(no subject)
Post questions in response to this entry. I'll then post the questions and their answers in a following entry :3
When you have to buy stuff at the store, how much of a problem is the language barrier?
There's no problem at all. I pick up the thing I'm going to buy and put it on the counter. Every store I've ever been in has some LED display of the price (total) you have to pay. If there's some question about the price of the product, I point to the sign and point to the product to ask if that is the actual price. If there is no sign, they usually write out how much it is for me, if it's more then 10,000 won. If it's 10,000 won or under they use their fingers to communicate. When I'm looking for something I try to draw a picture of what I'm looking for (like a hanger) or act it out (like an alarm clock). If I have in depth questions about stuff I usually ask Korean friends, or bring them with me to the store to ask questions for me.
How is getting around and finding places, give that you can't read the signs?
Well, a lot of the signs are in English as well as Korean (road signs) so it's not that bad. Subway signs too, and a lot of shops have English signs too (because it's trendy). Getting around is difficult if I'm not familiar with the area though, on my way back from the bank at lunch hour one time I got lost and was five minutes late from class. (How embarrassing! I was being observed that class too!) I don't really adventure far away from home without help from affluent friends (either Korean or people who have been here a while).
How is transportation there?
Really good. I mean they drive insanely fast sometimes, and run lights. Cabs are super cheap - $2 for the first bit of distance/time, so a cab ride from downtown costs about $15 bucks maybe... from the grocery store it's like two dollars. The buses are good too, like a dollar to the station, and a buck thirty to downtown on the subway. If you get what's called a T-money card though, you can just swipe it and get a 20% discount and swipe it when you get off the bus for a discount on the subway.
How close are you to various kinds of shops.. technology, shops, grocery stores, etc?
Technology, about 20 minutes away from Hi-Mart, which seems to be all technology devices. Bella swears they're supposed carry food but I didn't see any when I went there.
Grocery store, about 10 minutes away from HomePlus, Save Zone and E-Mart. All sell tons of groceries (including booze! yay!), some sell other homey stuff like hangers, clothes, room supplies....
Etc store? There's a dollar store right next to the grocery store where everything is a dollar or two.
When you have to buy stuff at the store, how much of a problem is the language barrier?
There's no problem at all. I pick up the thing I'm going to buy and put it on the counter. Every store I've ever been in has some LED display of the price (total) you have to pay. If there's some question about the price of the product, I point to the sign and point to the product to ask if that is the actual price. If there is no sign, they usually write out how much it is for me, if it's more then 10,000 won. If it's 10,000 won or under they use their fingers to communicate. When I'm looking for something I try to draw a picture of what I'm looking for (like a hanger) or act it out (like an alarm clock). If I have in depth questions about stuff I usually ask Korean friends, or bring them with me to the store to ask questions for me.
How is getting around and finding places, give that you can't read the signs?
Well, a lot of the signs are in English as well as Korean (road signs) so it's not that bad. Subway signs too, and a lot of shops have English signs too (because it's trendy). Getting around is difficult if I'm not familiar with the area though, on my way back from the bank at lunch hour one time I got lost and was five minutes late from class. (How embarrassing! I was being observed that class too!) I don't really adventure far away from home without help from affluent friends (either Korean or people who have been here a while).
How is transportation there?
Really good. I mean they drive insanely fast sometimes, and run lights. Cabs are super cheap - $2 for the first bit of distance/time, so a cab ride from downtown costs about $15 bucks maybe... from the grocery store it's like two dollars. The buses are good too, like a dollar to the station, and a buck thirty to downtown on the subway. If you get what's called a T-money card though, you can just swipe it and get a 20% discount and swipe it when you get off the bus for a discount on the subway.
How close are you to various kinds of shops.. technology, shops, grocery stores, etc?
Technology, about 20 minutes away from Hi-Mart, which seems to be all technology devices. Bella swears they're supposed carry food but I didn't see any when I went there.
Grocery store, about 10 minutes away from HomePlus, Save Zone and E-Mart. All sell tons of groceries (including booze! yay!), some sell other homey stuff like hangers, clothes, room supplies....
Etc store? There's a dollar store right next to the grocery store where everything is a dollar or two.