My Korean Life #3: Real Korean Life Help - UPS Notification

Within this blog series I want to give some real world, everyday advice to folks that may live here in Korea. While I don't admit to knowing everything about Seoul or Korea for that matter, I rarely see highly publicized blogs/videos regarding actual life in Korea (that is the day-to-day logistics of living). The information is out there but it takes quite a bit more searching. Anyway...

So you may get a UPS package from someone...but then you get a sticker like this on your door:

Uh-oh...that's a lot of Korean...and that's a lot of handwriting you're not used to reading...and now they want you to call a number and find out where your package is...

If you don't read Korean well or if you're in short supply of someone who reads/speaks Korean...I would not panic. At the building I live in, the guard station also acts as an auxiliary mail room. Any packages that are not delivered direct to the apartment units are dropped at the guard room. If you live in a similar building, chances are UPS dropped your package there if you were not at home to receive it. 

If for some reason UPS held your package (say they need your signature confirmation, etc.) chances are you will have to take the plunge and call the number left on the sticker notification. Luckily, I was able to consult a friend who knows Korean a lot better than myself and they called the number to double check the package had been left with the guard station. As I continue to learn Korean over the next year or so, I hope to update this post with what you could say to the UPS contact left on the sticker so you would know if it was left at your building or at a distribution center for pick up. I can tell you "경비실" is guardroom.

Honestly, I didn't really even notice the sticker when it was first left on my door since I wasn't expecting any packages...also, I wasn't familiar with a lot of Korean they used on the sticker itself. If you have any tricks or tips in regards to this in Korea, please leave a comment below!

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My Korean Life #2 : Back to School

Today I took my placement test for the Korean language program I'm enrolled in. I had a rough idea of what to expect but heard it was different than the placement test I took last summer. The program I'm taking part in this time is what is considered the regular morning class as opposed to the summer Korean Immersion program. The Korean language education center was buzzing with activity as all the new students were taking placement tests and then subsequently placed into appropriate levels. I met the student assistant, took my test and was out in about 30 minutes or so. Specifics into an orientation were not hammered out yet but I was told to expect an email this coming week.

I'm excited to restart my Korean language education. I'm sure I'll post more regarding class and such very soon.

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My Korean Life #1: Welcome Home

It is the first morning since arriving in the motherland to start my new life abroad. I woke up around 5AM due to severe jet lag and will probably have to resort to an afternoon nap later.

I flew in late last night and was lucky enough to have my landlords meet me at the airport with a car. I say lucky because I flew with no less than 3 checked bags and two backpacks all bulging at the seems. The checked bags alone probably weighed as much as I do in total. My two backpacks were not the wisest choice of carry-ons but I made due. After a brief introduction we were off to the parking lot to load up and take me to my new digs!

I would consider the place that I landed a Korean 'office-tel'...my landlords left most of their furnishings including a bed, refrigerator, washing machine, TV with IPTV, couch, tables, kitchen utensils, etc. The 15th floor gives me quite a nice morning view. The office-tel is a loft style with a low roof loft used mainly for storage overlooking the living area (and yes I've already bumped my head once going up there). The kitchenette is open to the living area with the bedroom and bathroom on your right as you enter. A lot of nice storage closets flank the left of the entry way across from the entrance to the bed and bathroom.

After dropping all my bags, we headed out for an (almost) midnight snack at the local Kimbap Heaven (yes that is the literal translation). We ordered cheese kimbap, tuna kimbap, rakbokki, and mandu ramyeon. It was all delicious, deliciously cheap. This is one reason I like being back in the motherland (eating out for Korean food is so affordable). My ramyeon dish was only $3.50. I think total it was under $15 for 3 people.

My landlords walked me back and bid me farewell for the night. All I wanted to do was try to sleep but not before washing off the airplane funk (17 hours of traveling...ewww). I hopped into bed and slept on and off for about 6 hours.

Here at present time, I've managed to unpack one suitcase fully and have been chipping away at the others. I'm debating about heading downstairs to the convenience store to pick up some drinks and snacks to have on hand...later today my landlords will be back to explain things about the place...hopefully the washing machine and small oven which are completely in Korean....

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