1. did u take any medical vaccination prior leaving to korea?
I personally didnt take a medical vaccination and I've been fine since I've been here but maybe I'm lucky. If you have access to it, I'd do it, its a good precaution.
I personally didnt take a medical vaccination and I've been fine since I've been here but maybe I'm lucky. If you have access to it, I'd do it, its a good precaution.
2. How do you make phone calls back home to the US? Did you get yourself a new cell phone there? If so, how does it work and can you make calls to the US with it?
I make phone calls back home through 2 ways. First, my school allows me to call home whenever I want for free which is really cool. Second, I set up a Skype account that allows me to call friends and family from my computer. What I did was create a phone number with a local area code for about $12 and then I added credits for calling home. I think its like 7 cents per minute to call home from here, I'm not sure. However, the cool thing with setting up skype with the home number is, incoming calls are free for you, you only have to pay for outgoing calls. So, if you want to speak to your family back home and don't want to incur costs, you can call them briefly and ask them to call you back from their phone. So if theyre using their cell phone and they have many minutes left or if its after 9pm, its like theyre calling someone locally and they won't incur any extra international costs.
I also picked up a cheap phone here to use locally. When you get here ask a Korean teacher you work with if they can go with you to get a cell phone, ask to buy a very cheap phone and see if you can get a prepaid phone as one with a monthly plan is fairly expensive. However, before you can get a phone, you have to wait for your Alien ID card, you'll probably go with the owner of your school to do your physical and HIV test the first or second day you arrive. 3 days later you'll get your Alien ID card.
I make phone calls back home through 2 ways. First, my school allows me to call home whenever I want for free which is really cool. Second, I set up a Skype account that allows me to call friends and family from my computer. What I did was create a phone number with a local area code for about $12 and then I added credits for calling home. I think its like 7 cents per minute to call home from here, I'm not sure. However, the cool thing with setting up skype with the home number is, incoming calls are free for you, you only have to pay for outgoing calls. So, if you want to speak to your family back home and don't want to incur costs, you can call them briefly and ask them to call you back from their phone. So if theyre using their cell phone and they have many minutes left or if its after 9pm, its like theyre calling someone locally and they won't incur any extra international costs.
I also picked up a cheap phone here to use locally. When you get here ask a Korean teacher you work with if they can go with you to get a cell phone, ask to buy a very cheap phone and see if you can get a prepaid phone as one with a monthly plan is fairly expensive. However, before you can get a phone, you have to wait for your Alien ID card, you'll probably go with the owner of your school to do your physical and HIV test the first or second day you arrive. 3 days later you'll get your Alien ID card.
3. Where do you go to exchange your US money to Korean Won?
I exchanged my money to korean won at first at the money exchange at the airport. After that, ask your boss, he/she will take you to a few banks that will exchange your money for you.
I exchanged my money to korean won at first at the money exchange at the airport. After that, ask your boss, he/she will take you to a few banks that will exchange your money for you.
4. How do you do banking there? How can you withdraw, deposit, or transfer money from your US accounts? Can you have your payroll direct deposit to your US account?
You can't have your salary directly deposited into your U.S. accounts. You have to set up a korean account here. Once you get your ID, you can go with your boss or a fellow korean teacher to help you set up account at a local bank. Always ask if someone at the bank can speak english, makes things easier. I waited to bank somewhere after I found out they had a few people who spoke english. Once that's done, you can have your pay direct deposited to the korean bank.
You can transfer money to your american account, though every time you do it, it costs you about 15 dollars, then your bank at home also charges a fee for foreign deposits so its probably best to get a good amount before you transfer anything back you your home account.
With my U.S. account, I've just been doing online banking, been doing it for years, so if you don't have an online account with your bank, i'd make one now. So if you have any bills like credit cards or anything, you can take care of it online.
You can't have your salary directly deposited into your U.S. accounts. You have to set up a korean account here. Once you get your ID, you can go with your boss or a fellow korean teacher to help you set up account at a local bank. Always ask if someone at the bank can speak english, makes things easier. I waited to bank somewhere after I found out they had a few people who spoke english. Once that's done, you can have your pay direct deposited to the korean bank.
You can transfer money to your american account, though every time you do it, it costs you about 15 dollars, then your bank at home also charges a fee for foreign deposits so its probably best to get a good amount before you transfer anything back you your home account.
With my U.S. account, I've just been doing online banking, been doing it for years, so if you don't have an online account with your bank, i'd make one now. So if you have any bills like credit cards or anything, you can take care of it online.
