elc information package - woosong language institute€¦ · elc information package august 2006...
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WOOSONG EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
Daejeon, South Korea
ELC
INFORMATION
PACKAGE
August 2006
WLI HOURS: Weekdays – 8 am to 10 PM
Weekends and holidays – 10 am to 5 PM
(Summer – 6pm closing)
The ELC Dept.may be closed on some long weekends.
MAIN OFFICE PHONE: 82 – 42 – 630 - 9780
OFFICE FAX: From overseas - 82-42-624-7294
Within Korea - 042-624-7294
ELC WEB SITE: http://
MAILING ADDRESS: English Language Communication Department
196-5 Jayang-dong, Dong-ku
DAEJEON, 300-100
South Korea
ELC Coordinator’s
Office: Room 606
Phone Number: 82- 42- 630-9786
e-mail: [email protected]
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Contents
ELC PERSONNEL 4
MENTORING FOR NEW INSTRUCTORS 5
FIRST WEEK PRIORITIES 6
TWO OR THREE WEEKS LATER 7
FINANCIAL INFORMATION 8
AUTOMATED BANKING MACHINESORIENTATION 9
CHECKLIST 10
WOOSONG UNIVERSITY MAP 12
COLLEGE MAP 13
WHY TEACH ENGLISH IN KOREA? 14
KOREANS’ EXPECTATIONS OF ENGLISH TEACHERS 14
FROM CONFUSING TO CONFUCIAN: 17
DAEJEON, LIFE, AND CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT 21
ADVICE FROM OUR TEACHERS 23
U-CURVE OF ADJUSTMENT 24
SOME USEFUL EXPRESSIONS IN KOREAN 25
NUMBERS IN KOREAN 26
KOREAN FOOD 27
ORDERING MINERAL WATER 28
TRAVEL – DAEJEON AND BEYOND 29
BUSES FROM JAYANG DONG 32
INTERCITY BUS TIMETABLE 33
TAXIS 33
WHERE TO GO – AROUND TOWN 34
PLACES TO VISIT 41
HIKING 45
AIRPORT EXPRESS BUS TIMETABLE 47
DOWNTOWN DAEJEON MAP 49
THINGS TO DO 50
FURTHER MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION 54
INFORMATION ABOUT BILLS 60
HEATING SYSTEM AT SITE A & SITE B 62
TAXI SLIPS WITH KOREAN ADRESSES 64
HOUSING DAMAGE-CHECK 65
EVALUATION OF MENTORING PROGRAM 66
PAY SLIP TRANSLATION A 67
PAY SLIP TRANSLATION B 6 8
PAYSLIP EXPLANATION 69
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PERSONNEL
DIRECTORATE
Director of the English Language
Communication Department: Prof. Mun-sil, Yom 042-630-9782
PROGRAMMING AND OPERATIONS
ELC Coordinator: Prof. Brian Beck 042-630-
9786
PLANNING AND OFFICE MANAGEMENT
ELC Assist. (6
th
Floor) Ms. Mi-Kyoung, Kim (Jinny) 042-630-9780
International Relations Assist. Mr.Kyunam Choi 042-629-6617
Admin. Head Assist. (1
st
Fr.): Mr.Byung-ki, Min 042-630-9780
Personnel Assist. (1
st
Fr.): Mr.Kyung Hyun, Kim (Jack) 042- 626-6922
Facilities Assist. (1
st
Fr.): Mr. Kyu-sun, Lee (John) 042- 626-6922
Financial Assist. (1sr Fr.): Ms. Hye-ock, Jang (Cindy) 042-625- 6922
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MENTORING FOR NEW INSTRUCTORS
Since 1993, an orientation program pairing new instructors with more
senior instructors has been in place at WooSong Educational Foundation.
This program has been very successful in assisting with new teachers’
orientation.
There are five areas that new teachers need information about:
- the administrative requirements in the first few weeks
- getting settled in your new environment
- the location of the buildings where we teach
- the equipment and materials we use
- Woosong Foundation’s policies and instructional procedures
Your mentor can help you with all of these things. The information in
this booklet is designed to help you with the first two: taking care of
the necessary administrative details and getting settled in Daejeon.
Information about your work environment is in the Orientation booklet
and there will be an Orientation Meeting for New Teachers. Various
follow-up meetings will be scheduled in the first weeks of the semester.
What do I need to do first?
The information contained in the pages titled First Week Priorities
covers the administrative requirements for new instructors. Your Mentor
or the Personnel Assistant can answer any questions about these things.
The Orientation Checklist is a guide to assist you and your Mentor in the
mentoring process.
The following pages also include information about Daejeon, and Korea in
general, for those of you who are working here for the first time. The
important thing to remember is to ask someone if you are in need of
information. During your first days before the beginning of the semester, we
hope you will relax, get your new home in order, and find your way around the
neighborhood and city.
Our best wishes for a successful teaching and learning experience here at the
Woo Song Educational Foundation’s English language programs.
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FIRST WEEK PRIORITIES - CHECKLIST FOR ELC & IMMIGRATION
Photocopy Passport - Make a copy of the information page and Korean
visa page in your passport for the ELC Assist.
Photographs - You will need approximately two 5 x 7 cm (myoung hahm
pahn) photos and twelve 3 x 4 cm (bahn myoung pahn) photos.
Photos to Personnel Assistant - Give all the photos to the ELC Assist.if you
didn’t send them with your resume and documents.
Immigration Office – The ELC Assistant or the International Office will
explain how to apply for your Alien Registration Card and your Multi Purpose
Visa. You will need your passport, 2 passport size photos, the 10,000
won fee, and taxi money to get you to the Immigration Office. The
Immigration Office will keep your passport until the card is issued in about one
week. Our office will return your passport and give you your Alien Registration
Card. University teachers will also be charged 2,000 won for a Certificate of
the Facts of Alien Registration. This Certificate is necessary for arranging your
Pension and Medical Insurance and will be retained by Woosong
Administration staff on your file. A single entry visa currently costs 30,000
won. The multi purpose visa cost 50,000 won and is the best option as you
can not predict unusual circumstances.
Medical Insurance Card – This will take some time to process after you have
your Alien Registration Card. It will be given to you by the WLI Office.
The Forms for the University Personnel Section - The ELC Assistant or
the International Office will arrange this and help you through the process.
You will need a copy of your passport and 12 passport sized photos. You will
receive about ten forms to be filled out by hand which you can do this at
home. You will also need to glue photos to these forms. You will then be on
the payroll and will receive your salary on the twentieth of the month unless it
falls on a weekend, in which case you will be paid the Friday before.
Housing Damage-Check Form - You will need to check your
accommodation carefully and make a note of any damage or things that are
not working. Keep the form but give a copy to the Facilities Assistant in the
main office.
Vacation Selection Sheet - The ELC Coordinator will put this in your
mailbox. Return it to the ELC Coordinator as soon as possible.
Alien Card and Visa Renewal - It is very important to renew your Alien Card
and Visa on time. You need to check this out with the ELC Assistant at least
one month before their expiry dates.
N.B. If your Visa and/or your Alien Card is renewed after the expiry
date then a considerable fine is involved.
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TWO OR THREE WEEKS LATER
Post Office Savings Account - Your bank account cannot be opened until
you have your Alien Registration Card. Until this account is set up you will be
paid in cash. Payday is the twentieth of the month and you are paid in
advance for the remainder of the month.
You will need assistance to set up your account and to learn how to use the
bank machines. The Personnel Assistant will send you a memo when your
account can be opened. It will explain the current procedure. Your post office
bank account card can be used in any post office or other bank machine, but
in the latter case, a service charge will apply.
Banking Hours at the Post Office - The university/college post office hours
are:
Monday – Friday 9:00 to 5:00
Saturday 9:00 to 1:00
N.B.
There is a teller machine in the I.T. Building across from WLI.
The I.T. Building is open from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM every day of the week.
However, there is a small fee per transaction for using this ATM. There are
also machines which have English instructions and are open late in the
convenience stores in the side streets near the Rose Bud Coffee Shop.
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FINANCIAL INFORMATION
New teachers will receive the following within the first few weeks:
Airfare Allowance: If and as negotiated in your contract
First Month’s Salary:
Your first pay day will be on the 20
th
of the month in which you
commence work. You will probably be paid in cash unless your post
office account has already been set up. Payday is normally the 20
th
of
the month unless it falls on a weekend, in which case payday is the
Friday before the weekend.
Please note:
In some instances the first salary will not include deductions for tax,
pension and health insurance. Such payments will be deducted as a
lump sum in the following salary.
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Automated Banking Machines
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ORIENTATION CHECKL IST
Woosong Language Institute - “WLI”
Main Floor
- Office, Introduction to Office Staff; Mail boxes
- Key for teacher’s office / desk assignment from Office Staff
- Cafeteria, elevators
- Introduction to WLI, University and College Assistants
- Information re: picking up course textbooks and folders – course books will be put
in your mailbox a few days prior to the start of class
- Computer repair – talk to John
- Housing repairs – talk to John
- Master teaching schedules
Basement
- Singing rooms, theater – request through the main office
- Resources / Copy Room
- Duplo machine / photocopier procedure
- Audio equipment and books sign out
- Children’s resources
- Recycling
- Bookshelves – Reference, Teacher’s Manuals, Children’s Books, Tapes, Kids
Materials sign out
- Various binders for pop songs, exam files, form masters
Second Floor
- Academic Director’s (post pending) and Coordinators’ Offices – 207
Third Floor
- Head Coordinator’s Office – 311
New teacher’s office
- Importance of the WLI Website as an information source –
- http://wli.wsu.ac.kr/eng/index.htm
- for scheduling information –
- www.geocities.com/woosongsched/
- (Reminder that teachers are expected to clean their own offices) – supplies can be
found in the cleaning rooms next to the bathrooms
New teachers should be familiar with the following:
-- Book sign-out policy -- Co-teaching -- Lesson Plans
-- First Day Rosters -- Scheduling -- Attendance Keeping
-- WLI Report Cards -- WLI Diplomas -- WLI End Term Archiving Forms
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Woo Song University
Use the University Map (Buildings are lettered)
- Main Administration Building (Building A)
- General Affairs – second floor
- English Language Department Office – 602
- typical classroom
- Lunch and snack rooms
- New buildings (Building J, K, L) – Jayang Café, cafeteria,
snack shop
- IT Building (across from WLI)
Information College and Technical College
Use the College Map (Buildings are numbered with some letters)
- Cafeteria (No 7)
- Library (No 13) – 4th floor English books, and library classrooms
- Administration Building (No 3)
- TEI (Tourist English Interpretation)Department Office - 4th floor
- Post Office Bank (No 16) –
- Solpine
- Bakery
Refer to the Orientation Policy Handbook for the following:
-- Teaching Duties -- Administrative Duties -- Evaluations
-- Conduct -- Absence / Sick Leave -- Housing Policies
Neighborhood Tour
-- Pharmacies -- supermarkets -- tailors
-- Photo shops -- street markets -- bus stops
-- Restaurants -- video shops
Please note that teachers are expected to keep their offices clean.
Empty your wastebaskets into the large blue containers in the WLI
hallways.
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WOOSONG UNIVERSITY MAP
13
COLLEGE MAP
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WHY TEACH ENGLISH IN KOREA?
Living in Korea for a year can be the experience of a lifetime. You will have a chance to
taste exotic cuisine, observe elaborate ceremonies, study and live a new culture, learn
about Eastern religions, and maybe even learn a new language. When it is over, you will
have become more aware of the world, more independent , more understanding and
tolerant, more adventuresome, and wealthier for it in all respects –financial, emotional
and mental. The experience is also good for your resume as most employers respect
foreign work experience and the maturity it brings. And finally, Korea is a good starting
place from which to visit other Asian countries, if you like to travel.
Koreans take education very seriously. This is rooted in their culture, which stresses
hard work and ‘moving up’ in the world. College / university en trance is very competitive
(only 30% of students are successful).
English education has only recently started at the elementary school level. Korean
English teachers have not, in the past, been well spoken in English because of the many
differences in the sound and structure of the two languages. This has resulted in
students who are very knowledgeable about grammar and vocabulary, but who are very
shy and unprepared for conversation.
As a result, English language ‘hagwons’ (institutes) were created and have become very
popular. Almost every child attends one, as do most college students, businessmen and
even housewives. Native speakers and Korean English teachers staff these institutes.
More recently, public schools have begun to hire native speakers (often on contract
from Institutes). Colleges, universities and businesses also hire native speakers to
conduct classes. As a result, there are many opportunities to teach English in Korea.
Making the decision to teach overseas is an important one, and not to be taken lightly.
You must evaluate yourself and determine whether you have the personal characteristics
and attitude to be successful in an overseas job.
First and foremost, you must be open-minded and flexible. You must be able to “go
with the flow” and sometimes accept less than complete information. You must be
able to be fun and entertaining, yet professional in the classroom. You must always
strive to demonstrate your good character and preserve your employer’s good reputation
(keep partying and drinking within reason).
You should not be someone who must adhere to strict schedules, finding change or spur
of the moment actions too difficult. You should come to Korea, not just to make money
but to live a new cultural experience. Previous experience in a small business will make
you realize that everyday frustrations and problems are not solely the result of
working in Korea. One complaint about Korean bosses is that they are too concerned
about making a profit. Remember that that is why people are in business and without
financial success they cannot keep a business running and thereby pay your salary. If you
are prepared to be a team player and to help where needed, your efforts will be
rewarded. Koreans are extremely generous and sinc ere by our standards. And if you
demonstrate selfishness (not admired in Asian cultures) and self -centeredness, you may
be given the ‘cold shoulder’ and your experience will not be all it could be.
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KOREANS’ EXPECTATIONS OF ENGLISH TEACHERS
By: Oryang Kwon From: TESOL PLACEMENT BULLETIN – JULY /1992
The formal teaching of English in Korea began in 1883 with the opening of the first
official English school, Tongmunhak, in Seoul. In the century si nce, thousands of
international teachers of English have come to Korea to teach. Some became
disillusioned and disappointed by adverse conditions of teaching and living, and left
earlier than planned. Others enjoyed the teaching experience in this countr y, yet were
happy to return to their more comfortable home country. Still others stayed much
longer than planned – indeed some never left. Even today, scores of teachers are staying
in Korea far beyond their initial plans, renewing their contracts again a nd again.
As Korea becomes a more important member of the world community, it needs a greater
number of, and more able speakers of English. Accordingly, the importance of qualified
English teachers is greater than ever before… The suggestions that follow are based on
the observations of college-level English teaching, however they are also applicable to
English teaching at other levels.
Some basic level of Korean is expected of foreign teachers…Teachers who try to
learn Korean are more highly regarded by many Koreans… they even expect them to do
so…some Korean colleagues and students hold negative attitudes toward foreigners who,
after a couple of years in Korea, still cannot understand simple Korean expressions or
read Korean letters.
Learning the language can have several positive effects. It gives students a very strong
stimulus and motivation to see their teacher struggle to learn their language…Teachers
also gain insight into teaching English by learning a language so different from English…
In the course of learning the language, teachers will interact more with Koreans and
friendship and understanding will naturally grow out of such interactions… and even the
simple ability to read Korean letters will open up a whole new world of convenience.
Many teacher of English arriving at a Korean school or institute find it difficult to
understand that they are entirely on their own and that there are (few or) no detailed
guidelines regarding their teaching tasks… The teacher is expected to decide what to
teach, how to teach, and what materials to use. No detailed information about the
students’ proficiency levels and their special needs is available… The teacher may be
well advised to keep a… journal … describing the kinds of activities that were
successful, the problems that the students had, and the kinds of materials that
worked.
To Korean students of English, a qualified teacher is the ultimate authority for their
questions about the use of the language… Therefore … the usefulness of this resource
increases in proportion to their availability to practice English in cross-cultural
communicative interactions. Korean students expect teachers to set aside as much
time as possible for them. In Korean culture, the concept of a professor’s office
hours or ‘appointment’ is unfamiliar… many students come to a teacher’s office… without
an appointment… if they are unable to meet with the teacher after several attempts,
the students feel that the teacher does not care for them.
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English teachers are de facto cultural ambassadors. Each teacher represents his or
her country and people. Koreans who have not traveled to foreign countries are very
likely to form stereotypical opinions regarding a country and its people based on their
contacts with English teachers from that country.
Foreign teachers…can indeed serve as cultural ambassadors by reaching out and making
friends with Koreans. They will find that friendships with Koreans are usually long
lasting. Teachers can make friends with Korean colleagues by activ ely getting involved in
the faculty’s social activities or launching joint projects with Korean colleagues.
Foreign language teaching and learning is a meeting between two or more individuals with
a wide range of personal abilities, experiences and aspira tions. As such, it should
become a joint effort between representatives of different cultures and languages to
promote understanding and growth, thus bridging cultures and languages in the English
classroom in Korea.
Oryang Kwon is an assistant professor of TEFL Methodology and Applied Linguistics at Seoul National
University and author of Basic English Grammar for Foreign Students and Middle School English. This
article was adapted from the AETK Newsletter.
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FROM CONFUSING TO CONFUCIAN:
Towards An Understanding Excerpts from an article by Sheila Windle – Nov/00
KOTESOL’S ‘The English Connection’
(Korea is rapidly changing and the younger people are less influenced by
Confucianism, but this article provides some background information.)
…Cultural norms in South Korea which differ from those of Canada and the
United States, and which tend to present barriers to communication…are
discussed:
Ch’emyun, Kibun, and Nunchi
Let’s face it; “face” is of much greater importance in Korea than in Canada and
the United States. Korean people go to great lengths to avoid losing face and to
help others avoid this as well. In the East, a break in decorum is considered
disastrous…In this way, Korean people are generally sensitive to other’s feelings
and determined to maintain positive feelings.
The concepts of “face” (ch’emyun) and kibun (mood or inner feeling) are key
elements in relating to others. Especially in formal relationships, Koreans
scrupulously avoid situations in which dignity or self -respect may be lost or
embarrassment may result. Likewise, it’s important that kibun be kept positive.
It’s necessary for Koreans to sense the mood of others by developing nunchi
(the ability to ‘read’ a situation) in order to maintain social harmony and personal
dignity…..
This has application in the classroom when the student is asked a question and
believes the answer to be undesirable. Trying to save her / himself or the
teacher from embarrassment, or wanting to avoid a subject that is considered
unpleasant, the student does not respond. Instead, s/he sits silently, purposely
avoiding eye contact with the teacher. The absence of a simple verbal
response … suggests that cultural factors … are at play ….the student
realizes that responding as the teacher expects will re sult in a loss of face for
the teacher and/or for her/himself.
From the teacher’s perspective, the question at hand may be an easy one
requiring only a simple answer. Moreover, previous performance indicates that
the student is more than capable of responding ‘appropriately.’ Baffled at the
silence, the foreign teacher concludes that this student is being defiant and
disrespectful. In Western countries the student is expected to make eye
contact and required to give an answer, even if the answer is “I d on’t know.”
However, in Korea, saying “I don’t know” causes both student and teacher to lose
face, and making eye contact with a superior is disrespectful… In Confucian
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culture, silence is often an appropriate response, whereas Western culture does
not consider silence an answer at all.
So the foreign teacher attempts to conquer the silence by repeating the
question, providing additional information or rewording it. Though these
common practices are aimed at assisting, they often have the adverse effect of
“singling out” the student. This in turn has implications beyond proportions
generally witnessed in Western classrooms because in Korea, the loner (wang-
ta) is apt to be ostracized by “the group.”
The student is under a lot of stress but the English teacher is relentless.
Realizing this, the student employs a technique for smoothing over the situation.
S/he answers in a vague way. Vagueness is a form of politeness in eastern
culture used to dissolve or avoid embarrassing situations. To a Western
teacher, however, it is considered inadequate…
Hierarchy
Confucian hierarchy places teachers well above students. Respecting this
hierarchical arrangement is paramount to maintaining order and results in
students being exceptionally careful not to offend teachers. Thus, if asked, “Do
you understand?” by the esteemed teacher, most students will say “yes” even if
they do not understand. This saves face for them and the teacher.
The importance of the social hierarchy is reflected and reinforced by the
Korean language which has honorific suffixes (e.g., ‘nim’ and ‘shi’) to mark one’s
status / position. Age being a major determinant of status, “subordinates” are
always conscious of their place in the hierarchy and may not speak because the
elders should have the first opportunity to do so. Gender also factors into the
hierarchical equation, giving men one up on women…Since in the West, students
are generally accorded equal status, behaviors produced by the “status meter”
in Korea often fall into the foreigner’s file of unsolved mysteries…
Ambiguity
English speakers value clarity of expression and a lack of ambiguity, whereas the
reverse is often true in Korean discourse. From the Eastern perspective,
expressions are considered rich when polyvalent. In most situations, ambiguous
messages are not only appropriate but also admirable for they indicate wisdom
on the part of the speaker. Conversely, in English, explicitness is considered
desirable. The more precise one’s selection of words is, the better. The more
succinct one is, the better. In general, the less ambiguous the message, the
more value it is considered to have. In this regard, English and Korean modes of
communication are vastly different, as are the values and beliefs about what
composes desirable communication.
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Indirect Discourse
Related to the notion of ambiguity is style of discourse. When presenting an
argument or providing an explanation in English, one normally adopts a linear
format. The topic is introduced outright and the position is clearly stated.
Then, the background information to rationalize and substantiate the stance is
provided. Finally, the conclusion, which normally reiterates the initial position, is
reached. This is a straightforward model considered logical and easy to follow
by native English speakers. On the other hand, logical presentation in eastern
countries follows a different formula, as research by Scollon and Wong -Scollon
(199) supports:
Differing approaches toward discourse result in difficulty and
confusion when Asians and Westerners communicate in English. In
Chinese, Korean, or Japanese discourse, topics are usually
introduced inductively; topic introduction is delayed and indirect.
Conversely, English speaking Westerners introduce topics early in
a conversation…..
When speaking to EFL learners, who have the ability to present an explanation
or argument, the native English listener awaits topic identification as the signal
to “tune in.” Without an initial explicit statement, s/he does not “tune in” in
earnest and, thus, misses the bulk of the message.
Eventually, s/he wonders, “What’s the point?” In anticipation of a linear
framework, the English listener perceives indirect or circular discourse as a
mass of thoughts presented haphazardly and not cle arly demonstrated or
supported. Though proper grammatical English may have been used, the indirect
mode of discourse often leaves the native English receiver with an overall
impression of “vagueness.”
Conversely, one might expect that Korean listeners often find the English mode
of presentation blunt and uninviting of interpretation – excessively linear and
concrete…
Yes-No Questions
Foreigners often lament the inability to get “a simple yes or no answer.” From
the Western perspective, these are usuall y easy questions to answer, for they
require only one word on the part of the respondent. Frustration can result
when silence follows a seemingly simple and non-threatening question such as,
“Do you like tennis?” Possibly, such a question, considered logical by the foreign
teacher is perceived as strange or nonsensical to Asian students, as Pak (1973)
explains:
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Making decisions (Yes or No) very much depends on harmony or balance
between people or situations…According to our sense, this kind of “Yes”
or “No” (without knowing the other party’s situation) seems meaningless
or superficial. Sometimes, the question itself seems strange and
nonsensical. That is why we often hesitate to answer “Yes” or “No”, or
keep silent or non-committal. (Pak 1973, p.108)
Questions About the Future
Different ideologies exist about the future as well. Eastern thought, in general,
considers life as beyond the control of humans and dependent on our
relationship with nature. So, there is not always an answer, and that is why,
when asked about the future, Asian students often use non-committal words
such as “Perhaps”, “Maybe” or “Probably.” Pak (1973) contrasts this perspective
with the Western view of life, which emphasizes human beings’ ability to control
their lives by their own efforts. Though Western teachers find it reasonable
and interesting to entertain hypothetical scenarios about the future, from the
eastern viewpoint, these questions and considerations are meaningless to a
certain degree. Pak concludes that for an eastern person to answer questions
about the future with certainty, s/he would have to learn an entirely different
view of life and history.
Conclusion
The purpose of discussing these cultural differences is not to suggest that the
content of EFL instruction be changed, nor that any EFL teacher become expert
in Korean culture. Rather, the intention is to “bring to the surface” some issues
that affect communication in the classroom, but remain disguised and often
create frustration for the teacher. Recog nition of cultural differences that
predispose students to respond in ways Western culture deems “inappropriate”
may help EFL teachers relax more. This is particularly important in Koran
classroom where students are highly responsive to their teachers’ kibun.
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Daejeon, Life, and Cultural Adjustment
A short guide about culture shock and adjusting to life in Daejeon and at WLI.
"That first day was a bad day. It was my first plane ride, my first foreign country,
and my first bus ride. During the first two weeks here, all I wanted to do was go home. "
CG teacher, three months in Daejeon.
Maybe this is your first time overseas. Or maybe it's your 30th. All new places take some
time to adjust to. Most people (up to 95%) experience some form of cultural adjustment or
culture shock. How can you deal with this situation here at WLI? My aim here is to share
what our teachers first experienced coming to Daejeon, how they adjusted to the new culture,
and ideas for dealing with stress, loneliness, and culture shock.
The First Stage
When you first arrive at a new place, everything can be exciting and wonderful, if
not stressing. The food, the people, the smells, the sights. This, of course, is the
honeymoon phase. It's a fun time, but as in most relationshi ps, it eventually ends.
"The first three months we were so ecstatic about being here -- everything was
exciting. Even the kids saying hello on the streets was cute...of course, that's not as
cute nowadays." AS and ES, one year in Daejeon.
I used to spend a lot of time just trying to remember how to say, "hello",
"goodbye", and "how much". TH, two years in Daejeon.
"When I first got here, I would often stand back and think, 'What the hell's that?'"
KW, 21 months in Korea.
The Second Stage
Culture shock usually occurs in this stage between the third and sixth month,
though this is not a strict rule. One of the unique things about culture shock is that it
challenges each of us personally. People usually express feelings of anger, depression,
loneliness, frustration, paranoia, and homesickness. Most teachers agree that if you've
lived in another country before, the next time is not as difficult.
"This is the second time I've lived overseas and both times I got culture shock
around my eighth month. Luckily, it wasn't as bad the second time. At least I knew
what it was...and I knew I'd live through it." CN, two years in Daejeon.
"I didn't adapt well at first. I was pretty unhappy for the first six to seven months.
But then I became really happy. It takes me a long time to adjust to a new place ." BG,
two years in Daejeon.
"We were here almost nine or ten months before we really came crashing down. Then we
really went down. The morale was down, our health, everything...." AS and ES, one year
in Daejeon.
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Adjusting
Day-to-Day Life
While everyone's experience will be different, there is a typical list of
things that seem to really annoy most foreigners. Usually spitting, bumping into
each other, how people drive, and crowded buses top most li sts. However,
learning to deal with these cultural differences can help make your time in Korea
easier. Most teachers say that the things which bothered them the most at
first are not as noticeable after awhile.
"The way they drive still bothers me, but not as much. They're not doing it
to be obnoxious." LB, 15 months in Daejeon
"As a Japanese-Canadian, I am asked for directions almost everyday. One
day I actually understood where they wanted to go and I pointed in that
direction. That was a good day ." DT, 22 months in Daejeon
"So many times I've been frustrated trying to communicate a simple thing.
I went to a supermarket once and I thought that maybe they had overcharged
me but I didn't know how to say anything, so I paid it." LB, 15 months in
Daejeon
"Now when something happens, I stand back and think about what
happened. Though actually finding out WHAT happened is more difficult."
KW, 21 months in Korea
Daejeon and ELC
People who have lived in other countries before, or other cities in Ko rea,
seem to have an easier time. Most of our teachers find Daejeon and ELC a nice
change of pace compared to other cities and jobs. Most teachers agree that
Daejeon is just small enough to be navigable, yet large enough to be interesting.
Also, they find that the students are generally wonderful to work with and in
having such a large staff of foreign teachers (especially in Jayang Dong) there
are usually people to see and do things with.
"This is much better. The hogwan experience was scary. Here yo u walk
into an organization that is organized." KW, 21 months in Korea
"The mentoring program is great!" DC, five months in Daejeon
23
ADVICE FROM OUR TEACHERS
Adjusting to a different culture is a vast subject with many aspects. Culture
Shock! Korea devotes no less than 25 pages about the signs and symptoms of
culture shock. Since each person adjusts in their own way, sometimes -good advice
is hard to give. What works for one person, may not work for another. I asked our
current teachers for their advice about adjusting to Daejeon and WLI. The list was
almost unending. But here were the most common answers:
Learn Korean.
Bring some mementos from home.
Be brave. Take the buses downtown.
Expect even basic things to be difficult.
Keep busy, get involved.
Try to stay positive and optimistic. Don't hang around complainers.
Make Korean friends. Don't just rely on the office staff.
Don't expect everything to be perfect. Life at home isn't perfect either.
Stay in touch with family and friends (write, phone, e-mail).
Be kind to yourself. Give yourself time to adjust.
Ask for help. Your mentor can be an excellent resource.
Be aware of culture shock.
Join a group, a club, or a church.
Read about Korea. Culture Shock! Korea and A Lonely Planet Guide to
Korea are good choices.
Try to laugh at your own mistakes.
Don't try to change Korea. Let Korea change you.
Try a new hobby like Tae Kwan Do or Hop Ki Do.
"As one of the world's elite who is rich and free enough, you are
leaving home to experience a different culture. If things aren't to your
liking, don't try to change those things; instead, change your liking." Asia
Through the Backdoor.
24
U-CURVE OF ADJUSTMENT
25
SOME USEFUL EXPRESSIONS IN KOREAN
Hello / Goodbye An-yong-ha-seh-yo
Please come in. d-reo-o-se-yo.
Glad to meet you. Man-na-seo-ban-gap-seup-ni-da.
See you later. Na-joong-ae-bop-si-da.
Please give me __________. ___________ ju-se-yo.
Thank you. Go-map-seup-ni-da./ kam-sa-haam-ni-da.
You’re welcome. Chun-ma-ne-yo.
Please come. O-sip-si-yo.
I’m hungry. Bae-ka-go-pa-yo.
How much? Eol-ma-ye-yo?
It’s expensive. Bi-ssa-yo.
It’s cheap. Ssa-yo.
What is this? E-ge-moo-a-ye-yo?
Who are you? Noo-goo-sip-ni-kka?
I am (name). Jeo-neun-______________.
Go straight. Go-jjang-ga-se-yo.
Turn right. O-reun-jjok-eu-ro-ga-se-yo.
Turn left. Wen-jjok-eu-ro- ga-se-yo.
Please stop there. Jeo-ki-mum-choo-se-yo.
Please stop here. Yeo-ki-mum-choo-se-yo.
Take me to_________. ___________ga-joo-se-yo.
Bring me____________. ____________ga-jeo-o-se-yo.
Hot sauce on the side. Go-choo-jang-eun -dda-ro- joo-se-yo.
Give me some more. Deo-joo-se-yo.
Water - mool Telephone - jeon-hwa
Hospital - byung-won Drug store - yak-kook
School - haak-kyo Bank - eun-haeng
Office - sa-moo-shil Restaurant - shik-dang
Church - gyo-hoe Catholic Church - chun-joo-gyo-hoe
Buddhist temple - jeol Building - gun-mool
Apartment - a-pa-t Bus stop - jung-nyu-jang
Car - ja-dong-cha / cha Knife - kal
Movie theater - young-hwa-gwan Department store - bae-kwa-jum
Restroom - hwa-jang-shil Black tea - hong-cha
Coffee- kah-pee City green garbage bags - se-leg-gi-boe-too
26
NUMBERS IN KOREAN
27
KOREAN FOOD
28
ORDERING MINERAL WATER
(Seorok Saeng-soo)
Phone: 253-6890
Yeo-bo-se-yo ? (Hello)
Yeo-ki-nun (here)
(Add building number and apartment number)
Ja-yang-dong, Kyo-soo-apt._________Dong, ____________Ho ip-ni-da.
Ja-yang-dong, Dong-A-apt. _________Dong, ____________Ho ip-ni-da.
Yong-woon-dong, Go-chung apt._______Dong, ____________Ho ip-ni-da.
*Woosong dae-hak-kyo ki-sook-sa_____________________ Ho ip-ni-da.
(dorm)
Mool (water)
Han -Tong (one bottle) ga-jeo-o-se-yo. (Please bring.)
Doo-Tong (two bottles) ga-jeo-o-se-yo.
Se-Tong (three bottles) ga-jeo-o-se-yo.
Ne-Tong (four bottles) ga-jeo-o-se-yo.
Sterilizing Tap Water:
If you do not buy bottled water, it is advisable to do one of these three
things:
1. Boil tap water for 5 minutes
2. Add 2 drops of 4-6% chlorine bleach per liter of water, mix
well and let stand for at least 5 minutes.
3. Add 5 drops of 2% iodine per liter of water, mix well and let
stand for at least 5 minutes.
29
TRAVEL – Daejeon and Beyond
Transportation
Buses and trains
Taxis
Where to go?
Around town: shopping for food, clothes, house-hold goods, books
Just out of town:
Weekend trips
Transportation
Daejeon is the sixth largest city in Korea. We are located on the east sid e of
Daejeon. The ‘old center’ of town is less than 10 minutes away by car (or taxi,
W2500-3500). WLI is in the suburb (called a “dong”) of Jayang-dong
(sometimes spelled Chayang). The ‘new area’ of town is located in the NW of the
city (Taxi fare from the school: W6, 000-7,000, 30-40 mins.).
Due to the size of the city and the lack of a subway (currently under
construction), traveling from one end of town can take some time.
1 Bus - allow a couple of hours to get there and back;
2 Taxi - save about 40 minutes out of two hours travel time and spend
about 7-10 times as much money.
3 Car / motorbike – Gasoline is around W1500 / liter. Used vehicles are
very cheap in Korea.
Buses and trains
There are two train stations (Daejeon Station downtown and Seo Daeje on
Station close to Say Department Store) and three bus terminals in Daejeon. Ask
at the information counter (yes, they can speak English) for a map of the city.
Train schedules /fares are available on the Internet www.korail.go.kr/eng/
Note, there are two types of bus terminals -the Inter-City and the Express Bus
Terminals. The most important local bus is the No 841 which connects the East
Inter-City / Express Bus Terminal ( via Daejeon Railway Station) and th e West
Inter-City Terminal. The Express Bus Terminal and the East Inter -City bus
terminal are almost across the road from each other.
There are two kinds of city buses; the air -conditioned deluxe buses (green /
yellow stripe) (W1,300) and the brightly painted city buses (W900). The deluxe
buses stop less, go farther and are more comfortable.
By the way, you can buy discounted bus tickets at just about any store. The
red/crimson W850 tickets are sold in books of ten. You don’t have to buy them to get
30
on the bus, but they are more convenient to use. The regular buses come about
every 5 to 10 minutes and the deluxe buses every 10 -20 minutes.
Buses: regular bus - 900 Won; seat bus (Deluxe) - 1300 Won; 50 won
discount bus tickets available at Hye-seong Supa (grocery store near WLI
bus stop on west side of street); bus maps in Living in Daejeon directory
available at Express Bus Terminal information booth.
Buses that pass WLI: regular buses 841, 310, 310-1, seat buses 103, 104,
107.
Subway:
Daejeon subway information can be found at http://djet.co.kr/ but only in
Korean. At present the line runs from Panam (near Daejeon University) to
the government complex. You can buy tokens (900won) or use a transit
card
Express Bus Terminal: take bus 841, 103, 107 on east side of Jayang -no
(i.e.WLI side of street).
Buses to major cities around Korea. Buses to Seoul, 2-hour ride (every 10
minutes during daytime) Koseok bus (cheapest) (about 8,000 to Seoul);
Excellent bus: more comfortable seating (about 12,000 to Seoul).
Dong-bu Inter-city Bus Terminal: Across street from Express bus
terminal (on side street) bus 841; buses to Incheon Airport and many
locations around Korea. NB. You must allow 4 hours travelling time
between Daejeon and Incheon if you are travelling by bus.
Daejeon Train Station: Downtown [Shinae] (bus 841, 310, 310-1, 104,)
Connections to many other buses. Korean railroad system is fast, reliable,
and reasonably priced. To Seoul: 1 hour 35 ~ 2 hours – less than an hour
by KTX. Cost varies - 7,000 won ~ 14,000 won ~21,000 won depending
on type of train, class of seating, and day of the week (weekend trains
more expensive than weekday).
NB. You are advised to book your tickets well in advance as they
frequently sell out rapidly, especially at peak times like weekends and
holidays.
KTX (Bullet train) Similar facilities to Saemaul; maybe marginally better
but super fast and modern. NB Woosong Staff are entitled to substantial
discounts when buying KTX tickets. The discount does not apply at
weekends or on public holidays.
31
Saemaul Trains (super express train) has 1
st
(more comfortable seating –
legroom etc.) and 2
nd
class seating; no standing passengers, occasional
movies, dining car.
Mu-gung-hwa Train: Cheaper, slower, standing passengers, basic seating.
Korean National Railroad Membership: (Goldcard) 20,000 Won
refundable deposit: - gives 5% discount on all rail tickets and allows you
to reserve train seats in advance (in person, by phone, or by Internet).
Railroad membership available at Advance Tickets Counter.
32
BUSES FROM JAYANG DONG
Number Route Interval Fare
103 Donhaksa Temple – Panam Dong 12 mins w1,300
(read backwards whaen travcelling away from downtown)
Bakjeonja, Chungnam University, Galleria Time World, Hanshin
Core, Express Bus Terminal, Jayang-dong, Yongun-dong.
104 Birae-dong – Daepyeong-ri 11 min. w1,300
(Read forward when travelling toward downtown)
Birae Plaza, Jayang-dong, Daejeon Station, Chungnam Provincial Bldg,
Galma 4 Junction, Yuseong Express Bus Terminal, Baptist Theological
Univ, Yongdam-ri
107 NB. This Bus no longer stops at Jayang –dong. If you want to go to
Walmart/Big Carrefour you need to take an 841 to the Express Bus
Terminal and board a 107 there.
Mokwan Univ. – Okgye-dong 12 min. w1,300
(Read backwards when travelling away from downtown)
Ribera 4 Junction, Chungnam Univ, (river), Walmart/Big Carrefour, WLI-
Dunsan, Galleria-Time World, Carrefour, City Hall, (river), Hannam Univ,
Express Bus Terminal.
310 Jungni-dong – Jangsu Town 7 min. w900
(Read backwards when going away from downtown)
Yangji Primary School, Seonbi Mael Apts, Daejeon Health Sciences
College, Dong-a Tech High School, Jayang-dong, Daejeon Station,
Chungnam Prov, Bldg., Chungnam Nat. Univ. Hospital, Sanseong-dong
310-1 Jungni-dong – Anyeong-dong 12 min. w900
(Same as above but less frequently)
841 Seobus Intercity Bus Term. –Dongbu Intercity Bus Term.
(Read backwards when going downtown) 9 min. w900
Yucheon-dong, Seo-Daejeon 4 Junction, Say Dept Store, Kyobo
Bookstore, Chungnam Prov. Bldg, Daejeon Station, Jayang-dong, Dong-bu
Intercity Bus Terminal.
NB. You can buy bus tickets in lots of 10, 20 and 30 for 850 won each or
1250 won each. You can usually buy these tickets at kiosks. You can also
get a transportation card from Hanna Bank.
33
INTERCITY BUS TIMETABLE
Destination
Express
Chonju
Kangnung
Kwangju
Kyongju
Pohang
Pusan
Seoul
Taegu
Frequency
every 20-30 mins; 6:20-21:00
every hour; 7:00-19:00
every 20 mins; 6:00-18:30
every 3 hours; 7:50-17:30
every hour; 6:30-9:55
every hour; 6:00-18:30
every 10 mins; 5:50-21:55
every 30 mins; 6:00-21:10
Journey time
70-80 mins.
4 hours
3 hours
3 hours
3 ½ hours
4 hours
2 hours
2 hours
East inter-city
Andong
Chongju
Chinju
Hongsong
Kumsan
Songnisan
Sudoksa
Taean
Taebaek
Taedunsan Provincial
Park
17 times a day; 6:35-19:00
every 10 mins; 6:30-21:40
12 times a day; 8:00-18:00
every 15 mins; 7:00-19:00
every 10 mins; 6:13-22:00
every hour; 6:22-20:10
once a day; 6:40
every 30 mins; 7:25- 18:40
three times a day;7:10-13:45
10 times a day; 8:25-10:35
4 ½ hours
45 mins
4 hours
2 ½ hors
45 mins
70-80 mins
2 ½ hours
4 hours
5 hours
1 hour
West inter-city
Chonan
Chongyang
Chongju
Chonju
Kyeryongsan N.P
Kongju
Nonsan
Puyo
Taedunsan N.P
every 10 mins; 6:30-20:30
thirty times a day; 6:30-20:00
every 40 mins; 8:30-19:00
every 20 mins; 6:45-18:10
seven times a day;7:30-18:00
every 5 mins; 6:30-22:30
every 5 mins; 6:00-22:00
every 5 mins; 6:00-21.35
twelve times a day; 7:30-18:20
100-110 mins
2 hours
100-110 mins
2 hours
1 hour
1 hour
50 mins
70-80 mins
50 mins
TAXIS
Regular taxi, 1800 won flag drop, 1800 won after midnight.
Best driver taxi, flag drop starts slightly higher..
Simply stand on the side of the road, wait for a taxi to come and start waving.
Say the name of the suburb and then the particular place.
Refer to section towards the end of this book regarding “TAXI SLIPS WITH
KOREAN ADDRESSES”
34
WHERE TO GO – AROUND TOWN AND PLACES TO
VISIT
Shopping:
LG Mart is a 10 min walk towards downtown. It has a MacDonald’s.
Dong-bang and Galleria - Most department stores have supermarkets in the
basement. Both of these dept. stores are on the main street of Daejeon.
Walmart - basement level - about 800m south of Chungnam National
University, Kung dong; NW area; Bus 107 going away from downtown goes
by Walmart.
Costco: You must have a membership card to shop at Costco but some
people believe that it is money well spent?
Expo-Core - basement level – pink building near Expo core apartments,
Munji dong, NE area; You can take a cab from Time World.
Hanbit Plaza / Hanshin core – basement level– Dunsan-dong – NW area.
This is on the 107-bus route.
Carrefour - Dunsan – NW area. You can see the sign from the bus when
you are close to the city hall in Dunsan. (Red and blue stylized arrow on the
sign). A new very large Carrefour has just opened up and is next to Walmart
(give or take 400 meters).There is also a Carrefour next to Say Department
Store.
Korean food products:
There are lots and lots of small supermarkets in every dong. Take a walk
around where you live. Look off the main roads. There is a fresh fruit and
vegetable market next to Daejeon Station.
Kitchen/bedding/carpets and curtains:
The market in Unhaeng dong, (downtown close to the train station)
Used furniture / electrical equipment:
Teachers often find furniture on the street. (Koreans pay to put large object
out for garbage collection. You will see a sticker indicating that the fee has
been paid). If you are picking up street furniture it is perhaps advisable if you
request the owners permission before you actually remove the item of your
interest so that they can remove their sticker and use it for something else
which you may also be also be interested in.
Cheap wooden bookshelves are available in small shops for about W12,000.
The electronics market downtown, across from Dong Bang Mart is a good
place to shop. You will probably need a Korean speaker.
35
Clothes:
Department stores are usually more expensive to shop in, but you will find
that the quality of the product is superior. Here a few of them:
Time World Galleria in Dunsan dong- high fashion clothing, shoes,
cosmetics etc (Buses 107 and 103 going away from downtown stop here)
Say Department Store. Downtown - Mid-range to expensive products. Good
place to shop for shoes if you’ve got large feet. (841 Bus – past Kyobo
Building)
Hanbit Plaza – 1-4 level – Dunsan dong – NW area, mid-range to expensive.
Downtown Market – On the main market street (that is closed off to vehicles)
you will find some second hand clothing tables where a good bargain can be
found.
Downtown Daejeon (Shinae) - take Bus 310,310-1, 841, or 104
Contains Galleria Fashion Community, Dong-bang Mart (see “shopping”
above)
Hong-myeong Electronics Market - Across street from Dong-bang Mart; good
place to bargain for small appliances, batteries & re-chargers, cameras,
CD/tape players, electronic bilingual dictionaries, and other electronics.
Culture Street (Part off downtown - large pedestrian shopping/entertainment
area between Dong-bang Mart and Galleria) contains Envy Department Store,
Milano 21, McDonald’s, KFC, Dunkin’ Donuts, lots of restaurants, coffee
shops, bars, etc.
Traditional Market - along sidewalks and alleys between train station and
Hong-myeong Electronics Market (fresh produce, meats, fish, prepared foods,
tofu, rice & other grains, beans, nuts, kitchenware, house wares, clothing,
hardware, etc.) items to set up apartment.
Underground shopping mall - Starts across from train station (bus 841, 310-
1, 310, 104,161), and across the river at Dong-bang Mart; mostly clothing
stores.
Movie Theatres:
Say Two: (next to Say Department Store) Bus 841 past downtown
Cinema in Lotte Department Store (Bus 104 past downtown).
Bowling:
Olympic Sports Plaza: tall building near Daejeon Train Station (Bus 310, 310-
1, 841).
Bookstores:
Moon-kyeong (basement of Samseong Building (downtown) bus 841
Kyobo Bookstore (Kyobo Life Insurance) take bus 841 past downtown.
36
Kyeo-ryo Bookstore: Off Culture Street between McDonald’s & Envy bus 310,
310-1.
Galleria TimeWorld 2
nd
fl bus 103.
English Plus – behind Time World Galleria
Kidari – near city hall
Computers:
For difficult to find items for your computer try Tekno World near the Science
Expo Park.
Western Bars:
J Rock: in Taehoon-dong entertainment district in downtown (bus 841 to
Galleria Fashion Community).
The Zoo: Kung-dong (take bus 103 to Yusong district office).
Cool Bar in Eunhaeng dong, near KFC – your co-workers sometimes play
there.
Brickhouse near J Rock has western food available.
DEPARTMENT STORES AND SUPERMARKETS (IN A NUTSHELL)
LG Mart: (see “Jayang-dong Area”) Bus 310, 841
Walmart: Walpyeong-dong (bus 107).
Galleria Time World: Dunsan-dong (bus 103). N.B. There is an E-Mart not far
away from Galeria Time World.
Galleria Fashion Community : Downtown (bus 310, 310-1, 841, 104) Discount
department Store (includes supermarket and fast food in basement) items to
set up apartment.
Milano 21: Downtown (bus 310, 310-1 stop here).
Envy Department Store: Culture Street area (downtown behind Milano 21)
Dong-bang Mart: Downtown (310, 310-1, 841, 104) includes supermarket
Dunkin’ Donuts.
Carrefour: Dunsan-dong (bus 103) - get of at the Subway snackbar on your
left, walk up as far as the Post Office, turn left and keep walking. The largest
Carrefour store is just up from Walmart (bus 107). There is also another one
next to Say Department Store (bus 841).
E-Mart: Wolpyeong-dong (bus 103).
Homeplus: Near Express Bus Terminal (bus 841 past Dong-bu Terminal)
Save Zone: Dunsan-dong (bus 103) discount department store includes KFC,
supermarket, and swimming pool.
Lotte Department Store : (bus 104 past downtown) international dining (9
th
floor), super market (basement), multiplex cinema.
Say Department Store: Seodaejeon (bus 841 past downtown)
Costco: Seodaejeon (bus 841 past downtown) 30,000 Won yearly
membership.
Restaurants:
There are hundreds or Korean restaurants to choose from. The restaurants
around Jayang-dong cater to students which means that the prices are
usually reasonable. There’s a good Korean buffet restaurant on the left side of
the road past the second stop light going toward the Express Bus Terminal.
37
Western restaurants include the fast foodchains of MacDonald’s, KFC, Pizza
Hut and Hardee’s. The Here Today Restaurant at Time World (Dunsan -
dong) has a great western menu. The Kyobo Building downtown has a
Hardee’s in the basement.
Your comprehensive guide to dining in Daejeon:
Western Restaurants (pricey)
Here Today: Dunsan-dong (bus 103).
Coco’s: Seodaejeon jct (841), Yusong (bus 103).
VIPS: 1st floor of Say Two (bus 841) -- great salad bar for 18,000 won all you
can eat which includes salmon, prawns, chicken, pasta etc. as well as soups,
deserts and beverages. Steaks etc. are extra. There’s another VIP”S in
Dunsan near E Mart
Cincin: Mannyeon-dong near KBS (bus 103) fine Italian food
Chae-shik Vegetarian buffet: Past Homeplus on west side of street (bus 851
from Kayang-dong) 8,000 Won, all you can eat.
Marche’: 9
th
floor, Lotte Department Store (bus 104 past downtown) Al La
Carte international food & wine.
Lieto: Pirae-dong (take bus 310, 310-1 on WLI side of street) Fine Italian
dining.
Piatto: Three shops up from Envy (bus 310, 310-1) inexpensive Italian food.
Flying Pan: Culture Street area (around corner from Envy Department Store)
Italian food, good but expensive pizza.
Outback Steakhouse: Near Time World (buses 103/107).
TGIF: Near E-Mart and Time World – Dunsan Dong (buses 103/107)
Doors Green Castle. (Bus 103 - opposite the KBS Tower) Reasonably priced
all you can eat buffet – weekdays only.
Benagins: Near Timeworld.
Outback Steakhouse: There is one in Downtown next to Envy Dept. Store and
another in Dunsan (10 minutes walk from Timeworld).
Daedok Convention Town : Near Science Expo – great place for staff
Christmas lunch.
Fast Food:
McDonald’s: Culture Street, HomePlus, Save Zone and E-mart.
KFC: Culture Street (take bus 310 to Milano 21); and in Save Zone, in
Dunsan-dong (bus 103 past Express Bus Terminal); There is also one in the
basement of Galleria Fashion Community Department Store.
Hardee's: (in basement of Kyobo bldg.) (take bus 841, 2 stops past Galleria
Fashion Community).
Pizza Hut: (across from Say Department Store ) bus 841. Also adjacent to
Envy and up the escalator. There is another one opposite the Express Bus
Terminal.
Lotteria: Omnipresent
Subway: Near Hannam University (bus 107) Delivery: 673-1002.
Dunkin Donuts: 1
st
floor, Dong-bang Mart (bus 310, 310-1, 841); also, across
from Envy Department Store (near Culture Street, bus 310, 310-1).
38
Around Woosong
DINING AT WOOSONG
WLI- 3
rd
& 5th fl.: spring water (hot & cold), vending machines (coffee,
juice and soda).
WLI Cafeteria: 1
st
fl (s, noodles, snacks, ice cream, hot coffee &
beverages, diskettes, international phone cards) open about 11am~7pm,
M~F. Hot meals are served during the semester and also for selected
WLI courses during the intersession.
WSU dining
Cafeteria: J Building 1
st
fl (one flight down from ground level) full service
cafeteria & snack shop (open about 11am~7pm, M~F)
Jayang Café: K building 1
st
fl (next to post office) noodles, sandwiches,
snacks, coffee & beverages
Student Cafeteria: F building 1
st
fl (first building next to WSU main gate)
choice of Korean hot meals (open about 11am~7pm, M~F)
Faculty Cafeteria: F building 2
nd
fl (12-2pm, M~F)
Woosong Café: F building 4
th
fl (noodles, sacks, beverages)
Dormitory Cafeteria: (basement of men’s dormitory, next to Site A) 2000
Won all you can eat Korean meal (lunch & dinner during semesters, Winter
Camp, and Summer Camp)
WIC/WTC DINING
WIC/WTC faculty cafeteria: white and brown building at far corner of
WIC soccer field (student cafeteria and snack bar in same building) 2500
Won buffet lunch 12~2pm, M~F
Woosong Bakery: Woosong Tower 2
nd
floor.
Solpine: Fine dining at Woosong Tower 13
th
floor.
Campus Bakery “Woosong”: Across from Practical Bldg. (J classes) hot
coffee & other beverages, cakes, pastries, sandwiches, ice cream, ECT.
POST OFFICES (including Post Office bank and domestic ATM)
WIC/WTC Woosong Tower 3
rd
fl
WSU K-building 1
st
fl
If you just want to post letters there is a small post office in the main
street just a little walk to your left (with the WLI Building behind you).
WOOSONG ART’S CENTRE: on college campus (building with cylindrical
block glass) Check posters on campus for movie schedule.
39
ATM’s
Woosong IT Center lobby (across street from WLI).
WIC/WTC: in same building as faculty cafeteria.
WSU Students’ Services Center: near Woosong Café.
WSU J Building lobby.
Also, see “post offices”.
Family Mart: near Site A; international ATM Cards CIRRUS.
LG Mart: international ATM cards CIRRUS, Maestro (see “Jayang-dong
Area”).
NB. It may only be possible to use your Post Office ATM Card at Post
Office ATM’s.
WOOSONG EXERCISE FACILITIES
Woosong Gymnasium: This gymnasium has been completely renovated. All
the equipment is state of the art and in mint condition. The showers and
toilet are in immaculate. Look for the pink building at the bottom of the
main WSU campus. There is a basketball court upstairs. The building is
open until from early morning to 9pm weekdays only (20,000 won per
month (to Woosong faculty) or 45.000 won for three months).
WSU soccer field, tennis court (next to gym).
JAYANG DONG AREA Shopping etc.
Photos & Developing Fuji: (closest to WLI for getting photos taken) West side
of Jayang-no (Jangyang-dong main Street) near bus stop. From WLI , walk
out to the main road and turn right.
Fuji: on west side of Jayang-no (across from Rosebud Coffee)
Fuji: On side street, between Rosebud and Woosong Tower
LG Mart department store & supermarket: 1
st
fl: full size supermarket
with produce, meat, and seafood depts., international ATM [CIRRUS,
MAESTRO]
department store in basement (items for setting up apartment)
Kookmin Bank (with international ATM: CIRRUS, MAESTRO (from Site A
housing, take Bus 310, 310-1, or 841 toward train station, get off at 2
nd
stop.)
Produce and Meat markets across from Dong-A Apartments (tall white
apartment complex near WLI)
40
Grocery stores, hardware stores, dry cleaners, appliance stores: Many
small shops on side streets off Jayang-no (east side of street) between
Family Mart and LG Mart (items to set up apartment)
Woosong Mart: Across from WLI; English language newspapers, snacks,
beverages, ice cream, groceries.
Jayang-dong Dining
Buffet: on Jang-no in Kayang-dong (walk up Jayang-no [same side of street
as Site A housing] toward express bus terminal, over hill [before Kayang Jct.]
) 4,000 Won, all you can eat.
5,000 Won Buffet : on Jayang-no (just before Woosong Clinic) select and grill
your meat at your table (beef, pork, duck, seafood, side dishes) 5,000 Won,
all you can eat
Many small family-run restaurants at student prices. One particularly good
one with very reasonable prices is next to the police station.
Western Food:
Rosebud Coffee: on Jayang-no [Jayang-dong main street] past Woosong
clinic, near traffic light (best coffee in Jayang-dong)
Spy Glass Lounge & Restaurant : up the hill from J & K buildings (most
impressive restaurant in Jayang-dong) French menu, Italian food, prices start
at about 10,000 Won. Also, Korean restaurant (adjacent and under same
management.); best food in Jayang-dong.
41
Places to visit:
There are: Expo park, Yusong Hot Springs, sports centers, bowling alleys,
singing rooms etc. The Expo site is at the far northern end of town. The hot
springs resort is located near the Honam Expressway, on the west side of
town.
Just out of town
There are some nice parks just outside the city. They can be reached using
the inter-city bus service.
Pomunsan Park - South of the city. This is a small mountain park dotted with
temples and hermitages, and there is a short cable-car ride to reach a scenic
lookout. Some of the temples on the mountain’s slopes include Wongaksa,
Toksu’am, Songhaksa, Porimsa and Pokkun’am. A bit cold in winter but a lot
cooler here than in your apartment on those hot summer evenings. There’s
also a water slide park half way up the mountain. Take bus 103 and 130.
Kyeryongsan National Park - South West of the city. Very nice place for a
stroll or a day’s hike. You can visit the famous Donghaksa temple and have
lunch afterward in the restaurants nearby. You’ll probably go there more than
once. Beautiful cherry blossoms in the spring. Bus 103.
Roots Park, Daejeon - This is a picturesque park with sculptures and
monuments with the history of various Korean Families i.e. The Lees of
Kongju. Of course, the lettering on the monuments is in Korean but the
setting is very well landscaped and it is worth a visit. Take the 310 bus
toward downtown and stay on to the last stop. The bus stops in the driveway
of a retirement home. Follow the arrows across the bridge to the park.
Daechongho Lake -Beautiful anytime and especially in May, when the cherry
blossoms are in bloom. Very popular place in the summertime. To the east of
this river system, there are paddle boats; another area has speedboats, jet
skis etc. You’ll have to get there with the aid of a friend’s car-there’s no public
transport.
Manin San is half way to Kumsan. Transportation routes are not known at
this time but it is a worthwhile trip if you have access to a car. There is a
restaurant with tables on the balcony overlooking a small lake. There is a
walking path around the lake that leads off into a forest. There are huge
goldfish in the lake. The area is in a valley surrounded by mountains and it is
very cool in summer.
42
Longer Trips:
A Day Trip from Daejeon to Cheong Ju
Cheong Ju, a “small” city of about 500 000 people is only about 45 minutes
north of Daejeon. Some interesting attractions there include a hiking trail
around a fortified wall that in times past protected “San Dang San Sung” (San
Dang Mountain Fortress). Although the wall that goes around the summit of
the mountain has been rebuilt in some places, most of the wall is in its original
condition. (The rebuilt parts are easily identifiable by the light gray colour
whereas the original wall is dark gray and the stones have been well
weathered). At the height of the mountain you have a very good view of the
city of Cheong Ju. Near the base of the hiking trail there are a few Korean
restaurants.
Just before you arrive at the mountain, there is also a small lake where you
can ride a swan shaped pedal boat. There is a free zoo where you can see
tigers, Canadian grizzly bears, monkeys, Asian deer, antelope, etc. Finally,
there is a museum that exhibits archeological artifacts found in the province of
Chung Buk (North Chung, the province in which Cheong Ju is located). All of
these attractions are located along the same bus route that you will take from
Downtown Cheong Ju to San Dang Mountain Fortress.
Getting There (and Back!)
1. From the Dong-bu Bus Terminal, take the bus to Cheong Ju. It is very
important that you take the bus to “Cheong Ju, Choong Buk”, and not the
bus to “Chung Ju” or “Chun Ju”. If you are at all concerned about this, it
might be a good idea to ask a Korean friend to write “Cheong Ju” for you in
Korean characters and show this written paper to the ticket teller at the bus
terminal. The bus from Daejeon to Cheong Ju leaves every five or ten
minutes and will arrive in Cheong Ju at “Ka Kyoung Bus Terminal”.
2. Take the 152 bus from the terminal towards San Dang San Song. (The bus
will cost 1,000 won and a cab costs about w10,000.) On your way there you
will first see the lake (Myoung Am Yak Su To or if the driver doesn’t
understand you could say “Hosu”, lake) on the passenger side of the taxi.
Then you will see the museum (Cheong Ju Pak Mul Gwan) on the driver’s
side of the taxi. Finally, you will see the zoo (Cheong Ju Dong Mul Won)
on the passenger’s side of the taxi before arriving and “Sang Dang San
Song”. You can get off the bus or out of the taxi at any or all of these stops
and simply take the same bus in the same direction to the mountain when
you are done.
3. Once you arrive at the mountain, you will see the beginning of the trail quite
easily. Basically you will be walking around the summit of the mountain
(the hiking trail follows the wall around the top of the mountain). The great
thing about this hiking trail in Cheong Ju is that it is almost certainly more
like hiking in the country than going to similar places in Daejeon as it is not
crowded. For the heartier hiker, there are also many trails off the beaten
43
path. Staying on the main path however, you can hike around the
mountain in about an hour or so. Running shoes are adequate footwear if
you stay on the main trail and there is no snow or ice. If it is freezing when
you go there, it might be a good idea to have footwear with a little more
tread on the sole and some support around your ankles as a few of the
places are a bit steep even on the main trail.
4. Retrace your steps for the return trip. If you want to look around downtown
Cheong Ju, there is a MacDonald’s restaurant located in a “walking” street
that is also not a bad shopping area. “The Metz” is also “the” bar where
foreigners in Cheong Ju hang out.
Kumsan - This small town is well known in Korea for its production of
ginseng. From 21 to 23 September, Kumsan is host to Korea’s Ginseng
Festival. The town’s main ginseng markets include the Kumsan Ginsing
International Market, Kumsan Undried Ginseng Center, Kumsan Ginseng
Shopping Center and Kumsan Medicinal Herb Market.
Daedunsan Provincial Park - Aside from the view, the climb to the summit of
Daedunsan along steep, stony tracks is an adventure in itself. Calm nerves
are required here since the ascent involves crossing a hair-raising steel rope
stretched precariously between two rock pinnacles followed by an incredibly
steep and long steel stairway. It’s very popular on weekends. The ascent will
take between two and 2 ½ hours for any reasonably fit person and about one
hour for the descent. There’s a fun park for kids at the entrance.
Kwanchoksa - This old Buddist temple just outside Nonsan is famous
throughout Korea for possessing the second largest Buddha in the country.
The statue was built in 968AD and stands 18 metres tall. It’s made out of
three massive pieces of granite-one piece for the head and body and two
pieces for the arms.
Puyo - The site of the last capital of the Paekche kingdom. The capital was
moved here from Kongju is 538 AD and flourished until destroyed by the
combined forces of Shilla and the Tang dynasty of China in 660 AD. Today it’s
a quiet provincial town surrounded by wooded hills and paddy fields. The
main point of interest here is the museum. It has one of the best collections of
artifacts from the Paekche kingdom you will find in Korea.
Kongju Kongju was the second capital of the Paekche kingdom established
in 475 AD after its first capital, south of the Han River near Seoul, was
abandoned. There are whole collections of tombs of the Paekche kings. The
tombs are clustered together on a wooded hillside outside of Kongju. Kongju
is today a fairly small provincial market town and educational centre but its
Paekche origins are celebrated with an annual festival held in mid October
which lasts for three or four days. It includes a large parade down the main
street, fireworks, traditional dancing on the sands of the Kumgang River,
traditional games and sports and various other events at local sites.
44
Kyeryongsan National Park. This park’s unusual name means ‘rooster
dragon mountain’, apparently because some locals thought the mountain
resembled a dragon with a rooster’s head. Kyeryongsan is a worthwhile peak
to climb. This area of forested mountains and crystal clear streams is a
popular hiking spot and also contains within its boundaries two of Korea’s
most famous temples, Kapsa and Donghaksa. The best way to see the two
temples is to set off early in the day and walk from one to the other. This takes
about four hours at a comfortable pace. When the weather is at its best, it will
be a busy spot.
Daechon Beach - Nothing to write home about and forget about surfing here.
However, on the bright side, it is wetter and cooler than Daejeon. Beware, the
beaches are only open for certain periods through the year and when they are
‘officially’ open, it’s packed and the traffic’s a nightmare. Woosong University
has a condo here which you may be able to book for an overnight stay. Ask
at the office.
Songnisan National Park - It’s one of the finest scenic areas in central
Korea. It is beautiful anytime of the year but is at its best in fall. There are
scenic well-marked hiking trails in the mountains above one of the largest and
most magnificent temple sites in Korea. Construction of the temple was begun
as early as 553 AD during the Shilla dynasty. Until 1986, it had the largest
Buddha statue in Korea-possibly in the whole of North-East Asia-and the 27
metre-high, concrete statue of the Maitraya Buddha dominated the temple
compound. It took 30 years to build and was completed only in 1968. It
featured prominently in all the tourist literature of this area. Unfortunately, by
the 1980’s, the statue had begun to crack so, in late 1986, it was demolished.
In its place is a new statue 33 metres high. This time it was made out of
brass. Buses leave frequently from the Dongbu Shiwe Terminal. The trip
takes 1and 3/4 hours.
Admiral Yi Sun-shin’s Shrine (Hyunchungsa) and the Onyang Folk
Museum - This is a day trip well worth taking. Take the train to Cheon-an
(about an hour north of Daejeon). At the train station look for Bus 92. It
would be wise to have these names written in Korean to ensure you get the
correct bus. The museum at Onyang is a real folk museum with displays
showing every aspect of traditional Korean life and with English translations.
There is a park, which is spectacular in the spring. The Shrine of Admiral Yi is
a little farther on the same bus. It has restaurants in the parking lot and once
again, the park is very picturesque in the spring.
45
Hiking:
Shikjangsan (also spelled Sikjangsan) “Food Cache Mountain”
Shikjangsan is the large hill you see to the southeast with all of the
communication towers at its peak. It is over 650 meters tall and has
many hiking trails; below is only one of the many approaches to the
peak.
Starting from Daejeon Station, cross the street near the convenience
stores and go right for a short distance until you reach the bus stop sign for
the 501 bus. This bus runs at least every 20 minutes and currently costs 1400
won (Jan. 2005).
After about 20 minutes, you will reach the Kao-dong area; you will pass
through a fairly ugly neighbor hood with piles of scrap and plastic containers
and such, and then you will find yourself directly beneath Shikjangsan itself.
Where this road converges with another road, there is a gas station on the
right. You should get off the bus at the stop just before the gas station (you
will probably miss this on your first trip, as the gas station is after the stop, and
there are no other obvious landmarks to direct a first-time visitor; it will only
take two minutes to walk back to this point from the next stop). Cross the
street and go right. You will see a brown sign that reads, “Shikjangsan” and
points into an alley. After a few hundred meters, this alley passes through a
tunnel under an expressway and begins to climb quickly. After a few minutes,
you will start seeing trails on the right side. You can take any one of these, as
they all seem to go to the same place, or you can follow the paved road up to
a trail head at the end of the road just beneath the last temple. Whichever trail
you take, you will pass springs with potable water along the way (at these
same places, you are free to lift weights, if you are in the mood). One has
good water inside a small structure draped in plastic—you have to turn on the
faucet. Outside of this structure is a hose, and you don’t want to drink out of
that, according to locals.
At the other spring, there is no ambiguity whatsoever.
As long as you keep heading upward, you don’t have to worry about any
forks in the trail that you may see. Everything sooner or later gets to the top.
A short distance before the peak and its cluster of towers, there is a resting
spot with a table and a fine view. A few paces downhill from that is a sign
indicating the trail to Maninsan (19 kilometers). If you follow this trail, you will
eventually reach the home of a friendly hermit. You will alo reach a point
where you notice that you can’t hear traffic. Any trail going down to the right
will take you back to the road where you can catch a 501 or 510 bus back to
downtown Daejeon. If you are feeling adventurous, you can follow this trail all
day and get lost. Once you are lost, you can find a village and find out how to
get back to town by bus; there is always a way, if not in the first village then in
the second one.
Note: If you stay on the bus after Shikjangsan, the road is pretty enough,
and you can get off at any point and go hiking or find a place to have a
picnic. This bus ends up at Majeon, a district of Geumsan.
Daecheongho Reservoir
46
There are several ways to reach this manmade lake.
Walking
If you climb to the peak of the second line of hills behind Woosong, you will
see a large body of water to the east; this is the Daecheongho Reservoir, the
source of your shower water. If you follow the ridgeline north instead of taking
one of the many trails that go downhill, after about 20 minutes you will reach a
road. To the right, t he road descends to the Daecheongho Reservoir. To the
left, it goes to Gayang Park. If you decide not to go down and choose to go up
the next hill, you will come to the ruins of some ancient Baekje fortress. This
trail goes all the way to Gyejoksan, as well.
By bus
The buses that do run to Daecheonho reservoir do not run that frequently,
so don’t attempt to take a bus without first consulting the schedule below.
The #60 bus
Starting here in Jayang-dong, catch a 310 or 841 bus toward Daejeon
Station. After the bus passes under the railroad bridge, it turns right at the
Wondong intersection. Get off at the next stop, backtrack to the Wondong
intersection, and cross the street twice at this intersection—you want to get to
the corner that is kitty-corner. From here, head south-southeast for a short
distance (when the bus turned at the Wondong intersection, it headed north-
northwest toward Daejeon station and the market and Popeye’s, etc.). You
will find a bus stop where you can catch the 60 bus which will take you to
scenic Daecheongho Reservoir—not a bad place to walk around on the
strange beaches, and the fish jump with joy to greet you! The bus goes all the
way to a village called Jikdong, but for a lake side stroll, get off the bus just
after you see a puke-green structure of indeterminate function by the side of
the lake. From here, you can either take the bus back or walk the gravel roads
that go over the hills and back to Daejeon proper—the shortest walk being the
road that leads to Gayang Park (since there are no signs or road names, you
will have to figure this out yourself, which is the fun part, anyway).
Schedule for the #60 bus
These times were provided by the Daejeon bus company (you really have to
pester them and get them to send you a fax); if the schedule has changed, try
to get the new one without help from a Korean teacher. You will learn A LOT
in the process.
A. From downtown
The times below are from the gym, not from the Wondong intersection;
add a few minutes to each.
6:10 7:20 8:05 9:25 10:25 12:00 1:00 2:20 3:30 4:40
6 p.m. 7 p.m. 8:20 p.m. 9:20 p.m. 10:20 p.m.
B. From Jikdong (again, add a few minutes if you are getting on the bus by
the reservoir)
6:00 6:50 8:10 9:00 10:20 11:20 12:55 1:55 3:15 4:25
5:35 p.m. 6:55 p.m. 7:55 p.m. 9:15 p.m. 10:15 p.m.
47
Airport Express Bus Timetable
Runs between Incheon airport and Dong-bu Terminal in Daejeon, which is
across the street and a little farther up the side street from the Express Bus
Terminal. The airport express office is in a small office to the side of the main
ticket counters. You can get tickets and a current schedule there. It is
advisable to purchase airport bus tickets in advance.
Date: (Current at July /06) Fare: W19,000
Daejeon
4:30
5:00
5:40
6:20
7:00
8:00
9:00
10:00
11:00
12:00
13:00
14:00
15:00
16:00
17:00
18:00
Incheon Airport
Allow four hours
Incheon Airport
6:00
7:00
8:30
9:00
10:00
11:00
12:00
13:00
14:00
15:00
16:00
17:00
17:40
18:20
19:00
20:00
21:30
Daejeon
Allow four hours
If you need to stay overnight to catch an early morning flight or bus, or if
you are arriving after the last bus to Daejeon leaves, try the Incheon
Guest House which some very nice (big) modern guest rooms in very
close proximity to the Incheon Airport. More importantly they have a free
pick up and delivery service right up until 11:00 P.M.
Currently they are charging:
35,000 won per night for a single room
45,000 won per night for a double room
They also have a gymnasium, a conference room, a restaurant and a shop
where you can purchase basic food items.
For phone, fax and on line bookings go to: www.ghincheon.com
48
KOREA RAILWAY
The official web site for Korea Rail is http://www.korail.go.kr/eng/. You will
find current schedules and fares and information about routes. You can buy
train tickets at the small bank on the street to Kochung Apartments. It’s the
bank with the green and blue stylized tree. It is advisable to buy train tickets
well in advance.
Woosong Uniersity has a special arrangement with Korea Rail; consequently,
Woosong staff members are entitled to substantial
KTX fare discount when purchasing KTX tickets. Unfortunately this discount
does not apply at weekends or public holidays.
49
DOWNTOWN DAEJEON
50
THINGS TO DO
Daejeon Art Gallery
The Gallery is located between the new Opera Hall and the Municipal Youth
Center directly across from Expo Park on the opposite side of the river. It is
small but hosts some interesting shows. There is a very pleasant sculpture
park. There is no bus service but you can easily take a cab.
BOWLING
There is a bowling alley in the Haitae Building across from Kochung
Apartments in Yongun-dong. The bowling alley is on the fifth floor.
BOXING
Hanbat Boxing Club – It is located in downtown Daejeon diagonally across
the street from Galleria Department Store and behind the Police Station. It is
probably not suitable for women because of lack of change rooms.
Membership is cheap and it’s a friendly environment.
Gym Hours-Monday to Friday 12 PM to 10 PM, Saturdays–12 noon to 5PM
Cost: w20,000 per month
Exercises: Sparring with headgear; shadow boxing; skipping; stretching;
weight lifting; sit-ups / pushups; punching bag. Personal coaching by a master
coach, who is also a former Korean Boxer.
GYMNASIUM
Teachers can use the Woosong University Gym. It is the pinkish building
on the corner below the J Building. The entire Gymnasiun section has been
totally renovated and is crammed full with brand new exercising equipment.
Discounted Cost to Woosong Staff members 20,000 won for one month,
45,000 won for three months
Times - Weekdays Only: 6:00AM - 9:00 PM
HAPKIDO
Lee Tae-hang, Master - 623-6372. This evening course is offered at the
Hapkido gym (second floor) located next to the optical shop which is on the
corner opposite Family Mart (on the university side of the road). The
entrance door has a picture of Christ on it. The classes are usually at 7, 8
and 9:30 PM five days per week and last for one hour. You can attend as
much or as little as you wish. The uniforms cost w35,000 and the class is
w60,000 per month. If you are diligent, you can obtain your 1
st
Dan Black Belt
in 9 months to 1 year of regular attendance.
TAEKWONDO
Kim Ying-jae, Master - This one-hour class is offered in the late afternoon
every school day at the Woo Song Gymnasium. The Master’s name is Kim
Yong-jae and he is apparently very keen to teach foreigners and is gentle and
patient. He is from the Hallelujah Taekwondo Demonstration Team of the
Taekwondo World Mission. E-mail: [email protected] Cell-phone:
016-282-4110
51
HIKING
Close to WLI
This is the great Korean pastime because there is so much congestion in the
cities. Almost every hill you see has a trail. If you go up the hill past the
driveway into Dong-A apartments, you will come to a trail that will lead you
behind the University. If you turn right you will follow a simple road suitable
for a mile jog. If you go left, you will come to a natural spring (where you can
get great drinking water) and a small outdoor gym. From here you can
continue into a small valley (going north). In about a mile, you will come to a
temple. Most temples are located on a hillside so there will be lots of walking
in visiting temples.
JOGGING
Follow the route described under HIKING -“Close to WLI” or go to the track at
the University or at the High School (behind the Women’s Dorm).
KOREAN LESSONS
Look at the bookstores for tape / text sets. The Seoul National University
series is good. Check out this learning web site: http://www.interedu.go.kr.
You will need a computer with a Korean program.
WooSong Language Institute – The Faculty subsidizes a Korean class for
teachers each semester as long as there are at least ten students. Check with
the Resource Coordinator.
Hannam and Chungnam Universities, Daejeon – often offer a Korean
class, if you can work it into your teaching schedule.
Korean Language Institute, SISA – YBM, Chongno-3-ga, Seoul (Take the
orange subway line to Chongno-3-ga and go out Exit 12.) You can obtain
information about this three hour Saturday class at [email protected]
The cost is about w80,000 for 4 classes per month. This is very close to Insa-
dong (Antique / Art area) and the Kyobo Bookstore.
Daejeon International Community Center – across from Popeyes
MUSIC / DANCE LESSONS
National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts, Seocho-dong,
Seoul - Close to the Seoul Arts Center on the orange subway line (Nambu
Terminal stop). This free class for foreigners (not just English speakers) has
been running spring and fall for about four years. They offer 2-hour Saturday
morning classes in kayagum (12 string Korean zither), chang-gu (the
traditional hourglass drum), tanso (bamboo flute) and traditional dance. It
normally runs for about 12 weeks and ends with a student concert. They
advertise English instruction but learning is mostly acquired through imitation.
Contact the NCKTPA for more information and watch in the English papers.
52
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT - KOTESOL KOTESOL is the Korean
TESOL organization and it is affiliated with the American TESOL organization.
There is an annual membership fee, which covers monthly chapter meetings,
a chapter newsletter, a bimonthly national newsletter titled The English
Connection, discounts on conference fees etc.
Daejeon chapter meetings are the fourth Saturday of every month at
Woosong Language Institute. Their e-mail address is
[email protected]. This is a good way to meet teachers working at
other schools and to share ideas.
PUBLIC BATHS
These are just great and range from ultra-simple to very impressive. There is
a men’s and a women’s section. When you go to a public bath, you will see a
long row of mirrors with individual showerheads and low plastic benches.
This is the first scrubbing area. The one unbreakable rule is that you must
give yourself a complete scrub down which should include a shave and
shampoo. (You should scrub for at least ten minutes.) The beauty of the
public baths is the many different ways there are for bathing. Even the
simplest bathhouse will have mildly hot, very hot and cold pools, plus dry and
wet saunas. The fancier bathhouses will have waterfalls you can stand under,
and outdoor pools. If you have not been to a public bath before two
particularly good places to try would probably be the Yusong Hotel and the
Hong in Tower. Both are in the Yuson-Gu area, which is famous for its Hot
Springs. Buses 103 and 104 both go to Yusong. Current entrance charge is
round about 4000W. If you go frequently you can make inquiries about bulk
discount tickets.
An excellent ‘Jimjulbang” is located at Rodeo Town. (Take the 103 bus and
get off two stops before Galleria Time World). Be sure to pay an extra 1000
won for a pair of shorts and a tea shirt so that you can enjoy all the facilities in
the communal area. This place has it all – crystal chandeliers, marble floors,
sweat rooms, aqua therapy and even a place to work out. Currently 6000 won
all inclusive.
There is another Jimjilbang on top of Dong Bang Mart (Downtown) which has
an excellent Gym. There is also one (Magic eye) near Home Plus and the
Intercity Bus Terminal. NB. When traveling around you can sleep in
Jimjilbangs all over Korea it’s comparatively cheap if you don’t mind sharing.
They are open 24 hours a day.
53
SWIMMING POOLS
Sports Complex, Yong-Un-Dong - There is a pool close to the Kochung
Apartments in the same building as the bowling alley.
Daedeok –gu Swimming Pool - Songchondong - This is a 25 m. Pool.
Take bus 310 and get off opposite Greentown Apartment Complex.
Times: Mon. Tues. Thur. Fri. 8:10 – 9:20
12:30 – 14:50
18:00 – 18:50
Wed. 7:00 – 9:20
11:30 – 14:50
18:00 – 20:50
Sat. 11:30 – 17:50/18:50*
Sun. 6:00 - 12:00
13:00 - 17:50/18:50* (*June to
September)
Hanbat Olympic Stadium Swimming Pool
The 310 bus will get you fairly close.
Times: Monday to Friday 06:00 – 20:00
Saturday and Sunday* 06:00 - 17:00
*The first and third Sunday of every month is a scheduled holiday.
54
FURTHER MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
BOOKSTORES
Kyobo Bookstore It is located in the Kyobo Building past the Chungnam
Provincial Office on the right hand side of the street. It is a large, brown
building and the bookstore is in the basement, accessible by the outdoor
stairs at the front of the building. The English section is close to the main
entrance. They have a variety of books including ESL texts, tapes, and
workbooks. Take the 841 bus and get off at the first stop past the Provincial
Building at the end of the main street. You will have to walk back a short
distance.
Kidari - Kim and Johnson - This bookstore has moved to Dunsan Dong and
is across the road from Hyundai I-tel – try the 5
th
floor (buses 107/103).
Abby’s Book Nook - This is a second hand bookstore in Itaewon. They
advertise in the Korea Times and there is an excellent map with the ad. They
have the ‘widest selection of used books in Seoul.’
There is another good bookstore directly opposite the front entrance of Envy
Dept. Store. Just look for an escalator which will take you directly up to the
second floor where the English books are located.
Camera Repair Shop
There is a camera shop across the street from the Samsung Building along the main
street. You will also find several camera shops in the main street on the same side of
the road as Dong Bang Mart.
CHURCHES
The Christian International Church sponsors an English Service every
Sunday morning at 10:30 am at the Christian International School auditorium.
There is also a Bible study at 9:00 am. For more information call 636-2247 or
623-2719.
St. John’s Anglican (High Anglican) – 9:00 am English Service on Sundays.
They also occasionally sponsor other activities like picnics, pottery-making.
Pastor: Rev. Francis Cho, Cell Phone 016-434-9919. Take the #104 Bus to
Kalma-dong, Seo-ku. Mailing address: 361-3 Kalma-dong, Seo-ku, Daejeon
302-171. There is also another English Service at 10:30 AM. In the Downtown
area (10minutes walk from Dongbang Mart.
Catholic Church There is a service especially for English speaking foreigners
which is held at 4:00 PM. every Sunday. The church is close to the “Doori
Wedding Hall”. Take a 107 bus going towards Homeplus. Stay on the bus
when you reach Homeplus for another 2 or 3 kilometers. When you go under
a large concrete bridge – get off and take a taxi the rest of the way to Doori
Wedding Hall (the taxi drivers are familiar with this place). The service is held
in a building just across the road from the Doori Wedding Hall – on the corner.
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CULTURAL PROBLEMS
This e-mail address and telephone number has been advertised in the Korean
Herald. They offer a free cultural consultation if you are having problems due to
cultural differences. [email protected] Phone: 018-214-2379
DRESSMAKERS / TAILORS
There are many tailors all over the city but for dressmakers, Mok-dong (close to the
Sun Hospital) is the best. There are also many fabric shops in the area. A plain
dress (without the cost of the fabric) is about w70,000 and the quality is generally
quite good. Dry cleaners usually do basic repairs to clothing and minor alterations
start at 2000W.
There is also a tailor / dressmaker close to the Dong Middle School. Take the 310 or
841 downtown but get off before the train brid ge before the bus turns on to the
Daejeon Station Street. She is close to a shoemaker’s shop.
EMBASSIES/CONSULATES - Seoul
AUSTRALIA 02-730-6490
CANADA 02-822-3455-6000
NEW ZEALAND 02-730-7794
PHILIPPINES 02-577-6147
UNITED KINGDOM 02-735-7341
UNITED STATES 02-397-4114
SOUTH AFRICA 02-792-4855
EXCHANGE BANKS
To exchange won to another currency you must go to an exchange bank. Take your
passport and your alien registration card. The bank often stamps how much you
have exchanged in the back of your passport. The current system seems to be that
you can‘t send more than your annual salary out of Korea in any one year.
Sending Money Home
You will probably be charged bank fees at both ends if you wire money. Some
teachers purchase traveler's cheques and mail them to their banks at home. If you
get a Korean bankcard with international service, an extra card sent to a family
member, would allow her/him to withdraw money directly from your Korean Bank
account.
Exchanging Funds
If you wish to exchange Korean won into other cash currency, you can do this
at the Korean Exchange Bank downtown. The Post Office will give you a
cheque for the amount you wish to withdraw and exchange so that you don’t
have to carry around a lot of cash. You will need your passport and
sometimes they stamp your passport and indicate the amount you have
exchanged.
Some teachers have had money exchanged at the Hannam Bank on the left
side of this Main Street across from Santamonica without the amount being
noted in their passports. It may also be that the fee is less at Hannam Bank
than KEB. It pays to shop around.
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Accounts in other Currencies
It is possible to invest your money in other currencies such as American
dollars etc. Currently an Australian dollar account is yielding 5.2% for a 6
month fixed term. N.B. 16.5% tax is currently normal on the interest on most
investments and savings accounts even in won.
Post Office Banking Card
NB. A reminder to all teachers!
You have to frequently update your bankbook or you will find that when you
really need to use your card to access funds, it will not work for you. Many
teachers have had this experience and their account has been frozen until
they get their bankbook updated. Every two months should be sufficient. You
can update your book in the ATM machines at the Post Office in the Tower
Building or the K Building, and the machine in the IT building across from the
WLI. If you are unsure, ask one of the ladies to assist you. They are very
helpful.
HAIR SHOPS
Jacque Dessange - There are a number of hair stylists in Jayang-dong, but
if you want a real treat, try Jacque de Sange on Culture Street. It is past
McDonalds on the same side and is on the second floor. There is a large sign
on the second floor level. Shampoo and style costs about w12,000. Most
shops will also do manicures.
HEALTH AND DENTAL CARE
When you go to a clinic or hospital, be prepared to pay for tests, x-rays, etc.
Some things are not covered by the government insurance and the coverage
has not kept up with rate increases in the medical profession. Recently, many
dental procedures have been removed from coverage. Some large hospitals
in Seoul have International Clinics where service is available in English, but
you are charged for this convenience.
If you need more than a routine visit to a doctor, ask a Korean speaker to call
the hospital or clinic in advance to find out approximately how much money
you will need. Please also note that prescriptions must be filled within
the number of days shown at the bottom of the prescription or you must
go back to the doctor to have it reissued.
Internal Health Service Center
The Eulji University Hospital a very modern hospital here in Daejeon has an
International Health Center (opened on the 23
rd
of June 2004).
Appointment or Emergency Contact: 042-611-3000
Cho and Lee Dental Clinic – Is located next to a Lotteria Fast Food Outlet in
Wolpyongdong. Gloria Cho was trained in Australia and speaks perfect
English. Take a taxi to this particular Lotteria (ie. at Wolpyongdong) and look
for the crocodile mouth logo above the door. Go up to the third floor. Tel. 472 -
2879.
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Dr. Yun’s Clinic, Jayang- dong – The clinic is located on the main road next
to the Service Station. There is a paint store in the first shop next to the
service station and the next doorway leads upstairs to Dr. Yun’s Clinic. You
will see the green cross above the door. Take your health card. His English
is functional.
Dr. Sung’s OB and GYN Clinic is located in Seoul in Hannam - dong
(Yongsan). Dr. Sung (female) speaks excellent English and often calls
personally concerning your appointments. The telephone number is 02-790-
0802. Her clinic is not far from the UN Village. You can walk from the
Hannam subway station.
Dr. Kim’s Evergreen Dental Clinic - Used to be in Jayang-dong but now in
West Daejeon in Mannyeon-dong. He’s on the third floor of the Mannyeon
Core Bldg, in the general area of the KBS Building. Telephone (042) 472-
7528. He speaks English but his receptionists don’t. If you call to make an
appointment, ask for Dr. Kim Chang-hwan.
Kangnam Dental Clinic - 02-3442-7575 Ask for Ms. Lee. She speaks
English.
NEWSPAPERS
There are two English newspapers in Seoul, the Korean Herald and the Korea
Times. You can arrange home delivery for about 10,000 won per month.
There is a copy of the Korean Herald at WLI everyday except Sunday. You
can buy these two papers at the stands downtown. The little grocery store
opposite WLI carries both. The phone number for ordering home delivery of
the Korea Times in Daejeon is 633-2033. The delivery person will leave a
monthly bill at your door, which you can pay at a bank.
OFFICE SUPPLIES
There is a small stationery shop close to the college gate around the corner
from Family Mart.
S . Stationery - around the corner from Sacre Coeur Bakery. (There’s a red,
vertical sign on the front of the building.) Go past the bakery (coming from
Culture Street) and turn left. It is on the left side of the street. There are five
floors of art and craft supplies, office supplies, and even some paint and
hardware.
Stationery Shop in the Kyobo Building - (See Kyobo Bookstore)
OVERSEAS PHONECALLS
There are several long distance companies. ONSE uses 008 and 00365 as
numerical prefixes. Korea Telecom’s number is 00l and Dacom uses 002.
International calls are cheapest on the weekend. If you call on the weekend in
the evening, the current rate to North American is about w500 per minute with
Korea Telecom.
You can also try Onetel – You phone them up and they provide you with a pin
number and details of how to use their services. You pay in advance (visa
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card is accepted) usually in amounts of 30,000W or 60,000W. You have to
keep topping up this amount as it is depleted. Their rates are very reasonable:
for example the current rate Korea (land) Australia (land) is 104W per minute.
Their customer service center number is 02 565 9385. They are open 9AM –
12 Midnight and speak good English.
International Phone Cards - Close to the Hamilton Hotel in Itaewon, there is
usually a street vendor who sells international phone cards. Some vendors at
the Intercity Bus Terminal in Daejeon also sell phone cards for as little as
12,000 won which makes overseas phone calls comparatively cheap.
SHOEMAKER
If you have trouble finding shoes to fit, try the shoemaker close to downtown.
Get off the 310 or 841 bus around the Dong Middle School just before the
train bridge and before the bus turns onto the Daejeon Station Street. He has
samples of various styles. Shoes are leather and cost about w50,000. He
also makes boots. You will also find excellent shoemakers in Itaewon, Seoul.
CAR OWNERSHIP: Buying a car in Korea!
Your best advice is to have a Korean friend assist you.
1. Choose a new or second-hand car.
2. To transfer the car into your name, both the buyer (you) and the seller
have to go to the Motor Vehicle Registration Office to complete the paper
work.
There are people there available to assist you for about 20,000-25,000
won.
Most Koreans hire someone since there is a lot of paperwork involved.
3. Documents required:
the car Registration
proof of insurance (This has to be acquired by you prior to Registration.)
a valid driver’s license – either Korean (preferred) or International
confirmation that all fines, tickets and registration are paid and up to date
your Alien Registration Card
4. You will have to pay approximately 90,000won every 6 months for car
taxes and your insurance is paid annually, approximately 200,000won.
This information is subject to change at any time.
Happy driving in Korea!
NB. If you are considering buying a car John Loughry will be glad to advise
you in this regard.
TOURISM
Korean Tourism - The web site is www.knto.or.kr. The toll free number is 1-
588-1717. You can get information in English.
TRAVEL AGENTS:
Prince Travel on the 10
th
floor at Time World offers service in English. The
phone number is 488-2929
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Xanadu Travel –Many teachers have used this agency and find Jenny Lee to
be very efficient. You can contact them by email and they will mail your ticket
to you after you have paid by making a deposit into their bank account.
http://www.xanadu.co.kr email: [email protected]
TRAVELLING OUTSIDE OF KOREA
Check your work visa in your passport to see if you have a ‘single entry’ or a
‘multiple entry.’ If you don’t have the latter, you must get one before leaving
Korea on vacation. The Personnel Assistant will assist you in arranging this.
LATE FLIGHTS
Incheon
If your flight arrives too late for you to catch a bus to Daejeon you could stay
at the Incheon Guest House. The Incheon Guest has some very nice modern
guest rooms in very close proximity to the Incheon Airport. More importantly
they have a free pick up and delivery service right up until 11:00 P.M.
Currently they are charging: 35,000 won per night for a single room
45,000 won per night for a double room
They also have a gymnasium, a conference room, a restaurant and a shop
where you can purchase basic food items.
For phone, fax and on line bookings go to: www.ghincheon.com
CABLE TV
Han CN TV Cable - Phone 337- 7000 - You pay w4000 per month but must
pay one full year in advance initially. Large selection of stations but you will
need a Korean friend to help you with the negotiations.
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INFORMATION ABOUT BILLS
Bills that come in the mail to your apartment will only have the
University’s name and the apartment number on them. Bills that come
from the office will have th e individual teacher’s name.
ANNUAL RESIDENT’S TAX
This comes by mail in the late summer and is about w10,000.
PHONE BILLS
You will receive a phone bill for the phone in your apartment from Korea
Telecom. You are not charged a ‘hook-up’ fee. The University handles this.
The basic rate is about w12,000 per month. Long distance within Korea will
be on this bill but it will not be itemized because it is very cheap. Any 001
overseas calls will be, and will be itemized. There will also be a charge for any
calls you have made to hand (cell) phones.
Long distance calls you make through the other companies (Dacom – 002
and Onse - 008 and 00365) will be on separate bills and will be itemized. Call
on weekends for the best rates.
Please Note: If you do not pay your phone bill by the due date, you can
not pay it at the bank but must take it to the Korea Telecom office.
Taking the 841 bus away from downtown, get off around the Express
Bus Terminal, and then go right at the next street past the terminal. The
Korea Telecom office is on the left side on this street.
UTILITY BILLS – Site A and B Housing.
Please note that energy rates in Korea increase with usage. You are
advised not to use electric heaters. Gas is the cheapest way to heat
your housing.
Gas Bill: This will come directly from the gas company and will be about
w5,000 – w10,000 when you are not using gas for heat. In the winter, it will
be considerably more from November to March. You are advised to only put
the hot water on when you are showering / doing dishes. In winter months,
turn the floor heat off when you leave your apartment. An 8 ½ pyong
apartment at Site A will cost about w60,000 in the two highest winter
months if you are careful. Site B is not on city gas and is therefore more
expensive than Site A. Pay at any bank.
Electrical Bills: –At Kyosoo Apartments (Site B) , this bill comes directly from
the Electrical Company. You can pay it at any bank. At the Foreign Faculty
Villa (Site A), the University receives a bill for the whole building, and then
individual meters for the apartments are read by the Utilities Assistant. Pay it
at the WLI office. The billing period at Site A, while called a monthly bill, is not
always for 30 days so if you make an effort to conserve, it may not show by
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the month. Monthly bills will rage from about w10,000 to w20,000
depending on season and how careful you are.
Water Bill: This bill is calculated by the Utilities Assistant, is usually about
w5,000 per month. It is the total water bill divided by the number of
apartments in use in the building. Pay at the WLI Office.
Cleaning Bill: This applies to only Site A and B and is a flat rate of
w20,000 per month. The cleaning lady cleans the public areas in / around the
building and sees that the garbage is properly disposed of. She keeps an eye
out for mechanical problems as well. Pay at the WLI Office.
UTILITY BILLS – Outside Apartments – Pay at any bank.
You will receive a monthly bill from the Apartment’s Office, which will include
such things as elevator upkeep, pest control, building upkeep and repair,
security, common area water, power and gas use, ground's upkeep, garbage
removal, and administrative fees. Your cooking gas bill will be metered
separately. This is the normal procedure in Korean apartment buildings.
UTILITY BILLS – Dormitories
Teachers living in the dormitories pay a monthly flat rate for heat and
electricity. This rate is currently w65,000. This bill can be paid either at the
Dorm office or at the WLI office. Gas (for cooking) and telephone bills will
come from the gas and phone companies and can be paid at any bank.
There is no cleaning fee at the Dormitories. Please note that if you use any
long distance company other than Korea Telecom, you will receive more than
one telephone bill.
PLEASE PAY YOUR BILLS ON TIME!!!
GARBAGE REMOVAL:
At Site A and B, the cleaning lady empties the teachers’ garbage cans into the
large containers at the Dorms. For this reason, you may use plastic shopping
bags for your waste. However, at Dong Ah, the garbage is collected directly
by the city so it must be put into green city garbage bags and placed in the
large green bin for collection. Pea-green plastic garbage bags with Korean
writing on them are available at most corner stores. They come in a variety of
sizes and are fairly expensive because this is how the garbage removal is
financed.
The word in Korean for the bags is ‘se-leg-I-boe-tu.’
62
HEATING SYSTEM AT SITE A & SITE B
63
Hot Water System at the Site C & D Apartments
64
TAXI SLIPS WITH KOREAN ADRESSES
65
HOUSING DAMAGE-CHECK
Please check your accommodation for any damage or things that are not
working. Give a copy of this form to the Facilities Assistant (John).
House Check Sheet
Address :
Name :
Date of Inspection :
1st / 2nd 1st / 2nd Remark
Good Bad
Overall Cleanliness
Bed
Refrigerator
Closet
Stove
Washing Machine
Table
Chairs
Light Bulbs
Windows
Light Switches
Floor
Air Conditioners
Others
When the teacher(s) leaves, he(or she) must clean the room and
restore the house(or items written above) to the original state as when
teacher(s) first moved in. Otherwise you will be charged 50,000 won for
the cleaning fee and more if the house(or the items) is damaged.
66
EVALUATION OF MENTORING PROGRAM
Please fill out this form two to three weeks after your arrival and return to the Resource Coordinator.
Name __ ________________________ _______________________Date _______________
Date and time of arrival in Korea _____________________ in Daejeon ___________________
How did you come to Daejeon? Train Bus Other _______________________
Were you picked up in Daejeon? Yes No
Who picked you up? ______________________________________________________
Did you get a blanket (if needed)? Yes No
Did you get a package of food? Yes No
Did you receive the Orientation Package? Yes No
Did you get your mentor’s name and phone number? Yes No
How would you rate your welcome in Daejeon? Poor Fair Average Good Excellent
Comments:_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_______________________ __________________________________________________
Who was your mentor? ________________________________________________________
Did you speak to your mentor within the first 48 hours? Yes No
Did they give you a tour of WLI, WSU, WIC and WTC? Yes No
Did they show you how to use audio/video equipment? Yes No
Did they discuss use of office computers? Yes No
Did they show you how to use the lesson plan template? Yes No
Did they show you the Basement Resources Area? Yes No
Did they show you how to use the copy machines? Yes No
Did they review the book / audio checkout procedures? Yes No
Did you need assistance with anything that was overlooked in the mentoring program? Yes No
If Yes, please explain.
Did you read the Orientation Starter Package? Yes No
When did you read it? immediately after a day or two in the first week
Were the materials useful? Yes No
Were the materials up-to-date? Yes No
What was the most useful information?________________________________________
What was the least useful?_________________________________________________
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Pay Slip Translation A
68
Pay slip translation B
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Pay Slip Procedure
A print-out of your pay slip will be placed in your mailbox
each month. Itemized information on how to access your
pay slip details.
1) Go to the website http://www.sid.wsu.ac.kr
2) Enter your ID and Password (You can request these
details from the Personnel Assistant).
3) Click to the left side of: You
will find this Hangul script in orange in the lower left
hand corner of your computer.
4) Type in the date. The first blank spaces are for the
year. The second blank spaces are for the month and
the third blank spaces are for your teachers ID (as
supplied to you by the Personnel Assistant).
5) Next click on the first circle and then click on the gray
rectangle. Your pay slip details should now appear on
your computer screen. You will still need to use the
translation sheet ‘A’ to understand how your pay is
made up.
6) If you have any allowances for food, transportation
and counseling you can click on the second circle for
information in this regard. You will also need to use
the translation sheet ‘B’ for this purpose.