Ten Useful Tips When Planning Your Study Abroad

‘Cash only’ is used for important transactions the main two being refilling the T-money card which all public transportations and some taxis use and paying national health insurance which you are automatically enrolled in when applying for an Alien Registration Card. You can pay off national health insurance in a couple places, but most will only take cash.

The water from the tap and shower can be rough or very chemically filtered so it may cause skin irritation, rashes, and minor hair loss. When checking for place to stay inquire about shower head water filters and be prepared to bring your own which you can find on amazon. Also, its generally good to either consume bottled water or water from dispensers.

The Korean consulate in Hawaii requires a very specific amount of paperwork for the visa, I would suggest going there to pick up one of their lists that includes all so you don’t have to go back and forth since their website doesn’t include all necessary materials.

Definitely put in some effort to learn how to read the Korean language and speak basic terms. Many places you can get by with pointing, hand motions, or limited English interactions but Korean will help a lot.

A good way to save some money is when you plan to go shopping and you predict a large amount of purchases, bring your passport, and inquire at the register about tax free. Purchases over 30,000 Korean won can give you basically cash back.

Some days especially during winter seasons the air quality is horrendous to the point where the sky looks grey and foggy, but it is not clouds, just pollution. You should always keep a mask on hand to protect you from the bad air quality and in the crowded public transportation.

Chingu Mobile is a company many foreigners use to purchase their SIM cards, it offers unlimited data with domestic calling/text for a cheaper price than other companies I used.

Be aware that some places have poor water pressure so in bathroom stalls you will see a trash can. This is for used toilet paper to be discarded in since if thrown in the toilet it will clog. Some goshiwons and apartments have this problem as well.

On the street there are often no trash cans so you must make sure to find a trash pile on the side of the road to toss your trash but they are generally easy to find. Some are only for cardboard so make sure you don’t mix up the trash.

Make sure you sort your trash from home accordingly, there are different bins for different items like cans, papers, hard plastic, food, waste, and more. If you don’t you might be subject to fines or yelling by local landlords.