Comments on: GRRRL Goes Whimpery in Her New Korean Location http://grrrltraveler.com/2010/03/grrrlwhimpery-kr/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=grrrlwhimpery-kr Find your GRRR to travel survival and imperfect adventures while on a budget. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:10:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Christine Ka'aloa http://grrrltraveler.com/2010/03/grrrlwhimpery-kr/comment-page-1/#comment-107918 Christine Ka'aloa Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:42:52 +0000 http://grrrltraveler.com/?p=3094#comment-107918 @Aisling: GEPIK tends towards more rural placement but it's got long vacation perks to balance it, I believe. During orientation, connect with AS MANY PEOPLE as you can in your surrounding area and outside. You'll want to travel, especially when you hit rough spots and need a break; it'll be nice to have friends all around. When in doubt, go to Seoul. It's a whole new world & it's the most western. Good luck! It took me a while to fall in love with Korea (but for a good majority, people fall in love w/ the newness instantaneously); most of the year, I didn't know how I felt but just rode it out. Now, I find it a special place. @Aisling: GEPIK tends towards more rural placement but it’s got long vacation perks to balance it, I believe. During orientation, connect with AS MANY PEOPLE as you can in your surrounding area and outside. You’ll want to travel, especially when you hit rough spots and need a break; it’ll be nice to have friends all around. When in doubt, go to Seoul. It’s a whole new world & it’s the most western. Good luck! It took me a while to fall in love with Korea (but for a good majority, people fall in love w/ the newness instantaneously); most of the year, I didn’t know how I felt but just rode it out. Now, I find it a special place.

]]> By: Aisling Cox http://grrrltraveler.com/2010/03/grrrlwhimpery-kr/comment-page-1/#comment-107886 Aisling Cox Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:01:35 +0000 http://grrrltraveler.com/?p=3094#comment-107886 I am with GEPIK i think. I am being sent to either Icheon or Uijeongbu. Thank you so much for your advice, my mind is a little more at ease now :) I am with GEPIK i think. I am being sent to either Icheon or Uijeongbu. Thank you so much for your advice, my mind is a little more at ease now :)

]]> By: Christine Ka'aloa http://grrrltraveler.com/2010/03/grrrlwhimpery-kr/comment-page-1/#comment-107876 Christine Ka'aloa Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:38:21 +0000 http://grrrltraveler.com/?p=3094#comment-107876 @Aisling: Hmmm... I guess it depends. Where are you located and what program are you with?? If you're in a rural area, it'll be harder to make expat friends, however, good news is you'll probably make local Korean ones and learn the language quicker! I know a girl who loves her rural environment, although this isn't for everyone. A big city, will have more expats and if you're coming in w/ a gov program, you'll likely be placed together by location and can make friends at your orientation. Also, a year does go by quicker than you know it. Keep in mind, no matter where you are, you'll hit rough spots and expat go thru the erratic periods of culture shock/depression but if you give Korea a chance, you'll be surprised how nice this lifestyle is. A lot of expats end up renewing. @Aisling: Hmmm… I guess it depends. Where are you located and what program are you with?? If you’re in a rural area, it’ll be harder to make expat friends, however, good news is you’ll probably make local Korean ones and learn the language quicker! I know a girl who loves her rural environment, although this isn’t for everyone. A big city, will have more expats and if you’re coming in w/ a gov program, you’ll likely be placed together by location and can make friends at your orientation. Also, a year does go by quicker than you know it. Keep in mind, no matter where you are, you’ll hit rough spots and expat go thru the erratic periods of culture shock/depression but if you give Korea a chance, you’ll be surprised how nice this lifestyle is. A lot of expats end up renewing.

]]> By: Aisling Cox http://grrrltraveler.com/2010/03/grrrlwhimpery-kr/comment-page-1/#comment-107872 Aisling Cox Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:13:50 +0000 http://grrrltraveler.com/?p=3094#comment-107872 Hi, Firstly i love your site and has helped me so much. I was planning on moving to south korea for a year with a few friends to teach english. I was so excited to go but now have just found out that i am being placed on the opposite side of the country to my friends and it is impossible to relocate. I'm kinda freaking out about moving to the other side of the world on my own but i think i will regret it if i pass up this opportunity. Is it easy to meet people there? a year is a long time 2 be in a place you dont know anyone. Thanks from Ireland :) Hi,
Firstly i love your site and has helped me so much. I was planning on moving to south korea for a year with a few friends to teach english. I was so excited to go but now have just found out that i am being placed on the opposite side of the country to my friends and it is impossible to relocate. I’m kinda freaking out about moving to the other side of the world on my own but i think i will regret it if i pass up this opportunity. Is it easy to meet people there? a year is a long time 2 be in a place you dont know anyone.
Thanks from Ireland :)

]]> By: Christine Ka'aloa http://grrrltraveler.com/2010/03/grrrlwhimpery-kr/comment-page-1/#comment-107478 Christine Ka'aloa Sun, 08 Jan 2012 08:06:52 +0000 http://grrrltraveler.com/?p=3094#comment-107478 @Jacki: Think it's perfectly natural to feel that way when you first get to Korea. As for sick- OMG- the first 6-8 months of being there every expat that I knew (we EPIKers were connected thru a FB group) were continually getting sick and relapsing. For a while I thought I'd start a series of all the sick masks I was collecting. My co-teacher would say, "I guess you haven't gotten used to Korea's germs yet". It's a bug many of us expats have difficulty acclimating to, apparently. Also, keep in mind there's yellow dust warnings. That's also a cause of colds. @Jacki: Think it’s perfectly natural to feel that way when you first get to Korea. As for sick- OMG- the first 6-8 months of being there every expat that I knew (we EPIKers were connected thru a FB group) were continually getting sick and relapsing. For a while I thought I’d start a series of all the sick masks I was collecting. My co-teacher would say, “I guess you haven’t gotten used to Korea’s germs yet”. It’s a bug many of us expats have difficulty acclimating to, apparently. Also, keep in mind there’s yellow dust warnings. That’s also a cause of colds.

]]> By: Jacki http://grrrltraveler.com/2010/03/grrrlwhimpery-kr/comment-page-1/#comment-107474 Jacki Sun, 08 Jan 2012 07:33:45 +0000 http://grrrltraveler.com/?p=3094#comment-107474 I have to say thanks for this post. I've been in Korea almost three weeks, the majority of that time holed up in my apartment being sick. I have developed this sort of doorstep fear of venturing outside my building for anything other than work. But once I'm outside heading somewhere I need to go, I want to go elsewhere. Transition periods like this always throw me for a loop for a while. I have to say thanks for this post. I’ve been in Korea almost three weeks, the majority of that time holed up in my apartment being sick. I have developed this sort of doorstep fear of venturing outside my building for anything other than work. But once I’m outside heading somewhere I need to go, I want to go elsewhere. Transition periods like this always throw me for a loop for a while.
Jacki recently posted..First Week at Suji SLPMy Profile

]]> By: Christine Ka'aloa http://grrrltraveler.com/2010/03/grrrlwhimpery-kr/comment-page-1/#comment-100657 Christine Ka'aloa Thu, 01 Dec 2011 01:08:13 +0000 http://grrrltraveler.com/?p=3094#comment-100657 @Kelsey: Thanks! Survived. ;-) @Kelsey: Thanks! Survived. ;-)

]]> By: Kelsey http://grrrltraveler.com/2010/03/grrrlwhimpery-kr/comment-page-1/#comment-100099 Kelsey Tue, 29 Nov 2011 01:46:09 +0000 http://grrrltraveler.com/?p=3094#comment-100099 Ironically, this sounds almost identical to my own first day/night in Korea. I arrived late at night and was dropped off at love motel, told I would be picked up in the morning to drive to Jindo, the island where I was to live. When I got to Jindo, my co-teacher dropped me off at 9pm at night to a bare apartment with a gross mattress, very, very used-looking sheets, and a layer of dust and grime all over everything. She didn't tell me how to use anything, or even where the grocery store was. Like you, my first night was an exercise in resisting the urge to head back to the airport. I'm glad to see that you made it. Ironically, this sounds almost identical to my own first day/night in Korea. I arrived late at night and was dropped off at love motel, told I would be picked up in the morning to drive to Jindo, the island where I was to live. When I got to Jindo, my co-teacher dropped me off at 9pm at night to a bare apartment with a gross mattress, very, very used-looking sheets, and a layer of dust and grime all over everything. She didn’t tell me how to use anything, or even where the grocery store was. Like you, my first night was an exercise in resisting the urge to head back to the airport.

I’m glad to see that you made it.

]]> By: Christine Ka'aloa http://grrrltraveler.com/2010/03/grrrlwhimpery-kr/comment-page-1/#comment-84524 Christine Ka'aloa Tue, 27 Sep 2011 13:04:54 +0000 http://grrrltraveler.com/?p=3094#comment-84524 @Eun Jang: Thanks so much for dropping by and reading! ;) @Eun Jang: Thanks so much for dropping by and reading! ;)

]]> By: Eun Jang http://grrrltraveler.com/2010/03/grrrlwhimpery-kr/comment-page-1/#comment-83269 Eun Jang Fri, 23 Sep 2011 14:02:56 +0000 http://grrrltraveler.com/?p=3094#comment-83269 Thank you for sharing your life in Korea. Thank you for sharing your life in Korea.

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