Furnished accommodations are usually provided and included in your contract. (except monthly utilities) Nowadays most schools provide a nice studio apartment. In general though the housing will vary widely from place to place. The distance to the school is usually not too far. If it's not within walking distance, it will only be a short bus or subway ride away. Most homes have ondol heating. That means that hot water is heated in a boiler and circulated in the floor. This is very nice. If you lie on the floor you can almost cook your body if you crank the heat up. The showers are also fed by the same boiler and if the boiler is off it may take a couple of minutes to heat up. The newer the house is the better it is. Old houses tend to be drafty and cool and the water takes longer to heat up for a shower. Newer places are very nice and can get extremely hot if you adjust the boiler temperature too high. Linoleum is used through the house as carpets are viewed to be unhealthy. Cooking is done on a cooktop and very few people have ovens. In the smaller apartments the bathrooms will have only a toilet (western style) a sink and a shower head that empties into a drain in the floor. People often use the public bathhouses instead.

Household electricity here is the 220V kind. The plugs are round and about an inch apart. It is possible to get a 110V to 220V convertor here but they are big and clumsy to use especially if you are using it with a hair dryer.

Banking is generally easy and not much of a problem. Your director usually take you to the bank and help you to open your account. To open a bank account you need your passport and some money to deposit. In most places your pay will be deposited directly into your account each month. The banks will issue a bank book and an ATM card. If you are going to exchange currency you should bring your passport. The exchange rate is about W1,000=$1 US and foreign exchange can be done at all banks.(ie to $US). You can send money home up to the amount you earn each month. Foreign teachers are allowed to remit 66% of their monthly earning per month. Should one decide not to remit the full 66% in a particular month, the remaining percentage can not be carried over into the next month. you'll have to wire the money directly to your bank. You need to know your account number bank name and address. This is quick,but it costs you 20-30,000 won on this end and then your bank on the other end will charge you too. Check with your bank for their charges.

· Spring of Korea (20-25°C/68-80° F+) Spring lasts from late March to May and is warm. Various flowers, including the picturesque cherry blossom, cover the nation's mountains and fields during this time
· Summer of Korea (33°C/90°F+) Summer lasts from June to early September. It is a hot and humid time of the year.
· Autumn of Korea (10-20°C/50-68°F) Autumn lasts from September to November, and produces mild weather. It is the best season for visiting Korea.
· Winter of Korea(-10-10°C/15-50°F) Winter lasts from December to mid-March. It can be bitterly cold during this time due to the influx of cold Siberian air. Heavy snow in the northern and eastern parts of Korea makes favorable skiing conditions

The most economical way of getting around in Korea is by bus or subway. The Subway is the typical public transportation which can take you to anywhere in Korea. It is convenient to use subway because in City there are many cars and the roads are usually jammed.

Most Korean doctors have some knowledge of English, and those who have studied abroad are quite fluent in English, Japanese or German. There are many very well qualified doctors, but it is not always easy to find them . The best way is by word of mouth recommendations from friends. While doctors at most clinics usually have some command of English, the staff can rarely communicate in English.

Clothing worn in Korea are quite similar to those worn in Western countries, although styles tend to be more conservative and a bit more sophisticated in the west. Since Korea has four distinct seasons, you will need clothes from for full range of climates. Heavy coat, boots and gloves are necessary in the winter, and Korea's hot humid summer requires lightweight clothes. If you tall or big, please bring your clothing instead of planning to buy them here. Especially, two items expatriate may have more difficulty buying in Korea are underwear and shoes.

The Korea Language : Hangeul
Hangeul was invented in 1443, during the reign of King Sejong. It is composed of 10 vowels and 14 consonants. Hangeul has 11 compound vowels, 5 glottal sounds. 'The Hunminjeongeum,' a historical document which provides instructions to educate people using Hangeul, is registered with UNESCO. UNESCO awards a 'King Sejong Literacy Prize,' every year in memory of the inventor of Hangeul.

· Buddhism Buddhism first arrived in Korea in the 2nd year (A.D. 372) of the reign of King Sosurim of the Goguryeo Kingdom. After its introduction, Buddhism exerted a powerful influence in the Baekje Kingdom and Silla Kingdom. Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto, which are designated as World Cultural Heritage sites by UNESCO, are Buddhist creations from the Silla Kingdom. Buddhism has exercised a far-reaching influence on Korean culture throughout its long history. The nation's invaluable Buddhist heritage abides in buildings, sculptures, paintings and handicraft.

· Protestantism & Catholicism
Protestantism came to Korea after the signing of the Korean-American Treaty in 1882. Because Christianity challenged the basic values of Joseon society, its believers were subject to persecution in the early years, but as Christians took an increasingly active role in the anti-colonial struggle against the Japanese and churches promoted more educational opportunities, Christianity gained acceptance. Today Korean churches evangelize abroad, and approximately twenty five percent of the Korean population is Christian. Catholicism first came to Korea as a western scholarly pursuit. Korean tributary missions to the imperial court of China took an interest in Jesuit missionary books and brought them back to Korea. In 1784 the first Korean was baptized in Beijing and returned to Korea to set up a house of worship. Despite considerable persecution by the government, numerous people joined the Catholic Church. Presently, over two million people belong to the church.

· Confucianism
Confucianism became a common philosophy in ancient Korea. When it came into contact with fundamental Korean sentiments, Confucianism brought about profound changes and exerted considerable influence on the Korean people. It has been an indispensable component of the Korean moral system, way of life and national laws. Confucianism, which was the major philosophy of the Joseon Dynasty, eventually gave rise to Silhak, or practical learning. Confucianism has deeply permeated the consciousness of Korean people and can be seen today in many forms, including two ceremonies that continue to day: Jongmyo Jerye, the royal ancestral service at Jongmyo Shrine and Seokjeon Daeje, the worship rites at the Seonggyungwan in honor of Confucius, his disciples, and other celebrated Chinese and Korean Confucian scholars.

· Necessities to bring ( hard to find or expensive out here)

- Deodorant( hard to find ), after shave, hair spray
- Electronics (note that we use 220 volt outlets here) Voltage adapters can be found here
- Medicines (cold remedies, no-aspirins, vitamins, neo-citron)
- Women (Tampons, make-up the colors here are strange)
- Glasses and contacts prescription

· Other things:

- large bath towels ( hard to find)
- make up ( maybe the wrong colors for non Asian faces)
- clothes ( if you are over six feet tall)
- shoes ( if you are larger than size nine)
- liquor (one bottle 750ml, alcohol is cheap here but imported stuff is very expensive)
- cigarettes are cheap a pack of 20 but cigars are non-existent.
- If you like to cook, bring spices and seasonings you can probably find some of them out here but you have to be able to read Korean it you want the right ones.(basil, caraway seed, celery seed, cloves, cumin, garlic salt, nutmeg, onion salt, oregano)

· Great shopping deals here

- shampoo, cream rinse, tooth paste, soap
- film, batteries
- leather and eel skin goods, custom-made clothing, silk and luggage
- clothes, shoes
- glasses and contacts
- books (if you can read Korean)
- craft paper
- accessories (watches)
- jewelry
- alcohol (except imported stuff)