Moving to Korea

A year ago, I was going into 'reverse nesting' mode...starting to figure out how to prepare to leave my old life behind, and start on a new journey. Here is the fun part - I had never been to Korea and I was trying to figure out how to prepare for living there. It is not that I hadn't done that before (moving to Ireland in my early 20s), but it was different to move across the world as a professional. Here are a few lists for those of you who might be in the same boat. Some of these things are specific to Korea, some are specific to teaching,  but some of them are just geared toward moving across the world. 

What should I have packed that I didn't: 
1. Spices - I was warned that Korean spices were very different and I didn't pay enough attention! I thought I would just learn to use the local spices pretty quickly and I was wrong. I have learned some, but it is nice to have the spices I am used to using when I want to make a familiar meal! 

** iherb.com can be a life saver in this case - they ship to SO many countries!

2. Bedding - I brought sheets, but I didn't worry about a blanket or comforter. I happen to get a decent deal on a blanket at eMart (love that place!) and winter wasn't crazy cold this year. Thank goodness my parents were able to bring my comforter over when they visited at Christmas. Of course you can get one here - they just cost about $200.00

3. Shoes - I have big feet...size 9 is almost impossible to find here. 8 - 8.5 you should be ok, but not much bigger than that. We do have a payless inside our eMart and I was able to get a few pairs of sandals there. Sandals became SO important when my feet started to swell from the heat at the beginning of the year. I was not prepared for that and my shoes were awful!! Also, my running shoes were dead about half way through the year - next year I will bring two pair!

4. Posters - I wasn't sure what I was walking into in my classroom and it would have been nice to have some things that made it look like 'my' classroom. Again, my parents are amazing and shipped some to me. I can requisition them from school, but that was low on my list of necessary items. 

5. Clothes for the weather - Coming from Colorado, I wasn't prepared for the humidity. My cotton t-shirts were even too thick! It is CRAZY hot and humid here - I didn't know what that really felt like until I arrived and it was too late!

6. A laptop- I brought my iPad which is super convenient for traveling etc. but a pain to do work on! If you are all laptop savvy, this might not apply...my skills are not that good on the iPad. 

Things I am really glad I brought:
1. Pictures and blue tac - I had a whole wall collage of pictures of things that were important to me. Places I had visited and lived, some of my hometown, my friends, and my family. It was nice to put them up right away so that my apartment felt like home! Blue tac sticks to almost all surfaces and it was a great purchase for my move!

2. Clothes - plenty of clothes that I was used to, that I felt comfortable in, and that I could do my job in. I would have liked to have traveled a bit lighter, but it was nice to not have to try to find clothes to fit right away!

3. VPN - Not that you 'bring' this, but it was really nice to purchase one. I know a lot of people who get by without, but for things like pandora (music) and netflix (TV/movies) it really comes in handy. 

4. Rain boots - They were heavy, and I have only used them a handful of times. That being said - they have been really handy the few times I have used them!

5. Vitamins and Medicine - I like to know what I am putting in my body and that is really hard to do here! Also, I was warned that cold/flu medication wasn't as strong here, so it was nice to have some 'American strength' medication in my cabinet! Also, things like pepto and allergy medicine have been handy!

6. Books/Magazines- I have acquired some books and magazines (thanks Kim!) through the year and it has been really nice. My school has an area where teachers can leave books and pick up new ones and there is an English book store that is in the foreign district (just a long way to go when all I feel like doing is curling up with a book). I can also get books for my iPad, but I am a true fan of the paper version! The magazines were really nice (from Kim) since they are wickedly expensive to get here!

7. iPod - When it gets overwhelming to be in a crowded subway (which is actually not that bad here compared to anywhere else I have ever been), a crazy supermarket with people yelling adds into a microphone, or on a crowded street, it is nice to just put in my ear buds and go into my own little world. I know that it isn't safe to do that so much in some other countries, but Seoul is awesome for being one of the major cities that doesn't have much crime. 

What I didn't/haven't done that I wish I would have:
1. Travel more in Korea- I have been to Busan, but there are so many other places that I want to see in Korea. Next year I have a few islands in mind!!

2. Camping - Camping is easy here and I have wanted to go the two times I have been invited, but timing has been bad. 

3. Learn more Korean- I started taking a class once each week with one of our Korean teachers, but then had to stop when I started coaching. I've hit a plateau in my skills and I am really disappointed about that. 

4. Join a group like WINK (When In Korea) to do more adventure/traveling/making friends. There are always groups for expats and I encourage people to try them out - including myself. I am excited to try some of the WINK activities next fall. 

Things I am glad I have done:
1. Get outside- I am most comfortable and at peace when I am outside. Korea has some great hiking trails and they seriously helped me feel balanced and not go crazy early in the year! The Dobongsan and Suraksan stops on line 7 have some awesome trails!

2. Meetups- I have only done a few of these - I'd like to do more- but it is nice to meet people outside the bubble of my school and neighborhood! It is also a great way to try out things you haven't done before or find people who share your hobbies. www.meetup.com 

3. Church- Thank goodness for my friend Dawn who already attended a church regularly and was happy to invite me along. It has been a great place to worship (not at my school - not that my school service is bad - its just nice to get out of the bubble!) and a great place to make friends! The one I go to is in Gangnam which is also a nice place to adventure around. I love New Harvest Church

4. Subway Roulette - This is something that my group of single ladies made up. One evening each week, we would ride the subway on a random line, to a random stop and then explore. We found fun places to eat, weird art, great people watching, and most importantly, we learned to use the subway like pros! T-Money cards are a must if you are trucking around Seoul! 

5. Vacation- I have been to Japan, China, Indonesia, Australia, and the Philippines this year. This is one very big perk of my job and my location. Where ever you are, don't be afraid to travel to close places and get out of the country! Vietnam is already booked for fall break! Part of why this job rocks is the travel - make it worth your while :) 

Any other additions my well-traveled friends?!? Please feel free to post them to the comments!