September 2006

As almost everyone over here in the ROK knows, Chuseok (추석) is next week. It’s a major Korean holiday that is frequently compared (by Americans) to the U.S. Thanksgiving.

Many expats, if they’re smart, plan months ahead to take a trip outside the country during this time, as most businesses shut down for the holiday. This year, both Foundation Day (Tuesday) and Chuseok (officially, Thursday and Friday) are in the same week, so many people are takingthe entire week off. Other expats advise that this is really the best time to stay in Seoul as you can experience it without the usual crowds.

We’re choosing that second option this time, mostly because we waited too late to make travel plans. Fortunately, another expat friend of ours is having a “Foreigners Chuseok” at his place (mostly, this will consist of a big meal, without any traditional rituals), and we’ve been invited. I happened to mention that we’d be happy to provide some “adult beverages” because we’ve stocked up every trip through the airport duty-free and at the Gangnam Wal-Mart.

Writing this, I realized that I don’t think one can buy booze at U.S. Wal-Marts. Beer, maybe, I think. But Absolut? Not so much. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong. You can also buy hooch at Kim’s Club, another major supermarket. I am not sure about E-Mart, the other big local chain.

Anyway, it’s one of the many little things I’ll miss when we move back to the States. Being able to throw a bottle of tequila in the cart along with the toilet paper and laundry detergent. That, along with the ATMs that count your deposit and balance your checkbook for you, and the street vendors selling manjoo, are my current favorites.

So, I thought I’d put it on the blog and open it up to other expats in the comments. What are the little things that you will miss about Korea, when and if you decide to leave? And, if you’re already gone, what are the little things you do miss most?

Technorati Tags: Chuseok

Image produced courtesy of the Motivational Poster Generator and AsiaPundit.

I’ve decided that David has the perfect temperament for living in Seoul. He is very mellow and he has the patience of Job. I, on the other hand, have the patience of Russell Crowe after a long night with the hotel staff pissing him off. We don’t mix well, sometimes, this city and I.

This was brought home once again yesterday, when we went through the process of applying to participate in the Korean National Health Insurance plan. As foreigners, we are eligible for coverage at the same level as Korean citizens, with coverage retroactive to the date we registered as resident aliens, as long as we pay the premiums. [Editor's note: I'm planning a longer post on aspects of the Korean health plan at a later date--as in my previous existence I worked as a medical journalist and was pursuing graduate studies in public health. . . But, I digress.]

People who work for Korean employers participate in the plan through their company. Since David is employed by an American company, he is counted as a self-employed person and pays a premium that is calculated differently.

Signing up was easy once we figured out where to go. And, it’s that last part that proved to be the trickiest. I guess I am just surprised that some of the seemingly minor things here in this city of 13 million inhabitants are so easy and virtually idiot-proof . . . whereas accessing some of the really important services (changing visa status, hello?) require research and planning that make interpreting the I Ching look like child’s play.

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