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Moving to Seoul... any advice?

Bon Voyage Wonderboy. It's probably one of the better decisions you've made to go through with this. Most people back off out of fear and they never get to experience the many things the world has to offer. I have 2 small children and we try and spend at least 3 months a year in a foreign country (last year South East Asia, the year before Paris). It is very difficult and challenging but once you commit yourself to these things, they always seem to work out. Our lives are a lot richer for it and I don't regret one second of our adventures. Congratulations, you're one of the minority that has the courage to live with passion.
 
wonderboy416 said:
Visa is in hand, electronic plane tickets printed, current employer given 2 weeks notice...

I'm pretty much set to go! It's hard to describe how I feel. I'm excited yet slightly nervous. I imagine October 26th will be the longest day of my life thus far... 6:45 am flight to San Fran, so that requires showing up to Pearson at 3:45. Then after a 5 hour flight I get to sit inside the United departures section in the San Fran airport for 4 hours wondering if my bags will be transfered to the correct flight only to get to go back into the air for 13 more hours arriving in a foreign country and losing half a day in the process! woohoo...
Thank goodness the flight will have power outlets for my laptop and free booze :)
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If you don't mind me asking Wonderboy, how much were your tickets? I might be moving to Korea as well in the next 6 months. I know ticket prices fluctuate, but I'd think in the January-February months they should be pretty cheap.

Keep us up to date on your little adventure.
 
^ Last November my wife flew to Manila via Detroit & Japan on Northwest Airlines. I did a lot of research at the time and NWA was by far the cheapest. I think it cost her $1300 and she flew on Nov. 29 just before the tickets escalate in December. Prices return to normal in early January.
 
androiduk said:
^ Last November my wife flew to Manila via Detroit & Japan on Northwest Airlines. I did a lot of research at the time and NWA was by far the cheapest. I think it cost her $1300 and she flew on Nov. 29 just before the tickets escalate in December. Prices return to normal in early January.
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Really? That seems a little high. I've seen tickets to Seoul for as low as $800 (though not for that date).
 
I have no idea how much my tickets cost.

I have e-tickets for the first flight and the connection in San Francisco but prices are not listed. Your guess is as good as mine, I am flying United so if you could probably price out a flight with them to Incheon via San Fran.

Strange I cannot turn on a Dell or Apple laptop on the plane, must be affraid of exploding batteries :)

My tickets have a 2 bag maximum, I'm for sure going to bring a third and just pay whatever they charge me *shrug*.
 
Wow, what a 360 ...

I thought way back when, that you'd be stuck in that suburban wasteland called Milton living in a cookie cutter home, with a cookie cutter girlfriend and driving a Pontiac G6 to a cookie cutter job.

Good stuff.
 
Jarrek,

Don't remind me! Although that was hardly a mistake, just something I'm glad I experienced at an early age. I know a lot of people in their mid-late 20's still aspiring to have that picture perfect suburban lifestyle, maybe I just wasn't ready for it... but at least I know better than to spend the last of my younger years working towards a lifestyle I'll end up finding to be miserable.
 
wonderboy416 said:
My tickets have a 2 bag maximum, I'm for sure going to bring a third and just pay whatever they charge me *shrug*.
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Be extremely careful with this. Call the airline or check their website and find out the weight limits and the charges for being over. The charges on long haul flights are crazy. When I moved to Tokyo I flew out of the UK and ended up overweight on my luggage. Cost me well over $1,000. I should have repacked my bag and thrown a lot of things away and bought new when I got here but I didn't have time. And I was flying first class ($10k but I wasn't paying) - I thought fancy first class people like me would have a higher luggage amount.

Also, stock up on deodorant, vitamins and whatever other pharmaceuticals that you normally use. Leave your hairdryer, electric razor, battery charger, etc at home and replace them when you arrive.

And enjoy.
 
indense thanks for the advise.

I've got 2 bags so far, a large one and a smaller one. I am now thinking I can keep each one under 50 lbs and still bring everything I need. The over charge is $125 per bag under 50 lbs and $125 for going over 50 lbs up to a maximum of 90 lbs I think... I will be bringing my portable razor since it's 220v compatible and I've also managed to sneak in my 22" LCD monitor beleive it or not, all 22 pounds of it. I just can't get used to the idea of using the laptop screen 100% of the time (even a 17" laptop would annoy me to no end when used at home). I realise I could probably get at least $125 for this on craigslist and just buy a new one when I'm there and not risk having it damaged when some baggage handler goes for a new olympic record with the baggage toss, so it's kind of a stupid thing to bring but I have the room and it will be packed in there pretty good, so why not :)
 
I wish that I had been charged per bag, instead I was charged per kg. I don't know if that is based on the airport or the airline. I flew Virgin because their business class is equivalent to everyone else's first class and I was only allowed to expense a business class ticket.

Think about your daily/weekly routine and pick out the little comfort items. For example, "On my afternoon coffee break, I always buy a Mars bar." Go to Costco and get a box or two of Mars bars. Six months from now, when you are wondering what you were thinking, the Mars bars will be more useful in getting you over the hump than the monitor.

Also, monitors are cheap in Japan and I would guess in Seoul, too.
 
Have fun. My nephew lives in Incheon, teaches school there, and has for a few years. He has picked up Korean, loves the country and the food, and is planning to live there long-term (after returning to Canada for a bit to finish his degree). I visited him for a week last year and I loved, loved, loved Seoul. (Incheon is ugly as hell but interesting). I would live in Seoul/Incheon before Tokyo. My very general perception is that Korea is more outward looking than Japan is, more open to strangers.
 
Archivist said:
Have fun. My nephew lives in Incheon, teaches school there, and has for a few years. He has picked up Korean, loves the country and the food, and is planning to live there long-term (after returning to Canada for a bit to finish his degree). I visited him for a week last year and I loved, loved, loved Seoul. (Incheon is ugly as hell but interesting). I would live in Seoul/Incheon before Tokyo. My very general perception is that Korea is more outward looking than Japan is, more open to strangers.
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You're the first person I've ever encountered who has thought that.
 
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