While Andong is located in the same province as Gyeongju, the feel could not be more different. There are no palaces and no crowns, but perfectly preserved and original villages and houses from over 500 years ago. SIGHTSEEING DAY 1 Dosanseowon Confucian Academy (도산서원) This is the headquarters of the man on the 1,000 won bill! Toegye Yi Hwang was an extremely well-regarded scholar in the 16th century who spent many years instructing his male protege in the way of Confucianism. As this is the original, you can even see the man’s own hand-carved hanja sign on his living quarters. Confucian Museum (유교문화박물관) I really thought this place had been…

Gyeongju was the capital of the Silla which ruled from 57 BCE to 935 CE, and with the support of the Tang in China, it conquered and absorbed the kingdoms around it, thus toppling the era of the Three Kingdoms. As such, Gyeongju is rife with historical treasures. It boasts tombs of kings and queens, ancient architecture, and historically accurate village restorations. Each site is hyperlinked to the dedicated Korean tourism page which has further information about opening times, costs, and parking. See the map assembled by the tourism organization here. SIGHTSEEING Nearly all the main attractions are along the road running north into the city which made sightseeing easy…

Required Documents: Original driver’s license Passport ARC Apostille of original driver’s license 출입국사실증명서 Certificate of the Facts Concerning the Entry & Exit 3 color photos 외국인등록사실증명서* (if your current registered address does not match your ARC address) 6,000 won for the eye exam and 7,500 won for the license Find the complete list of documents and acknowledged countries here. Depending on your country and state, you may need to take a written exam. I have a Georgia U.S. license and did not need to take a written exam. Where to Get Documents The U.S. Embassy no longer apostilles driver’s licenses, so if you’re American you will need to plan ahead.…

Required Documents: One passport photo 35x45mm Passport Current ARC Form #34 (you can fill it out at the office or you can find a PDF online at HiKorea) Signed contract and NOA (if applicable) Teaching schedule Business license (this is not from the school but the Office of Education) Housing contract Report form* (will be provided to you during your appointment) 130,000 won application and processing fee Be sure to use a different photo from your D10 ARC. Luckily, I have a rotating set of long hair pics and short hair pics that I brought with me. If not, there is an ID photo booth onsite, or you can use…

Well, well, well. You’ve booked a ticket to a faraway land and are now facing the daunting prospect of a flight that defies time. Join us! These are my tried and true hacks for surviving slightly more comfortably on your long journey. Masks As we are in the age of COVID, masks are required on flights. I felt most comfortable in cloth masks and changed at least once to prevent bacteria buildup. I also used a paper surgical mask which worked well, but do bring more than one as their typical wear time is eight hours. Face Must haves include chapstick, eye drops, and saline nose spray. A fourteen hour…

Required Documents Passport photo 35x45mm Passport Current ARC Form #34 (check “change of sojourn”) Completed contract or Letter of Release Official bank statement (“잔액증명서 Certificate of Deposit”) that proves you have at least 750,000 won per month i.e. at least 4.5M for the six month application Proof of residency (lease OR utility bill with name OR fill out form “Confirmation of Residence/Accommodation” and provide appropriate additional documentation OR as I did, use the “Notification of Expiry” that you receive about two months before your E2 expires) 130,000 won application and processing fee I made copies of both my passport and ARC to include in the packet. Form #34 and Confirmation…

Welcome, all! While posts can be read separately, threads, characters, and experiences will hold more weight if you start at the beginning. To dive deeper into this world and understand our cast of characters, see WHO’S WHO. I also on occasion write posts about Korean language and introspective pieces unrelated to the primary chronological blog posts about daily life. Click on the favorites category for my best or most extreme pieces. My origin story can be found here and to keep up with me, subscribe here, and check out my Instagram if you are reading this blog on mobile and can’t see my excellent desktop layout. And if you really like…