Author: Judith Villarreal

Wanting to make sure that I was fully prepared to immerse myself in a brand new culture, I scoured countless blogs, websites and forums looking for information pertaining to the big move. The number of articles I stumbled upon was overwhelming to say the least. Thousands of blogs and pages popped up, and all of them had at least one article carrying the self-proclaimed title “Everything You Need To Know About Moving To South Korea!”

I had to do a bit of polling and stalking various expat groups on Facebook to compile a list of what boys should bring for their big move to Korea. I think I’ve got a pretty good rough outline, but I think asking perhaps other male expats and doing a bit more research would be wise – unless, of course, you trust me completely, dear friend. I’d never steer you wrong, anyhow! I did my best to compile as much information as I could about what guys should bring to Korea. Happy packing!

Ladies, it’s about that time when you’ll start worrying about what to pack for the big move to South Korea. I decided to write down a list to help you better organize your suitcases! This one is for the ladies! Boys, check back here next week to see what’s on your list!

The second part of my tips is here to shed more insight on Korean spas just in time for the stifling warm weather that’s approaching! I’ve got another 5 awesome bits of information to share so that you can navigate a Korean spa with confidence and grace – as much confidence and grace as you can muster while walking around buck naked anyway. Let’s get started so we can get your behind to a spa as quickly as possible!

As I wrote in my article Korean Apartments: Back To Basics , there are unfortunately no tubs in Korean bathrooms. However, if you’re a brave enough expat you can get your scrub-a-dub-dub on at a Korean spa for that extra squeaky clean. There are too many differences between Korean and Western spas to name in one article, so I’ve taken the 10 most crucial bits of info on Korean spas and broken them down into two easily digestible articles for you. Enjoy today’s top 5 tips, and check back here for another 5 next week!

I had a class with my Korean students about dating culture in Korea. They were so animated and open about sharing with me all of their views that I decided to make a list of everything we talked about and share it here with you! Here are the 3 things about Korean dating culture that my Korean middle schools students shared with me!

I scoured blogs, watched k-dramas, and listened to an unhealthy amount of k-pop before moving to South Korea in an effort to prepare myself for all the cultural changes I was bound to experience. Although that research wasn’t wasted, there are certain things I wouldn’t have ever learned had I not moved across the globe to call the land of morning calm home for a year.

If there’s one thing that Korea obsesses over more than kimchi, it’s coffee. Seriously. Walk on any street in Korea and you’ll find a coffee shop on every corner. I once asked a Korean friend why there are so many coffee shops in Korea, and his answer left me speechless. “Coffee is cool. If you’re a guy or girl, you go to a coffee shop and drink coffee alone to look cool,” he nodded his head agreeing with himself. So, there it is. The answer to why coffee is such a hot commodity in Korea. Young Korean girls and guys are making coffee cool.