EPTI mean I'm not a high level player, and while I do spend a lot of time on the computer I'm not consistent enough to make LR threads or regularly live report. Nor am I artistic or talented enough to make great art or music like some users can. In fact I've come to the realisation that are hundreds of people on TL more dedicated and hardworking than me, and there is probably someone who can do anything I can do well, better. Aside from occasionally (I hope) being witty enough to give people a little laugh when they read my post I don't think I really do anything to help TL.
Now I plan to change that, this time next week (oh shit I actually have so much to do) I'll be in Seoul for the start of my trip to Korea, and I'm sure that I'm not the only person who has more then a Starcraft related interest in this country that so many TLers that have visited preach as "better than where I live (probably some small town in the USA)". Don't despair people only interested in Starcraft though, I'll be doing plenty of Starcraft watching, in fact lets pray that Naniwa, Taeja and HerO get through to the next round so I can go and cheer them live...
Ok done.
Now I like Starcraft but I also like city life, getting drunk and talking to strangers, exploring and nice weather so Seoul seems like a pretty good place to start, although I do hope to see more than just the north of the country (north of the Republic of Korea that is), before I run out of money and have to sell my body in Itaewon so I can afford a plane ticket back.
I don't really have specific plan or any itinerary for the day to day. Basically I'm staying with a Korean family in Seoul for the first week and I'll book a hostel in Seoul for the week after that, but from there I'll be deciding where to go as the weeks go on. So if people have requests or suggestions for things I can do I'll keep those in mind and try and cover them.
Now I've got a few questions for more experienced travelers and those with experience of Korea and maybe I'll include my "things to do before I travel across the world by myself" list because I haven't actually written it yet and posting it on a public forum seems like as good an idea as keeping it to myself.
1) Getting a Korean sim card. I've got my smart phone, but I don't think Three has expanded into the Korean market yet so unless I feel like blowing through all my money in 15 minutes of phone calls I guess I should get a Korean sim card.
I'd like internet but I guess you need a contract for that and I heard there are coffee shops everywhere so I imagine that means there's wifi everywhere. So can I just get a Korean pay as you go sim card, also how much do phone calls generally cost?
2) How safe is Korea? I heard crime is low and I consider myself a pretty street smart guy, but its different when you're a white guy in a country where you stand out like a sore thumb. I'm not planning to get totally wasted by myself in a completely foreign country, but if I was walking by myself at 3AM should I expect trouble? Also in London I find that most people who try to mug you aren't expecting resistance and back down pretty quick when you show some, are Koreans the same?
3) How should I access my money? I'm thinking that exchanging a small amount at the post office (they don't charge here) and then using my card in Korea probably strikes the best balance between avoiding outrageous exchange costs and not carrying a large amount of money at any time.
4) Is there anything thats expensive in Korea that I should bring from England, I heard sun cream is really expensive so as your stereotypical person of Irish decent (AKA white as fuck) I'm planning to stock up before I go, is there anything else I'll probably need that I should bring with me?
5)Is there any way I can play SC2 while I'm there? I'm not bringing a computer and I heard you need a Korean account (not a TW one) to play on the Korean client.
6) Anything else I should know?
Now my "things to do before I travel across the world by myself" list. I figure if I post it here I'll get more motivation to actually do it (that was in fact my reason to make this introduction post, otherwise I'll never actually make a blog about my time in Korea) I left my job last week and I'm starting to regress into unemployed hermit mode
+ Show Spoiler +
- Buy a suitcase, unless I feel like wearing 1 set of clothes the entire time.
- Make sure I have access to all my money, otherwise it will be a pretty short trip.
- Tell my bank I'm going to Korea
- Remember the other things I have to do before I go to Korea
- Make sure I have access to all my money, otherwise it will be a pretty short trip.
- Tell my bank I'm going to Korea
- Remember the other things I have to do before I go to Korea
Also my Dad was pestering me to check if I needed to get an vaccinations before I go and I found this
Yellow Fever
There is no risk for yellow fever in East Asia. A certificate of yellow fever vaccination may be required for entry into certain of these countries if you are coming from countries in South America or sub-Saharan Africa. For detailed information, see Comprehensive Yellow Fever Vaccination Requirements. Also, find the nearest authorized U.S. yellow fever vaccine center.
There is no risk for yellow fever in East Asia. A certificate of yellow fever vaccination may be required for entry into certain of these countries if you are coming from countries in South America or sub-Saharan Africa. For detailed information, see Comprehensive Yellow Fever Vaccination Requirements. Also, find the nearest authorized U.S. yellow fever vaccine center.
Anyone in the Korean Music discussion thread proves this theory wrong lol.
This is getting kind of long and there's a lot more I wanted to say but I forgot what it was. But if anyone else will be in Korea from the 7th if May I'm down for a TL meet up.
![[image loading]](http://imgur.com/vKf2H.jpg)
