INFORMATION HANDBOOK for PY2013 FULBRIGHT GRANTEES to KOREA Prepared by the Korean-American Educational Commission Spring 2013 We must try, through international education, to realize something new in the world–a purpose that will inspire us and challenge us to use our talents and material wealth in a new way, by persuasion rather than force, cooperatively rather than competitively, not with the intention of gaining dominance for a nation or an ideology, but for the purpose of helping every society develop its own concept of public decency and individual fulfillment. J. William Fulbright ii Table of Contents I. FULBRIGHT PROGRAM IN KOREA ......................................................................................................... 1 A. PREFACE ........................................................................................................................................................................ 1 B. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................. 2 II. FULBRIGHT GRANT GUIDELINES ......................................................................................................... 3 A. PRE-ARRIVAL ............................................................................................................................................................... 3 ARRIVAL TIMELINE AND CHECKLIST ..................................................................................................................... 3 KEEPING IN TOUCH ......................................................................................................................................................... 3 PASSPORT ............................................................................................................................................................................. 4 VISA .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 KOREAN CONSULATES IN THE U.S. .......................................................................................................................... 5 SAMPLE VISA APPLICATION FORM .......................................................................................................................... 6 TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS ............................................................................................................................................ 7 BAGGAGE ............................................................................................................................................................................... 8 INSURANCE .......................................................................................................................................................................... 8 B. ARRIVAL .......................................................................................................................................................................10 PORT OF ENTRY .............................................................................................................................................................. 10 SAMPLE ARRIVAL CARD.............................................................................................................................................. 10 IMMIGRATION ................................................................................................................................................................. 10 BAGGAGE CLAIM ............................................................................................................................................................. 11 CUSTOMS ............................................................................................................................................................................ 11 ARRIVAL INFORMATION ............................................................................................................................................ 12 EARLY ARRIVAL .............................................................................................................................................................. 13 LATE ARRIVAL ................................................................................................................................................................. 14 C. IN KOREA .....................................................................................................................................................................15 ORIENTATION PROCESS ............................................................................................................................................. 15 KAEC IN-PROCESSING .................................................................................................................................................. 15 DIRECTIONS TO THE FULBRIGHT OFFICES ...................................................................................................... 17 MEETING YOUR HOSTS ............................................................................................................................................... 17 FINANCES AND BANKING .......................................................................................................................................... 18 FULBRIGHT HOUSING .................................................................................................................................................. 19 OUT-OF-COUNTRY TRAVEL ....................................................................................................................................... 20 LANGUAGE STUDY ALLOWANCE ............................................................................................................................ 21 REPORTS ............................................................................................................................................................................. 22 D. PRE-DEPARTURE .......................................................................................................................................................23 DEPARTURE TIMELINE AND CHECKLIST .......................................................................................................... 23 TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS ......................................................................................................................................... 23 VISA STATUS CHANGES ............................................................................................................................................... 23 EARLY TERMINATION AND DEPARTURE .......................................................................................................... 23 RETURN SHIPPING ........................................................................................................................................................ 24 III. RESOURCES FOR LIVING IN KOREA .................................................................................................. 24 A. PRE-ARRIVAL .............................................................................................................................................................24 INOCULATIONS ............................................................................................................................................................... 24 WHAT TO PACK ............................................................................................................................................................... 25 B. IN KOREA .....................................................................................................................................................................30 JET LAG ................................................................................................................................................................................ 30 CULTURE SHOCK ............................................................................................................................................................ 30 USEFUL WEBSITES ........................................................................................................................................................ 31 GETTING AROUND ......................................................................................................................................................... 32 iii PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN SEOUL ................................................................................................................. 33 SEOUL VS PROVINCIAL LIFESTYLES ..................................................................................................................... 36 DOMESTIC TRAVEL IN KOREA ................................................................................................................................. 36 SIGHTSEEING ................................................................................................................................................................... 37 SAFETY ................................................................................................................................................................................ 37 COST OF LIVING .............................................................................................................................................................