WOOSONG EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION Daejeon, South Korea
ELC INFORMATION PACKAGE August 2006
WLI HOURS: Weekdays – 8 am to 10 PM Weekends and holidays – 10 am to 5 PM (Summer – 6pm closing) The ELC Dept.may be closed on some long weekends.
MAIN OFFICE PHONE: 82 – 42 – 630 - 9780
OFFICE FAX: From overseas - 82-42-624-7294 Within Korea - 042-624-7294
ELC WEB SITE: http://
MAILING ADDRESS: English Language Communication Department 196-5 Jayang-dong, Dong-ku DAEJEON, 300-100 South Korea
ELC Coordinator’s Office: Room 606 Phone Number: 82- 42- 630-9786 e-mail: [email protected]
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Contents
ELC PERSONNEL 4 MENTORING FOR NEW INSTRUCTORS 5 FIRST WEEK PRIORITIES 6 TWO OR THREE WEEKS LATER 7 FINANCIAL INFORMATION 8 AUTOMATED BANKING MACHINESORIENTATION 9 CHECKLIST 10 WOOSONG UNIVERSITY MAP 12 COLLEGE MAP 13 WHY TEACH ENGLISH IN KOREA? 14 KOREANS’ EXPECTATIONS OF ENGLISH TEACHERS 14 FROM CONFUSING TO CONFUCIAN: 17 DAEJEON, LIFE, AND CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT 21 ADVICE FROM OUR TEACHERS 23 U-CURVE OF ADJUSTMENT 24 SOME USEFUL EXPRESSIONS IN KOREAN 25 NUMBERS IN KOREAN 26 KOREAN FOOD 27 ORDERING MINERAL WATER 28 TRAVEL – DAEJEON AND BEYOND 29 BUSES FROM JAYANG DONG 32 INTERCITY BUS TIMETABLE 33 TAXIS 33 WHERE TO GO – AROUND TOWN 34 PLACES TO VISIT 41 HIKING 45 AIRPORT EXPRESS BUS TIMETABLE 47 DOWNTOWN DAEJEON MAP 49 THINGS TO DO 50 FURTHER MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION 54 INFORMATION ABOUT BILLS 60 HEATING SYSTEM AT SITE A & SITE B 62 TAXI SLIPS WITH KOREAN ADRESSES 64 HOUSING DAMAGE-CHECK 65 EVALUATION OF MENTORING PROGRAM 66 PAY SLIP TRANSLATION A 67 PAY SLIP TRANSLATION B 6 8 PAYSLIP EXPLANATION 69
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PERSONNEL
DIRECTORATE
Director of the English Language Communication Department: Prof. Mun-sil, Yom 042-630-9782
PROGRAMMING AND OPERATIONS
ELC Coordinator: Prof. Brian Beck 042-630- 9786
PLANNING AND OFFICE MANAGEMENT
ELC Assist. (6th Floor) Ms. Mi-Kyoung, Kim (Jinny) 042-630-9780
International Relations Assist. Mr.Kyunam Choi 042-629-6617
Admin. Head Assist. (1st Fr.): Mr.Byung-ki, Min 042-630-9780
Personnel Assist. (1st Fr.): Mr.Kyung Hyun, Kim (Jack) 042- 626-6922
Facilities Assist. (1st Fr.): Mr. Kyu-sun, Lee (John) 042- 626-6922
Financial Assist. (1sr Fr.): Ms. Hye-ock, Jang (Cindy) 042-625- 6922
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MENTORING FOR NEW INSTRUCTORS
Since 1993, an orientation program pairing new instructors with more senior instructors has been in place at WooSong Educational Foundation. This program has been very successful in assisting with new teachers’ orientation.
There are five areas that new teachers need information about:
- the administrative requirements in the first few weeks - getting settled in your new environment - the location of the buildings where we teach - the equipment and materials we use - Woosong Foundation’s policies and instructional procedures
Your mentor can help you with all of these things. The information in this booklet is designed to help you with the first two: taking care of the necessary administrative details and getting settled in Daejeon.
Information about your work environment is in the Orientation booklet and there will be an Orientation Meeting for New Teachers. Various follow-up meetings will be scheduled in the first weeks of the semester.
What do I need to do first?
The information contained in the pages titled First Week Priorities covers the administrative requirements for new instructors. Your Mentor or the Personnel Assistant can answer any questions about these things.
The Orientation Checklist is a guide to assist you and your Mentor in the mentoring process.
The following pages also include information about Daejeon, and Korea in general, for those of you who are working here for the first time. The important thing to remember is to ask someone if you are in need of information. During your first days before the beginning of the semester, we hope you will relax, get your new home in order, and find your way around the neighborhood and city.
Our best wishes for a successful teaching and learning experience here at the Woo Song Educational Foundation’s English language programs.
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FIRST WEEK PRIORITIES - CHECKLIST FOR ELC & IMMIGRATION
Photocopy Passport - Make a copy of the information page and Korean visa page in your passport for the ELC Assist.
Photographs - You will need approximately two 5 x 7 cm (myoung hahm pahn) photos and twelve 3 x 4 cm (bahn myoung pahn) photos.
Photos to Personnel Assistant - Give all the photos to the ELC Assist.if you didn’t send them with your resume and documents.
Immigration Office – The ELC Assistant or the International Office will explain how to apply for your Alien Registration Card and your Multi Purpose Visa. You will need your passport, 2 passport size photos, the 10,000 won fee, and taxi money to get you to the Immigration Office. The Immigration Office will keep your passport until the card is issued in about one week. Our office will return your passport and give you your Alien Registration Card. University teachers will also be charged 2,000 won for a Certificate of the Facts of Alien Registration. This Certificate is necessary for arranging your Pension and Medical Insurance and will be retained by Woosong Administration staff on your file. A single entry visa currently costs 30,000 won. The multi purpose visa cost 50,000 won and is the best option as you can not predict unusual circumstances.
Medical Insurance Card – This will take some time to process after you have your Alien Registration Card. It will be given to you by the WLI Office.
The Forms for the University Personnel Section - The ELC Assistant or the International Office will arrange this and help you through the process. You will need a copy of your passport and 12 passport sized photos. You will receive about ten forms to be filled out by hand which you can do this at home. You will also need to glue photos to these forms. You will then be on the payroll and will receive your salary on the twentieth of the month unless it falls on a weekend, in which case you will be paid the Friday before.
Housing Damage-Check Form - You will need to check your accommodation carefully and make a note of any damage or things that are not working. Keep the form but give a copy to the Facilities Assistant in the main office.
Vacation Selection Sheet - The ELC Coordinator will put this in your mailbox. Return it to the ELC Coordinator as soon as possible.
Alien Card and Visa Renewal - It is very important to renew your Alien Card and Visa on time. You need to check this out with the ELC Assistant at least one month before their expiry dates.
N.B. If your Visa and/or your Alien Card is renewed after the expiry date then a considerable fine is involved.
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TWO OR THREE WEEKS LATER
Post Office Savings Account - Your bank account cannot be opened until you have your Alien Registration Card. Until this account is set up you will be paid in cash. Payday is the twentieth of the month and you are paid in advance for the remainder of the month.
You will need assistance to set up your account and to learn how to use the bank machines. The Personnel Assistant will send you a memo when your account can be opened. It will explain the current procedure. Your post office bank account card can be used in any post office or other bank machine, but in the latter case, a service charge will apply.
Banking Hours at the Post Office - The university/college post office hours are:
Monday – Friday 9:00 to 5:00 Saturday 9:00 to 1:00
N.B.
There is a teller machine in the I.T. Building across from WLI. The I.T. Building is open from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM every day of the week. However, there is a small fee per transaction for using this ATM. There are also machines which have English instructions and are open late in the convenience stores in the side streets near the Rose Bud Coffee Shop.
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FINANCIAL INFORMATION
New teachers will receive the following within the first few weeks:
Airfare Allowance: If and as negotiated in your contract
First Month’s Salary:
Your first pay day will be on the 20th of the month in which you commence work. You will probably be paid in cash unless your post office account has already been set up. Payday is normally the 20th of the month unless it falls on a weekend, in which case payday is the Friday before the weekend.
Please note:
In some instances the first salary will not include deductions for tax, pension and health insurance. Such payments will be deducted as a lump sum in the following salary.
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Automated Banking Machines
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ORIENTATION CHECKL IST
Woosong Language Institute - “WLI”
Main Floor - Office, Introduction to Office Staff; Mail boxes - Key for teacher’s office / desk assignment from Office Staff - Cafeteria, elevators - Introduction to WLI, University and College Assistants - Information re: picking up course textbooks and folders – course books will be put in your mailbox a few days prior to the start of class - Computer repair – talk to John - Housing repairs – talk to John - Master teaching schedules
Basement - Singing rooms, theater – request through the main office - Resources / Copy Room - Duplo machine / photocopier procedure - Audio equipment and books sign out - Children’s resources - Recycling - Bookshelves – Reference, Teacher’s Manuals, Children’s Books, Tapes, Kids Materials sign out - Various binders for pop songs, exam files, form masters
Second Floor - Academic Director’s (post pending) and Coordinators’ Offices – 207
Third Floor - Head Coordinator’s Office – 311
New teacher’s office - Importance of the WLI Website as an information source – - http://wli.wsu.ac.kr/eng/index.htm - for scheduling information – - www.geocities.com/woosongsched/ - (Reminder that teachers are expected to clean their own offices) – supplies can be found in the cleaning rooms next to the bathrooms
New teachers should be familiar with the following:
-- Book sign-out policy -- Co-teaching -- Lesson Plans -- First Day Rosters -- Scheduling -- Attendance Keeping -- WLI Report Cards -- WLI Diplomas -- WLI End Term Archiving Forms
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Woo Song University
Use the University Map (Buildings are lettered) - Main Administration Building (Building A) - General Affairs – second floor - English Language Department Office – 602 - typical classroom - Lunch and snack rooms - New buildings (Building J, K, L) – Jayang Café, cafeteria, snack shop - IT Building (across from WLI)
Information College and Technical College
Use the College Map (Buildings are numbered with some letters) - Cafeteria (No 7) - Library (No 13) – 4th floor English books, and library classrooms - Administration Building (No 3) - TEI (Tourist English Interpretation)Department Office - 4th floor - Post Office Bank (No 16) – - Solpine - Bakery
Refer to the Orientation Policy Handbook for the following:
-- Teaching Duties -- Administrative Duties -- Evaluations -- Conduct -- Absence / Sick Leave -- Housing Policies
Neighborhood Tour
-- Pharmacies -- supermarkets -- tailors -- Photo shops -- street markets -- bus stops -- Restaurants -- video shops
Please note that teachers are expected to keep their offices clean. Empty your wastebaskets into the large blue containers in the WLI hallways.
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WOOSONG UNIVERSITY MAP
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COLLEGE MAP
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WHY TEACH ENGLISH IN KOREA? Living in Korea for a year can be the experience of a lifetime. You will have a chance to taste exotic cuisine, observe elaborate ceremonies, study and live a new culture, learn about Eastern religions, and maybe even learn a new language. When it is over, you will have become more aware of the world, more independent , more understanding and tolerant, more adventuresome, and wealthier for it in all respects –financial, emotional and mental. The experience is also good for your resume as most employers respect foreign work experience and the maturity it brings. And fi nally, Korea is a good starting place from which to visit other Asian countries, if you like to travel.
Koreans take education very seriously. This is rooted in their culture, which stresses hard work and ‘moving up’ in the world. College / university en trance is very competitive (only 30% of students are successful).
English education has only recently started at the elementary school level. Korean English teachers have not, in the past, been well spoken in English because of the many differences in the sound and structure of the two languages. This has resulted in students who are very knowledgeable about grammar and vocabulary, but who are very shy and unprepared for conversation.
As a result, English language ‘hagwons’ (institutes) were created an d have become very popular. Almost every child attends one, as do most college students, businessmen and even housewives. Native speakers and Korean English teachers staff these institutes. More recently, public schools have begun to hire native speakers (often on contract from Institutes). Colleges, universities and businesses also hire native speakers to conduct classes. As a result, there are many opportunities to teach English in Korea.
Making the decision to teach overseas is an important one, an d not to be taken lightly. You must evaluate yourself and determine whether you have the personal characteristics and attitude to be successful in an overseas job.
First and foremost, you must be open-minded and flexible. You must be able to “go with the flow” and sometimes accept less than complete information. You must be able to be fun and entertaining, yet professional in the classroom. You must always strive to demonstrate your good character and preserve your employer’s good reputation (keep partying and drinking within reason).
You should not be someone who must adhere to strict schedules, finding change or spur of the moment actions too difficult. You should come to Korea, not just to make money but to live a new cultural experience. Previous experience in a small business will make you realize that everyday frustrations and problems are not solely the result of working in Korea. One complaint about Korean bosses is that they are too concerned about making a profit. Remember that that is why people are in business and without financial success they cannot keep a business running and thereby pay your salary. If you are prepared to be a team player and to help where needed, your efforts will be rewarded. Koreans are extremely generous and sinc ere by our standards. And if you demonstrate selfishness (not admired in Asian cultures) and self -centeredness, you may be given the ‘cold shoulder’ and your experience will not be all it could be.
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KOREANS’ EXPECTATIONS OF ENGLISH TEACHERS
By: Oryang Kwon From: TESOL PLACEMENT BULLETIN– JULY /1992
The formal teaching of English in Korea began in 1883 with the opening of the first official English school, Tongmunhak, in Seoul. In the century si nce, thousands of international teachers of English have come to Korea to teach. Some became disillusioned and disappointed by adverse conditions of teaching and living, and left earlier than planned. Others enjoyed the teaching experience in this countr y, yet were happy to return to their more comfortable home country. Still others stayed much longer than planned – indeed some never left. Even today, scores of teachers are staying in Korea far beyond their initial plans, renewing their contracts again a nd again.
As Korea becomes a more important member of the world community, it needs a greater number of, and more able speakers of English. Accordingly, the importance of qualified English teachers is greater than ever before… The suggestions that follow are based on the observations of college-level English teaching, however they are also applicable to English teaching at other levels.
Some basic level of Korean is expected of foreign teachers…Teachers who try to learn Korean are more highly regarded by many Koreans… they even expect them to do so…some Korean colleagues and students hold negative attitudes toward foreigners who, after a couple of years in Korea, still cannot understand simple Korean expressions or read Korean letters.
Learning the language can have several positive effects. It gives students a very strong stimulus and motivation to see their teacher struggle to learn their language…Teachers also gain insight into teaching English by learning a language so different from English… In the course of learning the language, teachers will interact more with Koreans and friendship and understanding will naturally grow out of such interactions… and even the simple ability to read Korean letters will open up a whole new world of convenience.
Many teacher of English arriving at a Korean school or institute find it difficult to understand that they are entirely on their own and that there are (few or) no detailed guidelines regarding their teaching tasks… The teacher is expected to decide what to teach, how to teach, and what materials to use. No detailed information about the students’ proficiency levels and their special needs is available… The teacher may be well advised to keep a… journal … describing the kinds of activities that were successful, the problems that the students had, and the kinds of materials that worked.
To Korean students of English, a qualified teacher is the ultimate authority for their questions about the use of the language… Therefore … the usefulness of this resource increases in proportion to their availability to practice English in cross-cultural communicative interactions. Korean students expect teachers to set aside as much time as possible for them. In Korean culture, the concept of a professor’s office hours or ‘appointment’ is unfamiliar… many students come to a teacher’s office… without an appointment… if they are unable to meet with the teacher after several attempts, the students feel that the teacher does not care for them.
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English teachers are de facto cultural ambassadors. Each teacher represents his or her country and people. Koreans who have not traveled to foreign countries are very likely to form stereotypical opinions regarding a country and its people based on their contacts with English teachers from that country.
Foreign teachers…can indeed serve as cultural ambassadors by reaching out and making friends with Koreans. They will find that friendships with Koreans are usually long lasting. Teachers can make friends with Korean colleagues by activ ely getting involved in the faculty’s social activities or launching joint projects with Korean colleagues.
Foreign language teaching and learning is a meeting between two or more individuals with a wide range of personal abilities, experiences and aspira tions. As such, it should become a joint effort between representatives of different cultures and languages to promote understanding and growth, thus bridging cultures and languages in the English classroom in Korea.
Oryang Kwon is an assistant professor of TEFL Methodology and Applied Linguistics at Seoul National University and author of Basic English Grammar for Foreign Students and Middle School English. This article was adapted from the AETK Newsletter.
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FROM CONFUSING TO CONFUCIAN:
Towards An Understanding Excerpts from an article by Sheila Windle – Nov/00 KOTESOL’S ‘The English Connection’
(Korea is rapidly changing and the younger people are less influenced by Confucianism, but this article provides some background information.)
…Cultural norms in South Korea which differ from those of Canada and the United States, and which tend to present barriers to communication…are discussed:
Ch’emyun, Kibun, and Nunchi
Let’s face it; “face” is of much greater importance in Korea than in Canada and the United States. Korean people go to great lengths to avoid losing face and to help others avoid this as well. In the East, a break in decorum is considered disastrous…In this way, Korean people are generally sensitive to other’s feelings and determined to maintain positive feelings.
The concepts of “face” (ch’emyun) and kibun (mood or inner feeling) are key elements in relating to others. Especially in formal relationships, Koreans scrupulously avoid situations in which dignity or self -respect may be lost or embarrassment may result. Likewise, it’s important that kibun be kept positive. It’s necessary for Koreans to sense the mood of others by developing nunchi (the ability to ‘read’ a situation) in order to maintain social harmony and personal dignity…..
This has application in the classroom when the student is asked a question and believes the answer to be undesirable. Trying to save her / himself or the teacher from embarrassment, or wanting to avoid a subject that is considered unpleasant, the student does not respond. Instead, s/he sits silently, purposely avoiding eye contact with the teacher. The absence of a simple verbal response … suggests that cultural factors … are at play ….the student realizes that responding as the teacher expects will re sult in a loss of face for the teacher and/or for her/himself.
From the teacher’s perspective, the question at hand may be an easy one requiring only a simple answer. Moreover, previous performance indicates that the student is more than capable of responding ‘appropriately.’ Baffled at the silence, the foreign teacher concludes that this student is being defiant and disrespectful. In Western countries the student is expected to make eye contact and required to give an answer, even if the answer is “I d on’t know.” However, in Korea, saying “I don’t know” causes both student and teacher to lose face, and making eye contact with a superior is disrespectful… In Confucian
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culture, silence is often an appropriate response, whereas Western culture does not consider silence an answer at all.
So the foreign teacher attempts to conquer the silence by repeating the question, providing additional information or rewording it. Though these common practices are aimed at assisting, they often have the adverse effect of “singling out” the student. This in turn has implications beyond proportions generally witnessed in Western classrooms because in Korea, the loner (wang- ta) is apt to be ostracized by “the group.”
The student is under a lot of stress but the English teacher is relentless. Realizing this, the student employs a technique for smoothing over the situation. S/he answers in a vague way. Vagueness is a form of politeness in eastern culture used to dissolve or avoid embarrassing situations. To a Western teacher, however, it is considered inadequate…
Hierarchy
Confucian hierarchy places teachers well above students. Respecting this hierarchical arrangement is paramount to maintaining order and results in students being exceptionally careful not to offend teachers. Thus, if asked, “Do you understand?” by the esteemed teacher, most students will say “yes” even if they do not understand. This saves face for them and the teacher.
The importance of the social hierarchy is reflected and reinforced by the Korean language which has honorific suffixes (e.g., ‘nim’ and ‘shi’) to mark one’s status / position. Age being a major determinant of status, “subordinates” are always conscious of their place in the hierarchy and may not speak because the elders should have the first opportunity to do so. Gender also factors into the hierarchical equation, giving men one up on women…Since in the West, students are generally accorded equal status, behaviors produced by the “status meter” in Korea often fall into the foreigner’s file of unsolved mysteries…
Ambiguity
English speakers value clarity of expression and a lack of ambiguity, whereas the reverse is often true in Korean discourse. From the Eastern perspective, expressions are considered rich when polyvalent. In most situations, ambiguous messages are not only appropriate but also admirable for they indicate wisdom on the part of the speaker. Conversely, in English, explicitness is considered desirable. The more precise one’s selection of words is, the better. The more succinct one is, the better. In general, the less ambiguous the message, the more value it is considered to have. In this regard, English and Korean modes of communication are vastly different, as are the values and beliefs about what composes desirable communication.
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Indirect Discourse
Related to the notion of ambiguity is style of discourse. When presenting an argument or providing an explanation in English, one normally adopts a linear format. The topic is introduced outright and the position is clearly stated. Then, the background information to rationalize and substantiate the stance is provided. Finally, the conclusion, which normally reiterates the initial position, is reached. This is a straightforward model considered logical and easy to follow by native English speakers. On the other hand, logical presentation in eastern countries follows a different formula, as research by Scollon and Wong -Scollon (199) supports:
Differing approaches toward discourse result in difficulty and confusion when Asians and Westerners communicate in English. In Chinese, Korean, or Japanese discourse, topics are usually introduced inductively; topic introduction is delayed and indirect. Conversely, English speaking Westerners introduce topics early in a conversation…..
When speaking to EFL learners, who have the ability to present an explanation or argument, the native English listener awaits topic identification as the signal to “tune in.” Without an initial explicit statement, s/he does not “tune in” in earnest and, thus, misses the bulk of the message. Eventually, s/he wonders, “What’s the point?” In anticipation of a linear framework, the English listener perceives indirect or circular discourse as a mass of thoughts presented haphazardly and not cle arly demonstrated or supported. Though proper grammatical English may have been used, the indirect mode of discourse often leaves the native English receiver with an overall impression of “vagueness.”
Conversely, one might expect that Korean listeners often find the English mode of presentation blunt and uninviting of interpretation – excessively linear and concrete…
Yes-No Questions
Foreigners often lament the inability to get “a simple yes or no answer.” From the Western perspective, these are usuall y easy questions to answer, for they require only one word on the part of the respondent. Frustration can result when silence follows a seemingly simple and non-threatening question such as, “Do you like tennis?” Possibly, such a question, considered logical by the foreign teacher is perceived as strange or nonsensical to Asian students, as Pak (1973) explains:
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Making decisions (Yes or No) very much depends on harmony or balance between people or situations…According to our sense, this kind of “Yes” or “No” (without knowing the other party’s situation) seems meaningless or superficial. Sometimes, the question itself seems strange and nonsensical. That is why we often hesitate to answer “Yes” or “No”, or keep silent or non-committal. (Pak 1973, p.108)
Questions About the Future
Different ideologies exist about the future as well. Eastern thought, in general, considers life as beyond the control of humans and dependent on our relationship with nature. So, there is not always an answer, and that is why, when asked about the future, Asian students often use non-committal words such as “Perhaps”, “Maybe” or “Probably.” Pak (1973) contrasts this perspective with the Western view of life, which emphasizes human beings’ ability to control their lives by their own efforts. Though Western teachers find it reasonable and interesting to entertain hypothetical scenarios about the future, from the eastern viewpoint, these questions and considerations are meaningless to a certain degree. Pak concludes that for an eastern person to answer questions about the future with certainty, s/he would have to learn an entirely different view of life and history.
Conclusion
The purpose of discussing these cultural differences is not to suggest that the content of EFL instruction be changed, nor that any EFL teacher become expert in Korean culture. Rather, the intention is to “bring to the surface” some issues that affect communication in the classroom, but remain disguised and often create frustration for the teacher. Recog nition of cultural differences that predispose students to respond in ways Western culture deems “inappropriate” may help EFL teachers relax more. This is particularly important in Koran classroom where students are highly responsive to their teachers’ kibun.
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Daejeon, Life, and Cultural Adjustment
A short guide about culture shock and adjusting to life in Daejeon and at WLI.
"That first day was a bad day. It was my first plane ride, my first foreign country, and my first bus ride. During the first two weeks here, all I wanted to do was go home. " CG teacher, three months in Daejeon.
Maybe this is your first time overseas. Or maybe it's your 30th. All new places take some time to adjust to. Most people (up to 95%) experience some form of cultural adjustment or culture shock. How can you deal with this situation here at WLI? My aim here is to share what our teachers first experienced coming to Daejeon, how they adjusted to the new culture, and ideas for dealing with stress, loneliness, and culture shock.
The First Stage When you first arrive at a new place, everything can be exciting and wonderful, if not stressing. The food, the people, the smells, the sights. This, of course, is the honeymoon phase. It's a fun time, but as in most relationshi ps, it eventually ends.
"The first three months we were so ecstatic about being here -- everything was exciting. Even the kids saying hello on the streets was cute...of course, that's not as cute nowadays." AS and ES, one year in Daejeon.
I used to spend a lot of time just trying to remember how to say, "hello", "goodbye", and "how much". TH, two years in Daejeon.
"When I first got here, I would often stand back and think, 'What the hell's that?'" KW, 21 months in Korea.
The Second Stage Culture shock usually occurs in this stage between the third and sixth month, though this is not a strict rule. One of the unique things about culture shock is that it challenges each of us personally. People usually express feelings of anger, depression, loneliness, frustration, paranoia, and homesickness. Most teachers agree that if you've lived in another country before, the next time is not as difficult.
"This is the second time I've lived overseas and both times I got culture shock around my eighth month. Luckily, it wasn't as bad the second time. At least I knew what it was...and I knew I'd live through it." CN, two years in Daejeon.
"I didn't adapt well at first. I was pretty unhappy for the first six to seven months. But then I became really happy. It takes me a long time to adjust to a new place ." BG, two years in Daejeon.
"We were here almost nine or ten months before we really came crashing down. Then we really went down. The morale was down, our health, everything...." AS and ES, one year in Daejeon.
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Adjusting
Day-to-Day Life
While everyone's experience will be different, there is a typical list of things that seem to really annoy most foreigners. Usually spitting, bumping into each other, how people drive, and crowded buses top most li sts. However, learning to deal with these cultural differences can help make your time in Korea easier. Most teachers say that the things which bothered them the most at first are not as noticeable after awhile.
"The way they drive still bothers me, but not as much. They're not doing it to be obnoxious." LB, 15 months in Daejeon
"As a Japanese-Canadian, I am asked for directions almost everyday. One day I actually understood where they wanted to go and I pointed in that direction. That was a good day ." DT, 22 months in Daejeon
"So many times I've been frustrated trying to communicate a simple thing. I went to a supermarket once and I thought that maybe they had overcharged me but I didn't know how to say anything, so I paid it." LB, 15 months in Daejeon
"Now when something happens, I stand back and think about what happened. Though actually finding out WHAT happened is more difficult." KW, 21 months in Korea
Daejeon and ELC
People who have lived in other countries before, or other cities in Ko rea, seem to have an easier time. Most of our teachers find Daejeon and ELC a nice change of pace compared to other cities and jobs. Most teachers agree that Daejeon is just small enough to be navigable, yet large enough to be interesting. Also, they find that the students are generally wonderful to work with and in having such a large staff of foreign teachers (especially in Jayang Dong) there are usually people to see and do things with.
"This is much better. The hogwan experience was scary. Here yo u walk into an organization that is organized." KW, 21 months in Korea
"The mentoring program is great!" DC, five months in Daejeon
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ADVICE FROM OUR TEACHERS
Adjusting to a different culture is a vast subject with many aspects. Culture Shock! Korea devotes no less than 25 pages about the signs and symptoms of culture shock. Since each person adjusts in their own way, sometimes -good advice is hard to give. What works for one person, may not work for another. I asked our current teachers for their advice about adjusting to Daejeon and WLI. The list was almost unending. But here were the most common answers:
Learn Korean.
Bring some mementos from home.
Be brave. Take the buses downtown.
Expect even basic things to be difficult.
Keep busy, get involved.
Try to stay positive and optimistic. Don't hang around complainers.
Make Korean friends. Don't just rely on the office staff.
Don't expect everything to be perfect. Life at home isn't perfect either.
Stay in touch with family and friends (write, phone, e-mail).
Be kind to yourself. Give yourself time to adjust.
Ask for help. Your mentor can be an excellent resource.
Be aware of culture shock.
Join a group, a club, or a church.
Read about Korea. Culture Shock! Korea and A Lonely Planet Guide to Korea are good choices.
Try to laugh at your own mistakes.
Don't try to change Korea. Let Korea change you.
. Try a new hobby like Tae Kwan Do or Hop Ki Do.
"As one of the world's elite who is rich and free enough, you are leaving home to experience a different culture. If things aren't to your liking, don't try to change those things; instead, change your liking." Asia Through the Backdoor.
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U-CURVE OF ADJUSTMENT
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SOME USEFUL EXPRESSIONS IN KOREAN
Hello / Goodbye An-yong-ha-seh-yo Please come in. d-reo-o-se-yo. Glad to meet you. Man-na-seo-ban-gap-seup-ni-da. See you later. Na-joong-ae-bop-si-da. Please give me ______. ______ju-se-yo. Thank you. Go-map-seup-ni-da./ kam-sa-haam-ni-da. You’re welcome. Chun-ma-ne-yo. Please come. O-sip-si-yo. I’m hungry. Bae-ka-go-pa-yo. How much? Eol-ma-ye-yo? It’s expensive. Bi-ssa-yo. It’s cheap. Ssa-yo. What is this? E-ge-moo-a-ye-yo? Who are you? Noo-goo-sip-ni-kka? I am (name). Jeo-neun-______. Go straight. Go-jjang-ga-se-yo. Turn right. O-reun-jjok-eu-ro-ga-se-yo. Turn left. Wen-jjok-eu-ro- ga-se-yo. Please stop there. Jeo-ki-mum-choo-se-yo. Please stop here. Yeo-ki-mum-choo-se-yo. Take me to______. ______ga-joo-se-yo. Bring me______. ______ga-jeo-o-se-yo. Hot sauce on the side. Go-choo-jang-eun -dda-ro- joo-se-yo. Give me some more. Deo-joo-se-yo. Water - mool Telephone - jeon-hwa Hospital - byung-won Drug store - yak-kook School - haak-kyo Bank - eun-haeng Office - sa-moo-shil Restaurant - shik-dang Church - gyo-hoe Catholic Church - chun-joo-gyo-hoe Buddhist temple - jeol Building - gun-mool Apartment - a-pa-t Bus stop - jung-nyu-jang Car - ja-dong-cha / cha Knife - kal Movie theater - young-hwa-gwan Department store - bae-kwa-jum Restroom - hwa-jang-shil Black tea - hong-cha Coffee- kah-pee City green garbage bags - se-leg-gi-boe-too
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NUMBERS IN KOREAN
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KOREAN FOOD
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ORDERING MINERAL WATER (Seorok Saeng-soo) Phone: 253-6890
Yeo-bo-se-yo ? (Hello) Yeo-ki-nun (here)
(Add building number and apartment number)
Ja-yang-dong, Kyo-soo-apt.______Dong, ______Ho ip-ni-da.
Ja-yang-dong, Dong-A-apt. ______Dong, ______Ho ip-ni-da.
Yong-woon-dong, Go-chung apt.______Dong, ______Ho ip-ni-da.
*Woosong dae-hak-kyo ki-sook-sa______Ho ip-ni-da. (dorm)
Mool (water)
Han -Tong (one bottle) ga-jeo-o-se-yo. (Please bring.)
Doo-Tong (two bottles) ga-jeo-o-se-yo.
Se-Tong (three bottles) ga-jeo-o-se-yo.
Ne-Tong (four bottles) ga-jeo-o-se-yo.
Sterilizing Tap Water:
If you do not buy bottled water, it is advisable to do one of these three things:
1. Boil tap water for 5 minutes
2. Add 2 drops of 4-6% chlorine bleach per liter of water, mix well and let stand for at least 5 minutes.
3. Add 5 drops of 2% iodine per liter of water, mix well and let stand for at least 5 minutes.
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TRAVEL – Daejeon and Beyond
Transportation Buses and trains Taxis Where to go? Around town: shopping for food, clothes, house-hold goods, books Just out of town: Weekend trips
Transportation Daejeon is the sixth largest city in Korea. We are located on the east sid e of Daejeon. The ‘old center’ of town is less than 10 minutes away by car (or taxi, W2500-3500). WLI is in the suburb (called a “dong”) of Jayang-dong (sometimes spelled Chayang). The ‘new area’ of town is located in the NW of the city (Taxi fare from the school: W6, 000-7,000, 30-40 mins.).
Due to the size of the city and the lack of a subway (currently under construction), traveling from one end of town can take some time.
1 Bus - allow a couple of hours to get there and back; 2 Taxi - save about 40 minutes out of two hours travel time and spend about 7-10 times as much money. 3 Car / motorbike – Gasoline is around W1500 / liter. Used vehicles are very cheap in Korea.
Buses and trains There are two train stations (Daejeon Station downtown and Seo Daeje on Station close to Say Department Store) and three bus terminals in Daejeon. Ask at the information counter (yes, they can speak English) for a map of the city. Train schedules /fares are available on the Internet www.korail.go.kr/eng/
Note, there are two types of bus terminals -the Inter-City and the Express Bus Terminals. The most important local bus is the No 841 which connects the East Inter-City / Express Bus Terminal ( via Daejeon Railway Station) and th e West Inter-City Terminal. The Express Bus Terminal and the East Inter -City bus terminal are almost across the road from each other.
There are two kinds of city buses; the air -conditioned deluxe buses (green / yellow stripe) (W1,300) and the brightly painted city buses (W900). The deluxe buses stop less, go farther and are more comfortable.
By the way, you can buy discounted bus tickets at just about any store. The red/crimson W850 tickets are sold in books of ten. You don’t have to buy them to get
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on the bus, but they are more convenient to use. The regular buses come about every 5 to 10 minutes and the deluxe buses every 10 -20 minutes.
Buses: regular bus - 900 Won; seat bus (Deluxe) - 1300 Won; 50 won discount bus tickets available at Hye-seong Supa (grocery store near WLI bus stop on west side of street); bus maps in Living in Daejeon directory available at Express Bus Terminal information booth. Buses that pass WLI: regular buses 841, 310, 310-1, seat buses 103, 104, 107.
Subway: Daejeon subway information can be found at http://djet.co.kr/ but only in Korean. At present the line runs from Panam (near Daejeon University) to the government complex. You can buy tokens (900won) or use a transit card
Express Bus Terminal: take bus 841, 103, 107 on east side of Jayang -no (i.e.WLI side of street). Buses to major cities around Korea. Buses to Seoul, 2-hour ride (every 10 minutes during daytime) Koseok bus (cheapest) (about 8,000 to Seoul); Excellent bus: more comfortable seating (about 12,000 to Seoul).
Dong-bu Inter-city Bus Terminal: Across street from Express bus terminal (on side street) bus 841; buses to Incheon Airport and many locations around Korea. NB. You must allow 4 hours travelling time between Daejeon and Incheon if you are travelling by bus.
Daejeon Train Station: Downtown [Shinae] (bus 841, 310, 310-1, 104,) Connections to many other buses. Korean railroad system is fast, reliable, and reasonably priced. To Seoul: 1 hour 35 ~ 2 hours – less than an hour by KTX. Cost varies - 7,000 won ~ 14,000 won ~21,000 won depending on type of train, class of seating, and day of the week (weekend trains more expensive than weekday). NB. You are advised to book your tickets well in advance as they frequently sell out rapidly, especially at peak times like weekends and holidays.
KTX (Bullet train) Similar facilities to Saemaul; maybe marginally better but super fast and modern. NB Woosong Staff are entitled to substantial discounts when buying KTX tickets. The discount does not apply at weekends or on public holidays.
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Saemaul Trains (super express train) has 1st (more comfortable seating – legroom etc.) and 2nd class seating; no standing passengers, occasional movies, dining car.
Mu-gung-hwa Train: Cheaper, slower, standing passengers, basic seating.
Korean National Railroad Membership: (Goldcard) 20,000 Won refundable deposit: - gives 5% discount on all rail tickets and allows you to reserve train seats in advance (in person, by phone, or by Internet). Railroad membership available at Advance Tickets Counter.
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BUSES FROM JAYANG DONG
Number Route Interval Fare
103 Donhaksa Temple – Panam Dong 12 mins w1,300 (read backwards whaen travcelling away from downtown) Bakjeonja, Chungnam University, Galleria Time World, Hanshin Core, Express Bus Terminal, Jayang-dong, Yongun-dong.
104 Birae-dong – Daepyeong-ri 11 min. w1,300 (Read forward when travelling toward downtown) Birae Plaza, Jayang-dong, Daejeon Station, Chungnam Provincial Bldg, Galma 4 Junction, Yuseong Express Bus Terminal, Baptist Theological Univ, Yongdam-ri
107 NB. This Bus no longer stops at Jayang –dong. If you want to go to Walmart/Big Carrefour you need to take an 841 to the Express Bus Terminal and board a 107 there. Mokwan Univ. – Okgye-dong 12 min. w1,300 (Read backwards when travelling away from downtown) Ribera 4 Junction, Chungnam Univ, (river), Walmart/Big Carrefour, WLI- Dunsan, Galleria-Time World, Carrefour, City Hall, (river), Hannam Univ, Express Bus Terminal.
310 Jungni-dong – Jangsu Town 7 min. w900 (Read backwards when going away from downtown) Yangji Primary School, Seonbi Mael Apts, Daejeon Health Sciences College, Dong-a Tech High School, Jayang-dong, Daejeon Station, Chungnam Prov, Bldg., Chungnam Nat. Univ. Hospital, Sanseong-dong
310-1 Jungni-dong – Anyeong-dong 12 min. w900 (Same as above but less frequently)
841 Seobus Intercity Bus Term. –Dongbu Intercity Bus Term. (Read backwards when going downtown) 9 min. w900 Yucheon-dong, Seo-Daejeon 4 Junction, Say Dept Store, Kyobo Bookstore, Chungnam Prov. Bldg, Daejeon Station, Jayang-dong, Dong-bu Intercity Bus Terminal.
NB. You can buy bus tickets in lots of 10, 20 and 30 for 850 won each or 1250 won each. You can usually buy these tickets at kiosks. You can also get a transportation card from Hanna Bank.
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INTERCITY BUS TIMETABLE
Destination Frequency Journey time Express Chonju every 20-30 mins; 6:20-21:00 70-80 mins. Kangnung every hour; 7:00-19:00 4 hours Kwangju every 20 mins; 6:00-18:30 3 hours Kyongju every 3 hours; 7:50-17:30 3 hours Pohang every hour; 6:30-9:55 3 ½ hours Pusan every hour; 6:00-18:30 4 hours Seoul every 10 mins; 5:50-21:55 2 hours Taegu every 30 mins; 6:00-21:10 2 hours
East inter-city Andong 17 times a day; 6:35-19:00 4 ½ hours Chongju every 10 mins; 6:30-21:40 45 mins Chinju 12 times a day; 8:00-18:00 4 hours Hongsong every 15 mins; 7:00-19:00 2 ½ hors Kumsan every 10 mins; 6:13-22:00 45 mins Songnisan every hour; 6:22-20:10 70-80 mins Sudoksa once a day; 6:40 2 ½ hours Taean every 30 mins; 7:25- 18:40 4 hours Taebaek three times a day;7:10-13:45 5 hours Taedunsan Provincial 10 times a day; 8:25-10:35 1 hour Park
West inter-city Chonan every 10 mins; 6:30-20:30 100-110 mins Chongyang thirty times a day; 6:30-20:00 2 hours Chongju every 40 mins; 8:30-19:00 100-110 mins Chonju every 20 mins; 6:45-18:10 2 hours Kyeryongsan N.P seven times a day;7:30-18:00 1 hour Kongju every 5 mins; 6:30-22:30 1 hour Nonsan every 5 mins; 6:00-22:00 50 mins Puyo every 5 mins; 6:00-21.35 70-80 mins Taedunsan N.P twelve times a day; 7:30-18:20 50 mins
TAXIS Regular taxi, 1800 won flag drop, 1800 won after midnight. Best driver taxi, flag drop starts slightly higher.. Simply stand on the side of the road, wait for a taxi to come and start waving. Say the name of the suburb and then the particular place. Refer to section towards the end of this book regarding “TAXI SLIPS WITH KOREAN ADDRESSES”
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WHERE TO GO – AROUND TOWN AND PLACES TO VISIT
Shopping:
LG Mart is a 10 min walk towards downtown. It has a MacDonald’s.
Dong-bang and Galleria - Most department stores have supermarkets in the basement. Both of these dept. stores are on the main street of Daejeon.
Walmart - basement level - about 800m south of Chungnam National University, Kung dong; NW area; Bus 107 going away from downtown goes by Walmart.
Costco: You must have a membership card to shop at Costco but some people believe that it is money well spent?
Expo-Core - basement level – pink building near Expo core apartments, Munji dong, NE area; You can take a cab from Time World.
Hanbit Plaza / Hanshin core – basement level– Dunsan-dong – NW area. This is on the 107-bus route.
Carrefour - Dunsan – NW area. You can see the sign from the bus when you are close to the city hall in Dunsan. (Red and blue stylized arrow on the sign). A new very large Carrefour has just opened up and is next to Walmart (give or take 400 meters).There is also a Carrefour next to Say Department Store.
Korean food products: There are lots and lots of small supermarkets in every dong. Take a walk around where you live. Look off the main roads. There is a fresh fruit and vegetable market next to Daejeon Station.
Kitchen/bedding/carpets and curtains: The market in Unhaeng dong, (downtown close to the train station)
Used furniture / electrical equipment: Teachers often find furniture on the street. (Koreans pay to put large object out for garbage collection. You will see a sticker indicating that the fee has been paid). If you are picking up street furniture it is perhaps advisable if you request the owners permission before you actually remove the item of your interest so that they can remove their sticker and use it for something else which you may also be also be interested in. Cheap wooden bookshelves are available in small shops for about W12,000. The electronics market downtown, across from Dong Bang Mart is a good place to shop. You will probably need a Korean speaker.
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Clothes: Department stores are usually more expensive to shop in, but you will find that the quality of the product is superior. Here a few of them:
Time World Galleria in Dunsan dong- high fashion clothing, shoes, cosmetics etc (Buses 107 and 103 going away from downtown stop here)
Say Department Store. Downtown - Mid-range to expensive products. Good place to shop for shoes if you’ve got large feet. (841 Bus – past Kyobo Building)
Hanbit Plaza – 1-4 level – Dunsan dong – NW area, mid-range to expensive.
Downtown Market – On the main market street (that is closed off to vehicles) you will find some second hand clothing tables where a good bargain can be found.
Downtown Daejeon (Shinae) - take Bus 310,310-1, 841, or 104 Contains Galleria Fashion Community, Dong-bang Mart (see “shopping” above) Hong-myeong Electronics Market - Across street from Dong-bang Mart; good place to bargain for small appliances, batteries & re-chargers, cameras, CD/tape players, electronic bilingual dictionaries, and other electronics.
Culture Street (Part off downtown - large pedestrian shopping/entertainment area between Dong-bang Mart and Galleria) contains Envy Department Store, Milano 21, McDonald’s, KFC, Dunkin’ Donuts, lots of restaurants, coffee shops, bars, etc.
Traditional Market - along sidewalks and alleys between train station and Hong-myeong Electronics Market (fresh produce, meats, fish, prepared foods, tofu, rice & other grains, beans, nuts, kitchenware, house wares, clothing, hardware, etc.) items to set up apartment.
Underground shopping mall - Starts across from train station (bus 841, 310- 1, 310, 104,161), and across the river at Dong-bang Mart; mostly clothing stores.
Movie Theatres: Say Two: (next to Say Department Store) Bus 841 past downtown Cinema in Lotte Department Store (Bus 104 past downtown).
Bowling: Olympic Sports Plaza: tall building near Daejeon Train Station (Bus 310, 310- 1, 841).
Bookstores: Moon-kyeong (basement of Samseong Building (downtown) bus 841 Kyobo Bookstore (Kyobo Life Insurance) take bus 841 past downtown.
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Kyeo-ryo Bookstore: Off Culture Street between McDonald’s & Envy bus 310, 310-1. Galleria TimeWorld 2nd fl bus 103. English Plus – behind Time World Galleria Kidari – near city hall
Computers: For difficult to find items for your computer try Tekno World near the Science Expo Park.
Western Bars: J Rock: in Taehoon-dong entertainment district in downtown (bus 841 to Galleria Fashion Community). The Zoo: Kung-dong (take bus 103 to Yusong district office). Cool Bar in Eunhaeng dong, near KFC – your co-workers sometimes play there. Brickhouse near J Rock has western food available.
DEPARTMENT STORES AND SUPERMARKETS (IN A NUTSHELL)
LG Mart: (see “Jayang-dong Area”) Bus 310, 841 Walmart: Walpyeong-dong (bus 107). Galleria Time World: Dunsan-dong (bus 103). N.B. There is an E-Mart not far away from Galeria Time World. Galleria Fashion Community: Downtown (bus 310, 310-1, 841, 104) Discount department Store (includes supermarket and fast food in basement) items to set up apartment. Milano 21: Downtown (bus 310, 310-1 stop here). Envy Department Store: Culture Street area (downtown behind Milano 21) Dong-bang Mart: Downtown (310, 310-1, 841, 104) includes supermarket Dunkin’ Donuts. Carrefour: Dunsan-dong (bus 103) - get of at the Subway snackbar on your left, walk up as far as the Post Office, turn left and keep walking. The largest Carrefour store is just up from Walmart (bus 107). There is also another one next to Say Department Store (bus 841). E-Mart: Wolpyeong-dong (bus 103). Homeplus: Near Express Bus Terminal (bus 841 past Dong-bu Terminal) Save Zone: Dunsan-dong (bus 103) discount department store includes KFC, supermarket, and swimming pool. Lotte Department Store : (bus 104 past downtown) international dining (9th floor), super market (basement), multiplex cinema. Say Department Store: Seodaejeon (bus 841 past downtown) Costco: Seodaejeon (bus 841 past downtown) 30,000 Won yearly membership.
Restaurants: There are hundreds or Korean restaurants to choose from. The restaurants around Jayang-dong cater to students which means that the prices are usually reasonable. There’s a good Korean buffet restaurant on the left side of the road past the second stop light going toward the Express Bus Terminal.
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Western restaurants include the fast foodchains of MacDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut and Hardee’s. The Here Today Restaurant at Time World (Dunsan - dong) has a great western menu. The Kyobo Building downtown has a Hardee’s in the basement.
Your comprehensive guide to dining in Daejeon: Western Restaurants (pricey) Here Today: Dunsan-dong (bus 103). Coco’s: Seodaejeon jct (841), Yusong (bus 103). VIPS: 1st floor of Say Two (bus 841) -- great salad bar for 18,000 won all you can eat which includes salmon, prawns, chicken, pasta etc. as well as soups, deserts and beverages. Steaks etc. are extra. There’s another VIP”S in Dunsan near E Mart Cincin: Mannyeon-dong near KBS (bus 103) fine Italian food Chae-shik Vegetarian buffet: Past Homeplus on west side of street (bus 851 from Kayang-dong) 8,000 Won, all you can eat. Marche’: 9th floor, Lotte Department Store (bus 104 past downtown) Al La Carte international food & wine. Lieto: Pirae-dong (take bus 310, 310-1 on WLI side of street) Fine Italian dining. Piatto: Three shops up from Envy (bus 310, 310-1) inexpensive Italian food. Flying Pan: Culture Street area (around corner from Envy Department Store) Italian food, good but expensive pizza. Outback Steakhouse: Near Time World (buses 103/107). TGIF: Near E-Mart and Time World – Dunsan Dong (buses 103/107) Doors Green Castle. (Bus 103 - opposite the KBS Tower) Reasonably priced all you can eat buffet – weekdays only. Benagins: Near Timeworld. Outback Steakhouse: There is one in Downtown next to Envy Dept. Store and another in Dunsan (10 minutes walk from Timeworld). Daedok Convention Town: Near Science Expo – great place for staff Christmas lunch.
Fast Food: McDonald’s: Culture Street, HomePlus, Save Zone and E-mart. KFC: Culture Street (take bus 310 to Milano 21); and in Save Zone, in Dunsan-dong (bus 103 past Express Bus Terminal); There is also one in the basement of Galleria Fashion Community Department Store. Hardee's: (in basement of Kyobo bldg.) (take bus 841, 2 stops past Galleria Fashion Community). Pizza Hut: (across from Say Department Store) bus 841. Also adjacent to Envy and up the escalator. There is another one opposite the Express Bus Terminal. Lotteria: Omnipresent Subway: Near Hannam University (bus 107) Delivery: 673-1002. Dunkin Donuts: 1st floor, Dong-bang Mart (bus 310, 310-1, 841); also, across from Envy Department Store (near Culture Street, bus 310, 310-1).
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Around Woosong
DINING AT WOOSONG WLI- 3rd & 5th fl.: spring water (hot & cold), vending machines (coffee, juice and soda).
WLI Cafeteria: 1st fl (s, noodles, snacks, ice cream, hot coffee & beverages, diskettes, international phone cards) open about 11am~7pm, M~F. Hot meals are served during the semester and also for selected WLI courses during the intersession.
WSU dining Cafeteria: J Building 1st fl (one flight down from ground level) full service cafeteria & snack shop (open about 11am~7pm, M~F) Jayang Café: K building 1st fl (next to post office) noodles, sandwiches, snacks, coffee & beverages Student Cafeteria: F building 1st fl (first building next to WSU main gate) choice of Korean hot meals (open about 11am~7pm, M~F) Faculty Cafeteria: F building 2nd fl (12-2pm, M~F) Woosong Café: F building 4th fl (noodles, sacks, beverages) Dormitory Cafeteria: (basement of men’s dormitory, next to Site A) 2000 Won all you can eat Korean meal (lunch & dinner during semesters, Winter Camp, and Summer Camp)
WIC/WTC DINING WIC/WTC faculty cafeteria: white and brown building at far corner of WIC soccer field (student cafeteria and snack bar in same building) 2500 Won buffet lunch 12~2pm, M~F Woosong Bakery: Woosong Tower 2nd floor. Solpine: Fine dining at Woosong Tower 13th floor. Campus Bakery “Woosong”: Across from Practical Bldg. (J classes) hot coffee & other beverages, cakes, pastries, sandwiches, ice cream, ECT.
POST OFFICES (including Post Office bank and domestic ATM) WIC/WTC Woosong Tower 3rd fl WSU K-building 1st fl If you just want to post letters there is a small post office in the main street just a little walk to your left (with the WLI Building behind you).
WOOSONG ART’S CENTRE: on college campus (building with cylindrical block glass) Check posters on campus for movie schedule.
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ATM’s Woosong IT Center lobby (across street from WLI). WIC/WTC: in same building as faculty cafeteria. WSU Students’ Services Center: near Woosong Café. WSU J Building lobby. Also, see “post offices”. Family Mart: near Site A; international ATM Cards CIRRUS. LG Mart: international ATM cards CIRRUS, Maestro (see “Jayang-dong Area”). NB. It may only be possible to use your Post Office ATM Card at Post Office ATM’s.
WOOSONG EXERCISE FACILITIES Woosong Gymnasium: This gymnasium has been completely renovated. All the equipment is state of the art and in mint condition. The showers and toilet are in immaculate. Look for the pink building at the bottom of the main WSU campus. There is a basketball court upstairs. The building is open until from early morning to 9pm weekdays only (20,000 won per month (to Woosong faculty) or 45.000 won for three months).
WSU soccer field, tennis court (next to gym).
JAYANG DONG AREA Shopping etc.
Photos & Developing Fuji: (closest to WLI for getting photos taken) West side of Jayang-no (Jangyang-dong main Street) near bus stop. From WLI , walk out to the main road and turn right. Fuji: on west side of Jayang-no (across from Rosebud Coffee) Fuji: On side street, between Rosebud and Woosong Tower
LG Mart department store & supermarket: 1st fl: full size supermarket with produce, meat, and seafood depts., international ATM [CIRRUS, MAESTRO] department store in basement (items for setting up apartment) Kookmin Bank (with international ATM: CIRRUS, MAESTRO (from Site A housing, take Bus 310, 310-1, or 841 toward train station, get off at 2nd stop.)
Produce and Meat markets across from Dong-A Apartments (tall white apartment complex near WLI)
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Grocery stores, hardware stores, dry cleaners, appliance stores: Many small shops on side streets off Jayang-no (east side of street) between Family Mart and LG Mart (items to set up apartment)
Woosong Mart: Across from WLI; English language newspapers, snacks, beverages, ice cream, groceries.
Jayang-dong Dining
Buffet: on Jang-no in Kayang-dong (walk up Jayang-no [same side of street as Site A housing] toward express bus terminal, over hill [before Kayang Jct.] ) 4,000 Won, all you can eat.
5,000 Won Buffet: on Jayang-no (just before Woosong Clinic) select and grill your meat at your table (beef, pork, duck, seafood, side dishes) 5,000 Won, all you can eat
Many small family-run restaurants at student prices. One particularly good one with very reasonable prices is next to the police station.
Western Food: Rosebud Coffee: on Jayang-no [Jayang-dong main street] past Woosong clinic, near traffic light (best coffee in Jayang-dong)
Spy Glass Lounge & Restaurant: up the hill from J & K buildings (most impressive restaurant in Jayang-dong) French menu, Italian food, prices start at about 10,000 Won. Also, Korean restaurant (adjacent and under same management.); best food in Jayang-dong.
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Places to visit:
There are: Expo park, Yusong Hot Springs, sports centers, bowling alleys, singing rooms etc. The Expo site is at the far northern end of town. The hot springs resort is located near the Honam Expressway, on the west side of town.
Just out of town There are some nice parks just outside the city. They can be reached using the inter-city bus service.
Pomunsan Park - South of the city. This is a small mountain park dotted with temples and hermitages, and there is a short cable-car ride to reach a scenic lookout. Some of the temples on the mountain’s slopes include Wongaksa, Toksu’am, Songhaksa, Porimsa and Pokkun’am. A bit cold in winter but a lot cooler here than in your apartment on those hot summer evenings. There’s also a water slide park half way up the mountain. Take bus 103 and 130.
Kyeryongsan National Park - South West of the city. Very nice place for a stroll or a day’s hike. You can visit the famous Donghaksa temple and have lunch afterward in the restaurants nearby. You’ll probably go there more than once. Beautiful cherry blossoms in the spring. Bus 103.
Roots Park, Daejeon - This is a picturesque park with sculptures and monuments with the history of various Korean Families i.e. The Lees of Kongju. Of course, the lettering on the monuments is in Korean but the setting is very well landscaped and it is worth a visit. Take the 310 bus toward downtown and stay on to the last stop. The bus stops in the driveway of a retirement home. Follow the arrows across the bridge to the park.
Daechongho Lake -Beautiful anytime and especially in May, when the cherry blossoms are in bloom. Very popular place in the summertime. To the east of this river system, there are paddle boats; another area has speedboats, jet skis etc. You’ll have to get there with the aid of a friend’s car-there’s no public transport.
Manin San is half way to Kumsan. Transportation routes are not known at this time but it is a worthwhile trip if you have access to a car. There is a restaurant with tables on the balcony overlooking a small lake. There is a walking path around the lake that leads off into a forest. There are huge goldfish in the lake. The area is in a valley surrounded by mountains and it is very cool in summer.
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Longer Trips:
A Day Trip from Daejeon to Cheong Ju
Cheong Ju, a “small” city of about 500 000 people is only about 45 minutes north of Daejeon. Some interesting attractions there include a hiking trail around a fortified wall that in times past protected “San Dang San Sung” (San Dang Mountain Fortress). Although the wall that goes around the summit of the mountain has been rebuilt in some places, most of the wall is in its original condition. (The rebuilt parts are easily identifiable by the light gray colour whereas the original wall is dark gray and the stones have been well weathered). At the height of the mountain you have a very good view of the city of Cheong Ju. Near the base of the hiking trail there are a few Korean restaurants.
Just before you arrive at the mountain, there is also a small lake where you can ride a swan shaped pedal boat. There is a free zoo where you can see tigers, Canadian grizzly bears, monkeys, Asian deer, antelope, etc. Finally, there is a museum that exhibits archeological artifacts found in the province of Chung Buk (North Chung, the province in which Cheong Ju is located). All of these attractions are located along the same bus route that you will take from Downtown Cheong Ju to San Dang Mountain Fortress.
Getting There (and Back!)
1. From the Dong-bu Bus Terminal, take the bus to Cheong Ju. It is very important that you take the bus to “Cheong Ju, Choong Buk”, and not the bus to “Chung Ju” or “Chun Ju”. If you are at all concerned about this, it might be a good idea to ask a Korean friend to write “Cheong Ju” for you in Korean characters and show this written paper to the ticket teller at the bus terminal. The bus from Daejeon to Cheong Ju leaves every five or ten minutes and will arrive in Cheong Ju at “Ka Kyoung Bus Terminal”.
2. Take the 152 bus from the terminal towards San Dang San Song. (The bus will cost 1,000 won and a cab costs about w10,000.) On your way there you will first see the lake (Myoung Am Yak Su To or if the driver doesn’t understand you could say “Hosu”, lake) on the passenger side of the taxi. Then you will see the museum (Cheong Ju Pak Mul Gwan) on the driver’s side of the taxi. Finally, you will see the zoo (Cheong Ju Dong Mul Won) on the passenger’s side of the taxi before arriving and “Sang Dang San Song”. You can get off the bus or out of the taxi at any or all of these stops and simply take the same bus in the same direction to the mountain when you are done.
3. Once you arrive at the mountain, you will see the beginning of the trail quite easily. Basically you will be walking around the summit of the mountain (the hiking trail follows the wall around the top of the mountain). The great thing about this hiking trail in Cheong Ju is that it is almost certainly more like hiking in the country than going to similar places in Daejeon as it is not crowded. For the heartier hiker, there are also many trails off the beaten
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path. Staying on the main path however, you can hike around the mountain in about an hour or so. Running shoes are adequate footwear if you stay on the main trail and there is no snow or ice. If it is freezing when you go there, it might be a good idea to have footwear with a little more tread on the sole and some support around your ankles as a few of the places are a bit steep even on the main trail.
4. Retrace your steps for the return trip. If you want to look around downtown Cheong Ju, there is a MacDonald’s restaurant located in a “walking” street that is also not a bad shopping area. “The Metz” is also “the” bar where foreigners in Cheong Ju hang out.
Kumsan - This small town is well known in Korea for its production of ginseng. From 21 to 23 September, Kumsan is host to Korea’s Ginseng Festival. The town’s main ginseng markets include the Kumsan Ginsing International Market, Kumsan Undried Ginseng Center, Kumsan Ginseng Shopping Center and Kumsan Medicinal Herb Market.
Daedunsan Provincial Park - Aside from the view, the climb to the summit of Daedunsan along steep, stony tracks is an adventure in itself. Calm nerves are required here since the ascent involves crossing a hair-raising steel rope stretched precariously between two rock pinnacles followed by an incredibly steep and long steel stairway. It’s very popular on weekends. The ascent will take between two and 2 ½ hours for any reasonably fit person and about one hour for the descent. There’s a fun park for kids at the entrance.
Kwanchoksa - This old Buddist temple just outside Nonsan is famous throughout Korea for possessing the second largest Buddha in the country. The statue was built in 968AD and stands 18 metres tall. It’s made out of three massive pieces of granite-one piece for the head and body and two pieces for the arms.
Puyo - The site of the last capital of the Paekche kingdom. The capital was moved here from Kongju is 538 AD and flourished until destroyed by the combined forces of Shilla and the Tang dynasty of China in 660 AD. Today it’s a quiet provincial town surrounded by wooded hills and paddy fields. The main point of interest here is the museum. It has one of the best collections of artifacts from the Paekche kingdom you will find in Korea.
Kongju Kongju was the second capital of the Paekche kingdom established in 475 AD after its first capital, south of the Han River near Seoul, was abandoned. There are whole collections of tombs of the Paekche kings. The tombs are clustered together on a wooded hillside outside of Kongju. Kongju is today a fairly small provincial market town and educational centre but its Paekche origins are celebrated with an annual festival held in mid October which lasts for three or four days. It includes a large parade down the main street, fireworks, traditional dancing on the sands of the Kumgang River, traditional games and sports and various other events at local sites.
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Kyeryongsan National Park. This park’s unusual name means ‘rooster dragon mountain’, apparently because some locals thought the mountain resembled a dragon with a rooster’s head. Kyeryongsan is a worthwhile peak to climb. This area of forested mountains and crystal clear streams is a popular hiking spot and also contains within its boundaries two of Korea’s most famous temples, Kapsa and Donghaksa. The best way to see the two temples is to set off early in the day and walk from one to the other. This takes about four hours at a comfortable pace. When the weather is at its best, it will be a busy spot.
Daechon Beach - Nothing to write home about and forget about surfing here. However, on the bright side, it is wetter and cooler than Daejeon. Beware, the beaches are only open for certain periods through the year and when they are ‘officially’ open, it’s packed and the traffic’s a nightmare. Woosong University has a condo here which you may be able to book for an overnight stay. Ask at the office.
Songnisan National Park - It’s one of the finest scenic areas in central Korea. It is beautiful anytime of the year but is at its best in fall. There are scenic well-marked hiking trails in the mountains above one of the largest and most magnificent temple sites in Korea. Construction of the temple was begun as early as 553 AD during the Shilla dynasty. Until 1986, it had the largest Buddha statue in Korea-possibly in the whole of North-East Asia-and the 27 metre-high, concrete statue of the Maitraya Buddha dominated the temple compound. It took 30 years to build and was completed only in 1968. It featured prominently in all the tourist literature of this area. Unfortunately, by the 1980’s, the statue had begun to crack so, in late 1986, it was demolished. In its place is a new statue 33 metres high. This time it was made out of brass. Buses leave frequently from the Dongbu Shiwe Terminal. The trip takes 1and 3/4 hours.
Admiral Yi Sun-shin’s Shrine (Hyunchungsa) and the Onyang Folk Museum - This is a day trip well worth taking. Take the train to Cheon-an (about an hour north of Daejeon). At the train station look for Bus 92. It would be wise to have these names written in Korean to ensure you get the correct bus. The museum at Onyang is a real folk museum with displays showing every aspect of traditional Korean life and with English translations. There is a park, which is spectacular in the spring. The Shrine of Admiral Yi is a little farther on the same bus. It has restaurants in the parking lot and once again, the park is very picturesque in the spring.
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Hiking:
Shikjangsan (also spelled Sikjangsan) “Food Cache Mountain” Shikjangsan is the large hill you see to the southeast with all of the communication towers at its peak. It is over 650 meters tall and has many hiking trails; below is only one of the many approaches to the peak. Starting from Daejeon Station, cross the street near the convenience stores and go right for a short distance until you reach the bus stop sign for the 501 bus. This bus runs at least every 20 minutes and currently costs 1400 won (Jan. 2005). After about 20 minutes, you will reach the Kao-dong area; you will pass through a fairly ugly neighbor hood with piles of scrap and plastic containers and such, and then you will find yourself directly beneath Shikjangsan itself. Where this road converges with another road, there is a gas station on the right. You should get off the bus at the stop just before the gas station (you will probably miss this on your first trip, as the gas station is after the stop, and there are no other obvious landmarks to direct a first-time visitor; it will only take two minutes to walk back to this point from the next stop). Cross the street and go right. You will see a brown sign that reads, “Shikjangsan” and points into an alley. After a few hundred meters, this alley passes through a tunnel under an expressway and begins to climb quickly. After a few minutes, you will start seeing trails on the right side. You can take any one of these, as they all seem to go to the same place, or you can follow the paved road up to a trail head at the end of the road just beneath the last temple. Whichever trail you take, you will pass springs with potable water along the way (at these same places, you are free to lift weights, if you are in the mood). One has good water inside a small structure draped in plastic—you have to turn on the faucet. Outside of this structure is a hose, and you don’t want to drink out of that, according to locals. At the other spring, there is no ambiguity whatsoever. As long as you keep heading upward, you don’t have to worry about any forks in the trail that you may see. Everything sooner or later gets to the top. A short distance before the peak and its cluster of towers, there is a resting spot with a table and a fine view. A few paces downhill from that is a sign indicating the trail to Maninsan (19 kilometers). If you follow this trail, you will eventually reach the home of a friendly hermit. You will alo reach a point where you notice that you can’t hear traffic. Any trail going down to the right will take you back to the road where you can catch a 501 or 510 bus back to downtown Daejeon. If you are feeling adventurous, you can follow this trail all day and get lost. Once you are lost, you can find a village and find out how to get back to town by bus; there is always a way, if not in the first village then in the second one.
Note: If you stay on the bus after Shikjangsan, the road is pretty enough, and you can get off at any point and go hiking or find a place to have a picnic. This bus ends up at Majeon, a district of Geumsan.
Daecheongho Reservoir
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There are several ways to reach this manmade lake. Walking If you climb to the peak of the second line of hills behind Woosong, you will see a large body of water to the east; this is the Daecheongho Reservoir, the source of your shower water. If you follow the ridgeline north instead of taking one of the many trails that go downhill, after about 20 minutes you will reach a road. To the right, t he road descends to the Daecheongho Reservoir. To the left, it goes to Gayang Park. If you decide not to go down and choose to go up the next hill, you will come to the ruins of some ancient Baekje fortress. This trail goes all the way to Gyejoksan, as well. By bus The buses that do run to Daecheonho reservoir do not run that frequently, so don’t attempt to take a bus without first consulting the schedule below. The #60 bus Starting here in Jayang-dong, catch a 310 or 841 bus toward Daejeon Station. After the bus passes under the railroad bridge, it turns right at the Wondong intersection. Get off at the next stop, backtrack to the Wondong intersection, and cross the street twice at this intersection—you want to get to the corner that is kitty-corner. From here, head south-southeast for a short distance (when the bus turned at the Wondong intersection, it headed north- northwest toward Daejeon station and the market and Popeye’s, etc.). You will find a bus stop where you can catch the 60 bus which will take you to scenic Daecheongho Reservoir—not a bad place to walk around on the strange beaches, and the fish jump with joy to greet you! The bus goes all the way to a village called Jikdong, but for a lake side stroll, get off the bus just after you see a puke-green structure of indeterminate function by the side of the lake. From here, you can either take the bus back or walk the gravel roads that go over the hills and back to Daejeon proper—the shortest walk being the road that leads to Gayang Park (since there are no signs or road names, you will have to figure this out yourself, which is the fun part, anyway). Schedule for the #60 bus These times were provided by the Daejeon bus company (you really have to pester them and get them to send you a fax); if the schedule has changed, try to get the new one without help from a Korean teacher. You will learn A LOT in the process.
A. From downtown The times below are from the gym, not from the Wondong intersection; add a few minutes to each.
6:10 7:20 8:05 9:25 10:25 12:00 1:00 2:20 3:30 4:40 6 p.m. 7 p.m. 8:20 p.m. 9:20 p.m. 10:20 p.m.
B. From Jikdong (again, add a few minutes if you are getting on the bus by the reservoir)
6:00 6:50 8:10 9:00 10:20 11:20 12:55 1:55 3:15 4:25 5:35 p.m. 6:55 p.m. 7:55 p.m. 9:15 p.m. 10:15 p.m.
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Airport Express Bus Timetable
Runs between Incheon airport and Dong-bu Terminal in Daejeon, which is across the street and a little farther up the side street from the Express Bus Terminal. The airport express office is in a small office to the side of the main ticket counters. You can get tickets and a current schedule there. It is advisable to purchase airport bus tickets in advance.
Date: (Current at July /06) Fare: W19,000
Daejeon Incheon Airport Incheon Airport Daejeon 4:30 6:00 5:00 7:00 5:40 8:30 6:20 9:00 7:00 Allow four hours 10:00 Allow four hours 8:00 11:00 9:00 12:00 10:00 13:00 11:00 14:00 12:00 15:00 13:00 16:00 14:00 17:00 15:00 17:40 16:00 18:20 17:00 19:00 18:00 20:00 21:30
If you need to stay overnight to catch an early morning flight or bus, or if you are arriving after the last bus to Daejeon leaves, try the Incheon Guest House which some very nice (big) modern guest rooms in very close proximity to the Incheon Airport. More importantly they have a free pick up and delivery service right up until 11:00 P.M. Currently they are charging: 35,000 won per night for a single room 45,000 won per night for a double room
They also have a gymnasium, a conference room, a restaurant and a shop where you can purchase basic food items.
For phone, fax and on line bookings go to: www.ghincheon.com
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KOREA RAILWAY
The official web site for Korea Rail is http://www.korail.go.kr/eng/. You will find current schedules and fares and information about routes. You can buy train tickets at the small bank on the street to Kochung Apartments. It’s the bank with the green and blue stylized tree. It is advisable to buy train tickets well in advance.
Woosong Uniersity has a special arrangement with Korea Rail; consequently, Woosong staff members are entitled to substantial KTX fare discount when purchasing KTX tickets. Unfortunately this discount does not apply at weekends or public holidays.
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DOWNTOWN DAEJEON
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THINGS TO DO Daejeon Art Gallery The Gallery is located between the new Opera Hall and the Municipal Youth Center directly across from Expo Park on the opposite side of the river. It is small but hosts some interesting shows. There is a very pleasant sculpture park. There is no bus service but you can easily take a cab.
BOWLING There is a bowling alley in the Haitae Building across from Kochung Apartments in Yongun-dong. The bowling alley is on the fifth floor.
BOXING Hanbat Boxing Club – It is located in downtown Daejeon diagonally across the street from Galleria Department Store and behind the Police Station. It is probably not suitable for women because of lack of change rooms. Membership is cheap and it’s a friendly environment.
Gym Hours-Monday to Friday 12 PM to 10 PM, Saturdays–12 noon to 5PM Cost: w20,000 per month Exercises: Sparring with headgear; shadow boxing; skipping; stretching; weight lifting; sit-ups / pushups; punching bag. Personal coaching by a master coach, who is also a former Korean Boxer.
GYMNASIUM Teachers can use the Woosong University Gym. It is the pinkish building on the corner below the J Building. The entire Gymnasiun section has been totally renovated and is crammed full with brand new exercising equipment. Discounted Cost to Woosong Staff members 20,000 won for one month, 45,000 won for three months Times - Weekdays Only: 6:00AM - 9:00 PM
HAPKIDO Lee Tae-hang, Master - 623-6372. This evening course is offered at the Hapkido gym (second floor) located next to the optical shop which is on the corner opposite Family Mart (on the university side of the road). The entrance door has a picture of Christ on it. The classes are usually at 7, 8 and 9:30 PM five days per week and last for one hour. You can attend as much or as little as you wish. The uniforms cost w35,000 and the class is w60,000 per month. If you are diligent, you can obtain your 1st Dan Black Belt in 9 months to 1 year of regular attendance.
TAEKWONDO Kim Ying-jae, Master - This one-hour class is offered in the late afternoon every school day at the Woo Song Gymnasium. The Master’s name is Kim Yong-jae and he is apparently very keen to teach foreigners and is gentle and patient. He is from the Hallelujah Taekwondo Demonstration Team of the Taekwondo World Mission. E-mail: [email protected] Cell-phone: 016-282-4110
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HIKING Close to WLI This is the great Korean pastime because there is so much congestion in the cities. Almost every hill you see has a trail. If you go up the hill past the driveway into Dong-A apartments, you will come to a trail that will lead you behind the University. If you turn right you will follow a simple road suitable for a mile jog. If you go left, you will come to a natural spring (where you can get great drinking water) and a small outdoor gym. From here you can continue into a small valley (going north). In about a mile, you will come to a temple. Most temples are located on a hillside so there will be lots of walking in visiting temples.
JOGGING Follow the route described under HIKING -“Close to WLI” or go to the track at the University or at the High School (behind the Women’s Dorm).
KOREAN LESSONS Look at the bookstores for tape / text sets. The Seoul National University series is good. Check out this learning web site: http://www.interedu.go.kr. You will need a computer with a Korean program.
WooSong Language Institute – The Faculty subsidizes a Korean class for teachers each semester as long as there are at least ten students. Check with the Resource Coordinator.
Hannam and Chungnam Universities, Daejeon – often offer a Korean class, if you can work it into your teaching schedule.
Korean Language Institute, SISA – YBM, Chongno-3-ga, Seoul (Take the orange subway line to Chongno-3-ga and go out Exit 12.) You can obtain information about this three hour Saturday class at [email protected] The cost is about w80,000 for 4 classes per month. This is very close to Insa- dong (Antique / Art area) and the Kyobo Bookstore.
Daejeon International Community Center – across from Popeyes
MUSIC / DANCE LESSONS
National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts, Seocho-dong, Seoul - Close to the Seoul Arts Center on the orange subway line (Nambu Terminal stop). This free class for foreigners (not just English speakers) has been running spring and fall for about four years. They offer 2-hour Saturday morning classes in kayagum (12 string Korean zither), chang-gu (the traditional hourglass drum), tanso (bamboo flute) and traditional dance. It normally runs for about 12 weeks and ends with a student concert. They advertise English instruction but learning is mostly acquired through imitation. Contact the NCKTPA for more information and watch in the English papers.
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT - KOTESOL KOTESOL is the Korean TESOL organization and it is affiliated with the American TESOL organization. There is an annual membership fee, which covers monthly chapter meetings, a chapter newsletter, a bimonthly national newsletter titled The English Connection, discounts on conference fees etc.
Daejeon chapter meetings are the fourth Saturday of every month at Woosong Language Institute. Their e-mail address is [email protected]. This is a good way to meet teachers working at other schools and to share ideas.
PUBLIC BATHS These are just great and range from ultra-simple to very impressive. There is a men’s and a women’s section. When you go to a public bath, you will see a long row of mirrors with individual showerheads and low plastic benches. This is the first scrubbing area. The one unbreakable rule is that you must give yourself a complete scrub down which should include a shave and shampoo. (You should scrub for at least ten minutes.) The beauty of the public baths is the many different ways there are for bathing. Even the simplest bathhouse will have mildly hot, very hot and cold pools, plus dry and wet saunas. The fancier bathhouses will have waterfalls you can stand under, and outdoor pools. If you have not been to a public bath before two particularly good places to try would probably be the Yusong Hotel and the Hong in Tower. Both are in the Yuson-Gu area, which is famous for its Hot Springs. Buses 103 and 104 both go to Yusong. Current entrance charge is round about 4000W. If you go frequently you can make inquiries about bulk discount tickets.
An excellent ‘Jimjulbang” is located at Rodeo Town. (Take the 103 bus and get off two stops before Galleria Time World). Be sure to pay an extra 1000 won for a pair of shorts and a tea shirt so that you can enjoy all the facilities in the communal area. This place has it all – crystal chandeliers, marble floors, sweat rooms, aqua therapy and even a place to work out. Currently 6000 won all inclusive. There is another Jimjilbang on top of Dong Bang Mart (Downtown) which has an excellent Gym. There is also one (Magic eye) near Home Plus and the Intercity Bus Terminal. NB. When traveling around you can sleep in Jimjilbangs all over Korea it’s comparatively cheap if you don’t mind sharing. They are open 24 hours a day.
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SWIMMING POOLS
Sports Complex, Yong-Un-Dong - There is a pool close to the Kochung Apartments in the same building as the bowling alley.
Daedeok –gu Swimming Pool - Songchondong - This is a 25 m. Pool. Take bus 310 and get off opposite Greentown Apartment Complex.
Times: Mon. Tues. Thur. Fri. 8:10 – 9:20 12:30 – 14:50 18:00 – 18:50 Wed. 7:00 – 9:20 11:30 – 14:50 18:00 – 20:50 Sat. 11:30 – 17:50/18:50* Sun. 6:00 - 12:00 13:00 - 17:50/18:50* (*June to September)
Hanbat Olympic Stadium Swimming Pool The 310 bus will get you fairly close. Times: Monday to Friday 06:00 – 20:00 Saturday and Sunday* 06:00 - 17:00 *The first and third Sunday of every month is a scheduled holiday.
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FURTHER MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
BOOKSTORES
Kyobo Bookstore It is located in the Kyobo Building past the Chungnam Provincial Office on the right hand side of the street. It is a large, brown building and the bookstore is in the basement, accessible by the outdoor stairs at the front of the building. The English section is close to the main entrance. They have a variety of books including ESL texts, tapes, and workbooks. Take the 841 bus and get off at the first stop past the Provincial Building at the end of the main street. You will have to walk back a short distance.
Kidari - Kim and Johnson - This bookstore has moved to Dunsan Dong and is across the road from Hyundai I-tel – try the 5th floor (buses 107/103).
Abby’s Book Nook - This is a second hand bookstore in Itaewon. They advertise in the Korea Times and there is an excellent map with the ad. They have the ‘widest selection of used books in Seoul.’
There is another good bookstore directly opposite the front entrance of Envy Dept. Store. Just look for an escalator which will take you directly up to the second floor where the English books are located.
Camera Repair Shop There is a camera shop across the street from the Samsung Building along the main street. You will also find several camera shops in the main street on the same side of the road as Dong Bang Mart.
CHURCHES The Christian International Church sponsors an English Service every Sunday morning at 10:30 am at the Christian International School auditorium. There is also a Bible study at 9:00 am. For more information call 636-2247 or 623-2719.
St. John’s Anglican (High Anglican) – 9:00 am English Service on Sundays. They also occasionally sponsor other activities like picnics, pottery-making. Pastor: Rev. Francis Cho, Cell Phone 016-434-9919. Take the #104 Bus to Kalma-dong, Seo-ku. Mailing address: 361-3 Kalma-dong, Seo-ku, Daejeon 302-171. There is also another English Service at 10:30 AM. In the Downtown area (10minutes walk from Dongbang Mart.
Catholic Church There is a service especially for English speaking foreigners which is held at 4:00 PM. every Sunday. The church is close to the “Doori Wedding Hall”. Take a 107 bus going towards Homeplus. Stay on the bus when you reach Homeplus for another 2 or 3 kilometers. When you go under a large concrete bridge – get off and take a taxi the rest of the way to Doori Wedding Hall (the taxi drivers are familiar with this place). The service is held in a building just across the road from the Doori Wedding Hall – on the corner.
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CULTURAL PROBLEMS This e-mail address and telephone number has been advertised in the Korean Herald. They offer a free cultural consultation if you are having problems due to cultural differences. [email protected] Phone: 018-214-2379
DRESSMAKERS / TAILORS There are many tailors all over the city but for dressmakers, Mok-dong (close to the Sun Hospital) is the best. There are also many fabric shops in the area. A plain dress (without the cost of the fabric) is about w70,000 and the quality is generally quite good. Dry cleaners usually do basic repairs to clothing and minor alterations start at 2000W.
There is also a tailor / dressmaker close to the Dong Middle School. Take the 310 or 841 downtown but get off before the train brid ge before the bus turns on to the Daejeon Station Street. She is close to a shoemaker’s shop.
EMBASSIES/CONSULATES - Seoul
AUSTRALIA 02-730-6490 CANADA 02-822-3455-6000 NEW ZEALAND 02-730-7794 PHILIPPINES 02-577-6147 UNITED KINGDOM 02-735-7341 UNITED STATES 02-397-4114 SOUTH AFRICA 02-792-4855
EXCHANGE BANKS To exchange won to another currency you must go to an exchange bank. Take your passport and your alien registration card. The bank often stamps how much you have exchanged in the back of your passport. The current system seems to be that you can‘t send more than your annual salary out of Korea in any one year.
Sending Money Home You will probably be charged bank fees at both ends if you wire money. Some teachers purchase traveler's cheques and mail them to their banks at home. If you get a Korean bankcard with international service, an extra card sent to a family member, would allow her/him to withdraw money directly from your Korean Bank account.
Exchanging Funds If you wish to exchange Korean won into other cash currency, you can do this at the Korean Exchange Bank downtown. The Post Office will give you a cheque for the amount you wish to withdraw and exchange so that you don’t have to carry around a lot of cash. You will need your passport and sometimes they stamp your passport and indicate the amount you have exchanged.
Some teachers have had money exchanged at the Hannam Bank on the left side of this Main Street across from Santamonica without the amount being noted in their passports. It may also be that the fee is less at Hannam Bank than KEB. It pays to shop around.
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Accounts in other Currencies It is possible to invest your money in other currencies such as American dollars etc. Currently an Australian dollar account is yielding 5.2% for a 6 month fixed term. N.B. 16.5% tax is currently normal on the interest on most investments and savings accounts even in won.
Post Office Banking Card NB. A reminder to all teachers! You have to frequently update your bankbook or you will find that when you really need to use your card to access funds, it will not work for you. Many teachers have had this experience and their account has been frozen until they get their bankbook updated. Every two months should be sufficient. You can update your book in the ATM machines at the Post Office in the Tower Building or the K Building, and the machine in the IT building across from the WLI. If you are unsure, ask one of the ladies to assist you. They are very helpful.
HAIR SHOPS Jacque Dessange - There are a number of hair stylists in Jayang-dong, but if you want a real treat, try Jacque de Sange on Culture Street. It is past McDonalds on the same side and is on the second floor. There is a large sign on the second floor level. Shampoo and style costs about w12,000. Most shops will also do manicures.
HEALTH AND DENTAL CARE When you go to a clinic or hospital, be prepared to pay for tests, x-rays, etc. Some things are not covered by the government insurance and the coverage has not kept up with rate increases in the medical profession. Recently, many dental procedures have been removed from coverage. Some large hospitals in Seoul have International Clinics where service is available in English, but you are charged for this convenience.
If you need more than a routine visit to a doctor, ask a Korean speaker to call the hospital or clinic in advance to find out approximately how much money you will need. Please also note that prescriptions must be filled within the number of days shown at the bottom of the prescription or you must go back to the doctor to have it reissued.
Internal Health Service Center The Eulji University Hospital a very modern hospital here in Daejeon has an International Health Center (opened on the 23rd of June 2004). Appointment or Emergency Contact: 042-611-3000
Cho and Lee Dental Clinic – Is located next to a Lotteria Fast Food Outlet in Wolpyongdong. Gloria Cho was trained in Australia and speaks perfect English. Take a taxi to this particular Lotteria (ie. at Wolpyongdong) and look for the crocodile mouth logo above the door. Go up to the third floor. Tel. 472 - 2879.
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Dr. Yun’s Clinic, Jayang- dong – The clinic is located on the main road next to the Service Station. There is a paint store in the first shop next to the service station and the next doorway leads upstairs to Dr. Yun’s Clinic. You will see the green cross above the door. Take your health card. His English is functional.
Dr. Sung’s OB and GYN Clinic is located in Seoul in Hannam - dong (Yongsan). Dr. Sung (female) speaks excellent English and often calls personally concerning your appointments. The telephone number is 02-790- 0802. Her clinic is not far from the UN Village. You can walk from the Hannam subway station.
Dr. Kim’s Evergreen Dental Clinic - Used to be in Jayang-dong but now in West Daejeon in Mannyeon-dong. He’s on the third floor of the Mannyeon Core Bldg, in the general area of the KBS Building. Telephone (042) 472- 7528. He speaks English but his receptionists don’t. If you call to make an appointment, ask for Dr. Kim Chang-hwan.
Kangnam Dental Clinic - 02-3442-7575 Ask for Ms. Lee. She speaks English.
NEWSPAPERS There are two English newspapers in Seoul, the Korean Herald and the Korea Times. You can arrange home delivery for about 10,000 won per month. There is a copy of the Korean Herald at WLI everyday except Sunday. You can buy these two papers at the stands downtown. The little grocery store opposite WLI carries both. The phone number for ordering home delivery of the Korea Times in Daejeon is 633-2033. The delivery person will leave a monthly bill at your door, which you can pay at a bank.
OFFICE SUPPLIES There is a small stationery shop close to the college gate around the corner from Family Mart.
S . Stationery - around the corner from Sacre Coeur Bakery. (There’s a red, vertical sign on the front of the building.) Go past the bakery (coming from Culture Street) and turn left. It is on the left side of the street. There are five floors of art and craft supplies, office supplies, and even some paint and hardware.
Stationery Shop in the Kyobo Building - (See Kyobo Bookstore)
OVERSEAS PHONECALLS There are several long distance companies. ONSE uses 008 and 00365 as numerical prefixes. Korea Telecom’s number is 00l and Dacom uses 002. International calls are cheapest on the weekend. If you call on the weekend in the evening, the current rate to North American is about w500 per minute with Korea Telecom. You can also try Onetel – You phone them up and they provide you with a pin number and details of how to use their services. You pay in advance (visa
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card is accepted) usually in amounts of 30,000W or 60,000W. You have to keep topping up this amount as it is depleted. Their rates are very reasonable: for example the current rate Korea (land) Australia (land) is 104W per minute. Their customer service center number is 02 565 9385. They are open 9AM – 12 Midnight and speak good English.
International Phone Cards - Close to the Hamilton Hotel in Itaewon, there is usually a street vendor who sells international phone cards. Some vendors at the Intercity Bus Terminal in Daejeon also sell phone cards for as little as 12,000 won which makes overseas phone calls comparatively cheap.
SHOEMAKER If you have trouble finding shoes to fit, try the shoemaker close to downtown. Get off the 310 or 841 bus around the Dong Middle School just before the train bridge and before the bus turns onto the Daejeon Station Street. He has samples of various styles. Shoes are leather and cost about w50,000. He also makes boots. You will also find excellent shoemakers in Itaewon, Seoul.
CAR OWNERSHIP: Buying a car in Korea! Your best advice is to have a Korean friend assist you. 1. Choose a new or second-hand car. 2. To transfer the car into your name, both the buyer (you) and the seller have to go to the Motor Vehicle Registration Office to complete the paper work. There are people there available to assist you for about 20,000-25,000 won. Most Koreans hire someone since there is a lot of paperwork involved. 3. Documents required: the car Registration proof of insurance (This has to be acquired by you prior to Registration.) a valid driver’s license – either Korean (preferred) or International confirmation that all fines, tickets and registration are paid and up to date your Alien Registration Card 4. You will have to pay approximately 90,000won every 6 months for car taxes and your insurance is paid annually, approximately 200,000won.
This information is subject to change at any time. Happy driving in Korea!
NB. If you are considering buying a car John Loughry will be glad to advise you in this regard.
TOURISM Korean Tourism - The web site is www.knto.or.kr. The toll free number is 1- 588-1717. You can get information in English.
TRAVEL AGENTS: Prince Travel on the 10th floor at Time World offers service in English. The phone number is 488-2929
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Xanadu Travel –Many teachers have used this agency and find Jenny Lee to be very efficient. You can contact them by email and they will mail your ticket to you after you have paid by making a deposit into their bank account. http://www.xanadu.co.kr email: [email protected]
TRAVELLING OUTSIDE OF KOREA Check your work visa in your passport to see if you have a ‘single entry’ or a ‘multiple entry.’ If you don’t have the latter, you must get one before leaving Korea on vacation. The Personnel Assistant will assist you in arranging this.
LATE FLIGHTS
Incheon If your flight arrives too late for you to catch a bus to Daejeon you could stay at the Incheon Guest House. The Incheon Guest has some very nice modern guest rooms in very close proximity to the Incheon Airport. More importantly they have a free pick up and delivery service right up until 11:00 P.M. Currently they are charging: 35,000 won per night for a single room 45,000 won per night for a double room
They also have a gymnasium, a conference room, a restaurant and a shop where you can purchase basic food items.
For phone, fax and on line bookings go to: www.ghincheon.com
CABLE TV Han CN TV Cable - Phone 337- 7000 - You pay w4000 per month but must pay one full year in advance initially. Large selection of stations but you will need a Korean friend to help you with the negotiations.
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INFORMATION ABOUT BILLS
Bills that come in the mail to your apartment will only have the University’s name and the apartment number on them. Bills that come from the office will have th e individual teacher’s name.
ANNUAL RESIDENT’S TAX This comes by mail in the late summer and is about w10,000.
PHONE BILLS You will receive a phone bill for the phone in your apartment from Korea Telecom. You are not charged a ‘hook-up’ fee. The University handles this. The basic rate is about w12,000 per month. Long distance within Korea will be on this bill but it will not be itemized because it is very cheap. Any 001 overseas calls will be, and will be itemized. There will also be a charge for any calls you have made to hand (cell) phones.
Long distance calls you make through the other companies (Dacom – 002 and Onse - 008 and 00365) will be on separate bills and will be itemized. Call on weekends for the best rates.
Please Note: If you do not pay your phone bill by the due date, you can not pay it at the bank but must take it to the Korea Telecom office. Taking the 841 bus away from downtown, get off around the Express Bus Terminal, and then go right at the next street past the terminal. The Korea Telecom office is on the left side on this street.
UTILITY BILLS – Site A and B Housing.
Please note that energy rates in Korea increase with usage. You are advised not to use electric heaters. Gas is the cheapest way to heat your housing.
Gas Bill: This will come directly from the gas company and will be about w5,000 – w10,000 when you are not using gas for heat. In the winter, it will be considerably more from November to March. You are advised to only put the hot water on when you are showering / doing dishes. In winter months, turn the floor heat off when you leave your apartment. An 8 ½ pyong apartment at Site A will cost about w60,000 in the two highest winter months if you are careful. Site B is not on city gas and is therefore more expensive than Site A. Pay at any bank.
Electrical Bills: –At Kyosoo Apartments (Site B) , this bill comes directly from the Electrical Company. You can pay it at any bank. At the Foreign Faculty Villa (Site A), the University receives a bill for the whole building, and then individual meters for the apartments are read by the Utilities Assistant. Pay it at the WLI office. The billing period at Site A, while called a monthly bill, is not always for 30 days so if you make an effort to conserve, it may not show by
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the month. Monthly bills will rage from about w10,000 to w20,000 depending on season and how careful you are.
Water Bill: This bill is calculated by the Utilities Assistant, is usually about w5,000 per month. It is the total water bill divided by the number of apartments in use in the building. Pay at the WLI Office.
Cleaning Bill: This applies to only Site A and B and is a flat rate of w20,000 per month. The cleaning lady cleans the public areas in / around the building and sees that the garbage is properly disposed of. She keeps an eye out for mechanical problems as well. Pay at the WLI Office.
UTILITY BILLS – Outside Apartments – Pay at any bank. You will receive a monthly bill from the Apartment’s Office, which will include such things as elevator upkeep, pest control, building upkeep and repair, security, common area water, power and gas use, ground's upkeep, garbage removal, and administrative fees. Your cooking gas bill will be metered separately. This is the normal procedure in Korean apartment buildings.
UTILITY BILLS – Dormitories Teachers living in the dormitories pay a monthly flat rate for heat and electricity. This rate is currently w65,000. This bill can be paid either at the Dorm office or at the WLI office. Gas (for cooking) and telephone bills will come from the gas and phone companies and can be paid at any bank. There is no cleaning fee at the Dormitories. Please note that if you use any long distance company other than Korea Telecom, you will receive more than one telephone bill.
PLEASE PAY YOUR BILLS ON TIME!!!
GARBAGE REMOVAL: At Site A and B, the cleaning lady empties the teachers’ garbage cans into the large containers at the Dorms. For this reason, you may use plastic shopping bags for your waste. However, at Dong Ah, the garbage is collected directly by the city so it must be put into green city garbage bags and placed in the large green bin for collection. Pea-green plastic garbage bags with Korean writing on them are available at most corner stores. They come in a variety of sizes and are fairly expensive because this is how the garbage removal is financed. The word in Korean for the bags is ‘se-leg-I-boe-tu.’
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HEATING SYSTEM AT SITE A & SITE B
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Hot Water System at the Site C & D Apartments
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TAXI SLIPS WITH KOREAN ADRESSES
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HOUSING DAMAGE-CHECK
Please check your accommodation for any damage or things that are not working. Give a copy of this form to the Facilities Assistant (John).
House Check Sheet
Address : Name : Date of Inspection :
1st / 2nd 1st / 2nd Remark Good Bad Overall Cleanliness Bed Refrigerator Closet Stove Washing Machine Table Chairs Light Bulbs Windows Light Switches Floor Air Conditioners
Others
When the teacher(s) leaves, he(or she) must clean the room and restore the house(or items written above) to the original state as when teacher(s) first moved in. Otherwise you will be charged 50,000 won for the cleaning fee and more if the house(or the items) is damaged.
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EVALUATION OF MENTORING PROGRAM
Please fill out this form two to three weeks after your arrival and return to the Resource Coordinator.
Name ______Date ______
Date and time of arrival in Korea ______in Daejeon ______
How did you come to Daejeon? Train Bus Other ______
Were you picked up in Daejeon? Yes No
Who picked you up? ______
Did you get a blanket (if needed)? Yes No Did you get a package of food? Yes No Did you receive the Orientation Package? Yes No Did you get your mentor’s name and phone number? Yes No
How would you rate your welcome in Daejeon? Poor Fair Average Good Excellent
Comments:______
______
______
Who was your mentor? ______
Did you speak to your mentor within the first 48 hours? Yes No Did they give you a tour of WLI, WSU, WIC and WTC? Yes No Did they show you how to use audio/video equipment? Yes No Did they discuss use of office computers? Yes No Did they show you how to use the lesson plan template? Yes No Did they show you the Basement Resources Area? Yes No Did they show you how to use the copy machines? Yes No Did they review the book / audio checkout procedures? Yes No
Did you need assistance with anything that was overlooked in the mentoring program? Yes No If Yes, please explain.
Did you read the Orientation Starter Package? Yes No
When did you read it? immediately after a day or two in the first week
Were the materials useful? Yes No
Were the materials up-to-date? Yes No
What was the most useful information?______
What was the least useful?______
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Pay Slip Translation A
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Pay slip translation B
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Pay Slip Procedure
A print-out of your pay slip will be placed in your mailbox each month. Itemized information on how to access your pay slip details.
1) Go to the website http://www.sid.wsu.ac.kr
2) Enter your ID and Password (You can request these details from the Personnel Assistant).
3) Click to the left side of: You will find this Hangul script in orange in the lower left hand corner of your computer.
4) Type in the date. The first blank spaces are for the year. The second blank spaces are for the month and the third blank spaces are for your teachers ID (as supplied to you by the Personnel Assistant).
5) Next click on the first circle and then click on the gray rectangle. Your pay slip details should now appear on your computer screen. You will still need to use the translation sheet ‘A’ to understand how your pay is made up.
6) If you have any allowances for food, transportation and counseling you can click on the second circle for information in this regard. You will also need to use the translation sheet ‘B’ for this purpose.
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