How would you react if all of a sudden you get an invitation to visit the country at the top of your wish list? The country in which you have fallen in a long distance love years ago and ever since your life changed because of it. Can you image being told that in 10 days you will be there for the first time? That is what happened to me in the most amazing story of my life that I am about to tell you in the blog series "First dates with Korea".
Bur for now let’s go back to where it all started. In these blog series you are about to find out about my trip to Korea in late January 2018 – my first time visiting Korea. This journey happened thanks to Korea.net – the official website of the Korean government which is part of the Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS). Since two years in the Friday Chopsticks team there are three reporters for the website – Diana, Lilia and Bojana. Since last year we became six – with the addition of me, Yana and Alex. Writing for Korea.net is one of the most rewarding things I have done so far in my whole life. I get to write articles about one of the topics I am most passionate about - the Korean culture. Thanks to the website they reach a huge audience all around the world and this way I get to share my passion with many people. In middle January I was invited to go to Korea for this year`s Honorary reporters Induction ceremony.
Bur for now let’s go back to where it all started. In these blog series you are about to find out about my trip to Korea in late January 2018 – my first time visiting Korea. This journey happened thanks to Korea.net – the official website of the Korean government which is part of the Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS). Since two years in the Friday Chopsticks team there are three reporters for the website – Diana, Lilia and Bojana. Since last year we became six – with the addition of me, Yana and Alex. Writing for Korea.net is one of the most rewarding things I have done so far in my whole life. I get to write articles about one of the topics I am most passionate about - the Korean culture. Thanks to the website they reach a huge audience all around the world and this way I get to share my passion with many people. In middle January I was invited to go to Korea for this year`s Honorary reporters Induction ceremony.
The 2017 Korea.net Induction Ceremony for Honorary Reporters Photo: Jeon Han for Korea.net
I couldn`t quite belive my eyes when I got the invitation. After the initial euphoria passed a bit(meaning I was able to stand in one place) came the realization – I really am going to Korea. For my own surprise I realized also that although I am passionately curious about everything Korean I actually know very little concrete practical stuff. I had to catch up very fast.
I started from the basics.
Documents
For a stay in Korea that is shorter that 90 days the citizens of Bulgaria do not need a visa. The entry happens only with passport and two documents that need to be filled – Traveler Declaration Form that deals with what the traveler is importing, and Arrival Card – in which the address of the accommodation in Korea, the aim of the trip and other similar information is required. The forms are handed by the cabin crew l in the plane before arrival, but if you oversleep them no worries – they can be found also at the airport. At the passport check also biometric data is required which means that you have to put your index fingers in a machine that scans them. After completing these steps, one should receive the Entry Confirmation for the next 90 days.
Currency
The currency in South Korea is Korean Won(KRW) which is marked with ₩. The bills have a value of 1 000, 5 000, 10 000 and 50 000 ₩.
Here is the breakdown I made for myself to be aware how much I am spending:
1000 ₩ = 0.75 € (~1.50 leva)
5000 ₩ = 3.75 € (~7.50 leva)
10 000 ₩ = 7.50 € (~ 15 leva)
50 000 ₩ = 37.50 € (~75 leva)
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The T-money cards comes with all kinds of pictures on it Photo: sigflipsthetable.com Public transport
After researching on the internet I got the impression that the subway is the preferred metod of public transportation. I genereally found only good revies about the way it is organized. The price of a ticket starts from 1 350 ₩ for a trip within a 10 km radius and from then on the price goes up with a 100 ₩ for every additional 5 km . When it hits 50 km it starts to increase with a 100 ₩ for every 8 km.
South Korea not only has an excellent tuplic transport system, but also aa very convenient public transport card. Thi card can be used by the citizens of Seoul abut also by foreigner visitors. It can be bought at the metrostations, the bigger stores but also at some of the random kiosks that sell coffee and newspaper ofn the street. At those same places the card can be recharged. The users of T-money save around 10% of the standart price of the ticket and for example this way a single ticket for a trip within 10 km is 1 250 ₩.
Buses are another convenient way of transportation preferably not at the rush hours. One can tell the function of a Seoul bus by its color – the blue buses travel on the main roads and on rather long distances; the red ones are express buses that travel from Seoul to the suburban areas; the green ones travel in short distances and mainly aim to transport passangers from transfer points such as metro station and other bus stops; the yellow ones travel in a limited areas in Seoul.
Others
Roaming from Bulgaria is of course at sky high prices. Everyone traveling from Bulgaria shouldn`t forget to turn off their mobile data because a single accidental move can lead to a salty price. In Seoul there are many places with free Wi-Fi but for the people who don`t want to count on these and want a constant internet connection there are plenty of options. There are SIM cards that provide only unlimited mobile data for periods of 5, 10 and 30 days. They can be purchased online and pikecd up right at the airport. But it is very important before doing that to make sure that the phone in which the card will be placed is unlocked and compatible with the Korean mobile networks.
The voltage standard in Korea is 220 volts at 60 Hz, and the output has two round holes - the same as in Bulgaria.
If you want to make sure you are not going to get lost in a city with 10 milion inhabitants I would recommend a revliable navigation app. Citymapper is the one I have been using for years now and I must say it is the reason I sleep well at night in foreign cities. It is free to download, but needs internet connection to show real time data about the journey. It does not only show addresses but guides the traveler through the trip step by step. It even has an alarm that reminds you at which stop to get off. Brilliant.
Before embarking on this journey, I filled around 10 pages with places I want to visit, things I want to see and food and drinks I want to try. This whole process was as valuable as my stay in Korea. With each new information I acquired I not only learned a lot of things but also gained the confidence that I can cope with whatever happens.
Few thing are as satisfying as doodling over a map of an unexplored city and later holding that same map while standing at one of the circles you made…
Roaming from Bulgaria is of course at sky high prices. Everyone traveling from Bulgaria shouldn`t forget to turn off their mobile data because a single accidental move can lead to a salty price. In Seoul there are many places with free Wi-Fi but for the people who don`t want to count on these and want a constant internet connection there are plenty of options. There are SIM cards that provide only unlimited mobile data for periods of 5, 10 and 30 days. They can be purchased online and pikecd up right at the airport. But it is very important before doing that to make sure that the phone in which the card will be placed is unlocked and compatible with the Korean mobile networks.
The voltage standard in Korea is 220 volts at 60 Hz, and the output has two round holes - the same as in Bulgaria.
If you want to make sure you are not going to get lost in a city with 10 milion inhabitants I would recommend a revliable navigation app. Citymapper is the one I have been using for years now and I must say it is the reason I sleep well at night in foreign cities. It is free to download, but needs internet connection to show real time data about the journey. It does not only show addresses but guides the traveler through the trip step by step. It even has an alarm that reminds you at which stop to get off. Brilliant.
Before embarking on this journey, I filled around 10 pages with places I want to visit, things I want to see and food and drinks I want to try. This whole process was as valuable as my stay in Korea. With each new information I acquired I not only learned a lot of things but also gained the confidence that I can cope with whatever happens.
Few thing are as satisfying as doodling over a map of an unexplored city and later holding that same map while standing at one of the circles you made…
The netx part is coming soon.
Author: Emilia Kircheva
Author: Emilia Kircheva
