First Day Living in Korea
Dear English Teacher,
If you’re in EPIK, you’re free from orientation and have finally reached at your housing. If you’re working at a private school, you might be free from orientation, or you might have just arrived in the country to your accommodation.
So, you’re probably wondering what you need to do as you stand in a (probably) empty apartment. To help you out, here’s a to do list. Below are all the things that I did after being dropped off at my new apartment.
Now, I came to Korea through EPIK, so some details reference my co-teacher who came with me to my housing. However, you should have a person you contact for any house-related issues, so these details can still apply to you if you’re working for a private school.
Ask our co-teacher/native Korean contact person how to:
Use the Laundry Machine
Use the Thermostat
Turn on your electricity and gas.
Check if your electricity, gas, and water work.
When I first moved in, there was a miscommunication with the gas company, so I didn’t have gas for the first two days (needed to cook, heat your shower water, etc). Please make sure to check if your utilities work, and if something doesn’t, tell your co-teacher right away!
Take pictures of everything.
Anything that looks dirty or damaged, snap a shot of it for future proof to show that you were not responsible for it. This is good practice for moving into any rental property where you put a security deposit down.
Write a list of the necessities you (might) have and what you need.
If you’re lucky, and are replacing another teacher, they will have left you some things! Make a list of the necessities (e.g., toilet paper, cleaning supplies, etc) you do have and a list of what you need.
Go Shopping
For EPIK, your co-teacher might take you shopping, how and for what varies depending on your co-teacher. Mine took me shopping for bedding and let me figure out the rest on my own.
In any case, you want to be on the lookout for your nearest supermarket, Daiso, and Olive Young. Follow your shopping list and buy your first day necessities.
Suggested Buys: toilet paper, cleaning supplies (wet wipes, toilet bleach, rubber gloves, paper towels, scrubbing brushes), food (eggs, instant ramen, instant rice, etc)
If needed, buy a blanket and a pillow at least. You can get these at bigger supermarkets like Emart or Lotte Mart, or if you’re in a real pinch, you can find some cheap ones at Daiso.
Clean
I would give your room a good dusting, scrubbing, and wiping. It’s a good practice to clean your space to get rid of any dust or dirt that you might have brought in when arriving or that might have accumulated while your room was empty.
Set up your bed
I know. You’re tired, want to shower, and then pass out for the next ten hours. But to do that, you’ll need to make your bed. If you’ve already bought some bedding, courtesy of your native Korean contact or otherwise, great! Go ahead and set it up, then sleep to your heart’s content.
People will unpack everything and then remember they don’t have a place to sleep. Don’t be that person.
. . .
These were tips for your first day living in your Korean apartment. I hope that they help you out.
Sincerely,
Kon
