What to bring
So you've signed a contract, you've got the date, now it's time to pack.
First of all, take it from me, lighter is better! Don't bring everything you think there's an outside fraction of a posible chance you might need. Just bring the essential things you might want on long trip to see a friend.
But it's A YEAR you say? Yes, it is. And during that year you are going to buy things, probably lots more things than you anticipate. So it's not necessary to bring say, six pairs of shoes. You will buy a pair while you are there...yes they have shoes in Korea.
However, the above being mentioned, there are certain things that either can't be found in Korea, or are extremely expensive. For this reason I've taken the liberty of putting together a list of suggested items to bring.
- Deodorant - It's almost non-existent in Korea. I know it sounds crazy, but it's true.
- Toothpaste - If you want to brush your teeth with anything close to what you are accustomed to at home, bring some.
- Q-tips - They are widely available in Korea, but they are very different from North American Q-tips. Unless you enjoy simply probing your ear canal with little more than a wooden stick, bring some.
- Tampons - see deodorant above.
Of course there are many other things that might be tough to find or are more expensive in Korea, but you'll just have to adjust. That's what care packages are for.
Let's move on to possibly the best reason to go to Korea: Food.