Tag: south-korea
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Settling In, One “Ah-choo” at a Time
Life in Korea just got a lot easier—thanks to my Alien Registration Card (ARC). With my official ID in hand, I’ve opened a Korean bank account, gotten a SIM card, and finally escaped the tyranny of international transaction fees. I can also use Korean apps now—ordering taxis, shopping on Coupang (Korea’s Amazon), and generally functioning…
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The Week My Voice Quit Teaching
This past week at school felt a little less chaotic. I’m finally starting to get the hang of my schedule, my students, and my coworkers. Things are starting to feel slightly more normal—which of course means something else had to go wrong. Unfortunately, I came down with another cold. On Tuesday, I started losing my…
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Yellow Dust, Medical Exams, and Triceratops Chopsticks
Week one in Korea tried to take me out. On the exact weekend I arrived, there was a yellow dust alert. Yellow dust blows in from deserts in China, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan—basically a long-distance allergy attack. Naturally, I found this out while power-walking around the city like an overconfident tourist. By Wednesday, my cough and…
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Phillip N. Patrick 