STEP 4 Flight to Korea & Orientation This Is the Final Stage Before Flying to Korea
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STEP 4 Flight to Korea & Orientation This is the final stage before flying to Korea. Please read this guide carefully to ensure you are fully prepared and that you take only what you need and do not leave anything important behind. E2 Visa and Flight Ticket The guide TK03.pdf has provided you with all the information you will need to get your E2 VISA inserted into your passport. Please ensure you get your passport back in time, especially if you are going to Korea as part of one of the major bi-annual intakes as the embassy has to process hundreds of applications at that time. Please ensure your ticket is in order and that you are flying on the correct date (phone or e-mail YunOck to confirm your flight date). You need to book a ticket to Incheon International Airport (ICN). You can purchase your ticket online if you have a credit card at one of these web-sites (click on the logos). If you do not have a credit card you may use one belonging a friend or family member however please ensure that the owner of the card is present with their credit card and their ID when you check-in at the airport. Alternatively get a price from one of the web-sites, print it out, then present this to a travel agent like Flight Centre that offers to match a competitors prices which will enable you to use cash or a debit card. Remember to purchase a one-way ticket to Seoul, South Korea. A 12 month return ticket will expire before you have completed your contract and you will forfeit the return leg of the ticket. As you have a 12 month work visa in your passport you will be permitted to board the aircraft and enter South Korea unhindered with a one way ticket. Documents You Need To Take With You It is very important that you take the following original documents with you when you fly. These documents are needed to confirm your contract, salary level and tax exemption status. Degree Certificate/s - You might be asked to present your original degree/s but are not expected to hand them over. If you have just graduated and don’t yet have your degree certificate you need to present either a Provisional Degree Certificate or an original letter from your university confirming that you have a degree and stating the date when your degree certificate will be available to you. Final Transcript - If you have just graduated and have not yet submitted a full and final academic record/transcript of your degree then you do need to take a sealed transcript with you. It is a good idea to always keep 4-6 sealed transcripts for future job applications as these do not expire and are difficult to arrange from overseas. Teachers Certificate - If you have a Teachers Certificate (SACE) then you need to take it along as you might be asked to present it but are not expected to hand it over. TEFL/TESOL/CELTA - You might be asked to show the original certificate for the 100 hour course you have completed to confirm your appointment level. You are not expected to hand over the certificate. Letter Confirming Teaching Experience - If you have only submitted scanned copies of letter confirming your previous teaching career then you need to take the original letter in case it is requested. Tax Clearance Certificate - When asked for a “Residence Certificate” you need to submit your Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) from SARS. The South African government does not produce a Residence Certificate and the TCC serves to confirm that you are a registered tax payer in South Africa. This document has to be handed over to be filed by your school in order for you to be exempted from income tax in Korea. Tax Exemption Guide (Click to download) Luggage Please confirm your luggage allowance with your airline. In most cases you are permitted 30kg of check-in luggage but this is often not the case on domestic flights within South Africa where you might have to pay a fee at check-in for luggage over 20kg. In addition to your check-in luggage you are typically allowed to carry a small 7kg bag into the cabin with you. Please note that on international flights this bag may not contain any bottles, tubes or containers that exceed 100ml in capacity regardless if they are full or half empty. KoAfrica cc trading as TeachKorea • CK2005/139057/23 • 59 Clan Stewart Street • Simonstown • 7975 • Republic of South Africa Telephone: 021-782-5024 • Mobile: 082-728-4229 • Skype Phone: teachkorea • www.teachkorea.co.za © TeachKorea Step-by-Step: Flight to Korea and Orientation - Page 2 of 5 Clothing Korea’s seasons are opposite to South Africa, they have winter in December and unlike our summers which are of similar temperatures Korean winters are very cold. So if you are flying any time between November and March be sure to pack warm winter clothing. You won’t need your summer clothing until May or June so these can be left behind for your family to ship to you later should you require them. The dress code at school is smart casual. It is prudent to arrive at school for your first day dressed really smartly and thereafter take your cue from your colleagues on the staff as to what is accepted as the dress code for your school. Smart Casual - Men Shirt with a collar (both short and long sleeve are OK) avoid T-shirts and golf shirts unless you find other staff members wearing these items. Slacks, chinos or grey flannels are preferable. Avoid jeans and shorts unless you find your colleagues wearing these items. Some middle & high schools (most typically in the larger cities) prefer male staff members to wear a tie, so take one tie just in case you find you need it. Wear closed shoes. Sandals and sneakers are not appropriate. Smart Casual - Women A sensible blouse or top that doesn’t bare your shoulders or décolleté are the norm. Korean woman’s fashion tends to cover up the top in a sensible blouse so T-shirts or golf shirts are not advisable. You can wear mid-knee length or longer skirts, slacks or pant-suits. Jewelry is permitted and you are welcome to wear your hair loose so long as it doesn’t distract you. Footwear - Men & Women At most schools in Korea you will find you keep a pair of “indoor shoes” at school that are worn inside so as to prevent dust and dirt being traipsed into the building from outside. As the pupils are usually responsible for keeping the school clean your adherence to this practice will be highly appreciated by your students! So on your first day be sure to arrive with your “school shoes” in your tog bag. At the main entrance your indoor shoes will be assigned a spot where you can find them every day. These shoes should be closed shoes, open sandals or flip-flops are not acceptable. You are urged to look at investing in a comfortable pair of well designed shoes (such as GreenCross) as you will spend just over 1,000 hours standing in class in these shoes during your 12 month contract! Bank Accounts in South Africa Keeping your South African bank account open is useful for paying bills or servicing loans and stop orders that you already have in place. It is prudent to visit your branch before you fly to do the following: Internet Banking: You are able to internet bank from Korea so consider setting up this facility. It is important to set up all the beneficiaries you envisage paying before you depart as most bank websites need you to confirm new beneficiaries by way of a One Time Pin sent to your South African cellphone by sms. You are not able to get those sms’ in Korea. So unless your bank can e-mail the PIN to you it is best to set up your beneficiaries before you fly. International Transfers: If you intend sending money home from South Korea the most common option is International Transfer. In order to do this it is important you have the SWIFT code of your home branch in South Africa. This is a code made up of 9 letters of the alphabet that uniquely identifies your home branch. Many South African banks are reluctant to deposit money from abroad into an account until they have received a go-head from the account holder to process the deposit at the prevailing exchange rate (your international transfer typically arrives in SA in US$). So you need to either give your branch written permission to automatically go ahead or make an arrangement whereby they can request your permission via e-mail each time you make a transfer. ATM Transfers: An option to International Wire Transfers is to open a second savings account in Korea with an ATM card that can be used overseas. The ATM card is sent back to a trusted person in South Africa who then makes ATM withdrawals on your behalf. This is simpler, instant and can reduce bank charges. Taking Survival Money EPIK advises new teachers arrive at orientation with US$1,000 to carry them over to their first paycheck. We advise you take US$300 in cash with the balance either in the form of a Rennies Travel Card or on your ATM bank card. If you decide to use your South African ATM card please check with your bank that you can make withdrawals in South Korea with the card.