Preparing to Leave your Home Country

Moving country can be exciting but also nerve-racking if it is the first time. This post is to help you organise your thoughts and tie up any loose-ends before moving country.

Firstly, think about the administrative details; are all your credit cards valid and will they expire while you are abroad? If they will expire soon, please get new ones (if it is just apple pay, if you get a new credit card issued it is automatically updated on your apple wallet).

Secondly, do you have any sim cards or continous payments coming out of your bank account? If you wish to keep your phone number while you are away, I would recommend finding the cheapest simcard package possible and switch before leaving.

 

 

 

Thirdly, if you have any banking or insurances attached to your old address, then change it either to your parent's or a trusted individual's home address so they can recieve letters and correspondance for you while you are away.

 

 

 

 

Healthcare & Medicines

Fourthly, if you have private health insurance, then arrange for it to cover you while you are away (if you do so wish). In South Korea, foreigners are required to join and pay for the government's national healthcare system, regardless of whether you have private insurance back home or not. So keep this in mind, if you want to keep your home's health insurance while you are gone.

 

Fifth, if you have medications or prescriptions that you need daily then make sure you have at least 3-4 months worth of medication before you come. It takes at least a couple months for you to recieve your Permanent Residence Card in Korea and be required with the National Healthcare Insurance system. To cover your back and any other issues that might occur, it is good to have enough of your medication to cover you. If you need medications, such as an epipen or insulin, make sure you have a method of transporting it safely while you are on the plane, (especially if the medication needs to be kept in the fridge); most airlines can provide support if this is the case. 

 

Sixth, make sure you have all your necessary vaccinations. In the UK, for example, we get all of our required vaccinations while we are at school (e.g. TB or HPV vaccinations), but this might not be the case for other countries. Some of the vaccinations recommended are: MMR, TB, Polio, Flu and COVID. Please contact your local pharmacy or healthcare provider for more information on how to get these vaccinations. Please note that these vaccinations have multiple rounds and may need weeks inbetween each injection so please plan well in advance.

 

 

 

 

Bank accounts & Reoccuring Payments

 

Seventh, when making a bank account in Korea, you may need to provide your Social Security Number and card (for Americans only), so please bring it with you when you move. Also, make sure that all your banking apps are updated and, if you wish to use one of your foreign bank cards abroad, to tell your bank befordhand so they are not cancelled while you are here. Also, find bank cards with the best exchange rates and ones without fees, (UK examples: Monzo, Natwest, Halifax, USA: Chase, Citi, Bank of America)

 

Eighth, services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ do work in South Korea and have their own selection of shows and movies; some that are not available elsewhere. However, if you still want to access your home country's TV shows, then look into getting a VPN, (especially needed for channels such as MBC, ABC, BBC and ITV).

Ninth, it might be at least a month before you recieve your first paycheck (or longer if your Korean bank account or ARC are not open yet) so make sure you have enough money to survive until then. The average cost of living in South Korea is around 1 million won per month, so it would be good to organise an emergency fund of this or more to be safe.

 

 

Emergencies

 

Finally, tenth, ask yourself, who is your emergency contact? If something goes wrong or you need help, who would you call that would pick up anytime of day. For us, it could be a parent, friend or partner, but just in case you need support, I would talk to someone about them being your contact. If this is not possible, or you don't have someone who is available, then your country's embassy can also be a good option. For more information, please look at our guide on E2 country embassies in Korea. 

 

Moving country can be exciting as it is nerve-racking, so if you are interested in teaching and moving to South Korea , but don't know where to start, then please email us at derek.embark@theworknplay.com.

 

We have a whole post on home comforts, so if you are feeling a little homesick, our tips and recommendations might help.