. The taxi drivers will not be happy to see your luggage, nor will your things fit in their car. 10. Pack light! I heard this piece of advice so many times, but I didn’t listen because I kept thinking “But what if I need it?” and packed too many clothes. My two suitcases were nearly full going to Korea. This became my biggest regret because I had way too many clothes by the end of my exchange. I also couldn’t fit my souvenirs and gifts for family and friends. I ended up going to the post office and sending not one, but two boxes back home. Ideally, bring only basic/essential clothing (as opposed to trendy clothing) and leave one of your suitcases nearly empty so that you have enough room to fit all your purchases when you return home. a.If you MUST send a box home, you have the choice of either shipping through the Korean post office (which has locations scattered everywhere throughout Seoul) or packing a box at the airport (as another piece of luggage) when it’s time to return home. I went to the post office located inside Korea University, my school, with a bag full of my stuff and simply packed my box at the post office, which provides boxes and shipping materials for free. However, it was quite pricey. Shipping with my airline would have been less convenient but much cheaper. It’s ultimately up to you on what you want to do.
0 Comments
|