Tag: guest writers

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!

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.

Korea’s trees are beginning to become full with lush green leaves again, flowers have bloomed and happily line every sidewalk, and the long days have a bright, happy luster that was missing only a few weeks ago. All of these changes can only mean one thing, spring is here! As happy as the news that the bleak Korean winter is over, it always comes with the dreaded knowledge that allergies are only a tissue’s reach away.

You’ve got your plane ticket in hand, you’ve said all your good byes for the time being, and you’re now staring at the empty suitcases you need to pack for your year in South Korea. You’ve already bought a year’s supply of your favorite candies and comfort foods. After you check off clothes, treats, and deodorant, however, you’re left wondering what exactly you should expect in your new Korean apartment.

Apart from the beautiful Korean culture, amazing food, and kind people, the collective majority of expats stick around teaching in Korea longer than a year because the cost of living is incredibly low. Saving money while living in Korea is easy and doesn’t really require much effort.

One of the interesting, and slightly stressful, customs I’ve learned to accept and embrace while teaching in Korea is gift giving in the office. The most important time for gift giving in Korea is when a new employee receives their first paycheck.

We are joined once more by our South Korea expert Judith Villarreal who give us the second part of her two-part series about what to expect at an EPIK orientation.

You should plan ahead before you take the plunge and travel abroad for a long period of time. This Before You Leave To-Do List shares a few more pearls of wisdom I’ve learnt along the way.