Accommodation

Basically every university in South Korea has dormitories for foreign students. School dormitories are usually 2 to 4 people per room, and the monthly room fee is about 70,000. to about 140,000 won (equivalent to about 450 to 900 yuan in RMB). In addition, you have to pay for water, electricity, telephone and other expenses yourself. In winter, you also have to pay heating bills? It costs about 80,000 won a month. With the increase in overseas students in recent years, school dormitories have become in short supply and can only be provided to students with particularly outstanding academic performance and students with special family difficulties. Scholarship students in master's and doctoral programs and students in the research process can also be guaranteed. If you live in a university dormitory, it will be difficult for language students to apply for on-campus dormitories.

Students who study language or other short-term studies mostly adopt boarding (temporary residence) and rent a house, that is, find a host family or rent a house around the school. This kind of boarding is similar to that of students in Britain, Australia, New Zealand and other countries. Homestays are different. You can stay alone or with two or more people. You need to prepare your own bedding and furniture. You do not participate in the activities of the host family, but you can get breakfast and dinner and laundry services every day. The boarding fee is between 350,000 and 350,000 per month. It’s about 500,000 won, and it’s cheaper to live with others. Nowadays, many students rent houses by themselves, either alone or shared with classmates. The rent varies depending on the quality of the house and location. In Seoul, it is about 300,000 won per month. Water, electricity, gas, and phone bills are included. If you pay separately, it is cheaper to rent in a shared apartment. There are two ways to pay rent. One is to pay monthly or half a year. The other is to pay tens of millions of won as a deposit before moving in, which will be refunded when you move out. Paying rent monthly is cheaper, but students are very worried. It’s hard to come up with so much money at once. Rented houses generally have kitchens where you can cook your own meals, but they are not as safe as school dormitories and boarding houses.

Transportation

South Korea’s public transportation system is very developed and complete. Intra-city transportation is mainly based on subways and buses. In big cities such as Seoul, subways are the main means of transportation. They are convenient and fast. The extensive subway transportation network can transport passengers to any corner of the city. There are many types of buses in South Korea, including ordinary buses, seat buses, luxury seat buses, and a country bus that runs long distances. City buses are mainly the first three. Public transportation charges are not expensive. The basic fare for the subway is 600 won (approximately 4 yuan). The basic fare for ordinary buses and seat buses is 600 won (approximately 4 yuan), and the deluxe seat bus is 1,100 won (approximately 4 yuan). About 8 yuan). The bus stops are marked with routes and stops, and some stations are marked with Chinese characters. Taxis in South Korea are divided into ordinary taxis and model taxis. The starting fare is generally 1,600 won (about 10 yuan), plus 20% of the fare from 12 pm to 5 am. No tip is required for taxis.

The transportation between cities is also very developed. The criss-crossing railway network leads to various cities across the country with Seoul as the center. There are subways running between Seoul and Busan. It only takes more than 4 hours to take the subway from Seoul to Busan. Train tickets can be purchased directly at the train station. Except for ordinary trains, they all have reserved seats. There is also a modernly designed expressway network connecting major cities and towns in South Korea. Expressway bus fares are much lower than railway fares, and there are more flights.

Food

The eating habits of Koreans are similar to those of Chinese people, especially those in Sichuan. They like to eat pickled dishes, such as kimchi, pickled meat, etc. The taste is Salty and spicy, red pepper is indispensable all year round. Koreans like to eat barbecue and hot pot, especially in winter. Barbecue is the most popular dish. The sliced ??meat is marinated with soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame, garlic, green onion and other condiments, and then cooked on the oven on the table. Grilled and eaten, Korean BBQ is now also very popular in China. The staple food is mainly rice and pasta, and Chinese students can basically adapt to it.

Every university in South Korea has restaurants, and the vast majority of students eat on campus.

The prices of daily necessities in South Korea, such as toothpaste, towels, shampoo, etc., are very close to those in China, but agricultural and sideline products are surprisingly expensive. The price is about ten times or even dozens of times that of China. The food cost is as much as that of Chinese students in addition to tuition fees. The biggest expense and the biggest savings every month is more than 300,000 won. There are also many Chinese restaurants opened by Chinese in South Korea. The prices are much higher than in China, and Chinese students rarely visit them. Some students who rent apartments also cook their own meals, which saves more than half of the cost compared to eating in the school cafeteria. You can buy any Chinese condiment you need in Korea. There are many varieties of vegetables, and the prices are divided into fine vegetables and coarse vegetables depending on the season. Coarse vegetables refer to large quantities of vegetables that are available in season, such as cabbage, spinach, etc. The prices are very cheap during the season, and Koreans buy them in piles. Meat and non-staple food are much more expensive. A pound of meat is equivalent to more than 100 yuan in RMB. Even Koreans are reluctant to eat it every day. South Korea is surrounded by sea on three sides, so seafood is relatively cheap.

Working

South Korea pursues a loose work-study policy, which allows young people who want to live an independent life to easily complete their studies on their own. There are many opportunities to work in South Korea. Many Chinese students work as tutors in South Korea and teach Chinese. In addition, you can also work in restaurants, convenience stores, construction sites, companies, etc., and the pay will vary. It is relatively easy to find a job, the language is good, the job level is higher, and the salary is higher.

Studying in South Korea - How to find a good job

1. When choosing a job, you must persist in doing it for a period of time to have a certain understanding of the job.

2. Carefully consider whether you have your own spare time in your life, and then arrange it according to your own time, and decide whether you want to work part-time, long-term, or short-term, choose A job that suits you best.

3. It is best to work close to home. Unless the job is particularly good, you should try to choose a job closer to home.

4. Think clearly about how much you want to earn in a month. Money, because you have to choose a job based on this

Studying in Korea - How to make work enjoyable

1. Even if you work because of money, if you work hard Go to work and learn something from it, then you can say you are free from money worries.

2. Of course part-time work will be very tiring, but please think about it. The experience of doing difficult things will definitely be helpful in evaluating your ability in the future, so this process also cultivates your tolerance. process.

3. If there is music in your working environment, then work with the music, but be careful not to be too addicted to the music and affect your work.

4. When you are in a bad situation, just think about the pleasant past. Then make up your mind to work hard. If you really feel uncomfortable, don't be depressed and say to yourself "Have a good rest"

Studying in Korea - Experience of working in Korea

1. There are many advanced studies in Korean society Among cram schools and foreign language cram schools, Chinese has become the most popular foreign language after English, so there is a large need for Chinese lecturers. The remuneration is also good, you can earn more than 1 million won a month. (Working hours are 5-6 hours per day)

2. You need to have a certain basic knowledge of Korean and understand all aspects of Korea. You can work as a part-time tour guide in a travel agency and earn a considerable income. In particular, the World Cup football match has attracted a large number of tourists from mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. During the match, it is estimated that 100,000 people from mainland China alone will come to watch the match, so the demand for Chinese-speaking tour guides exceeds the supply.

3. Teach twice a week, 1 hour each time, and go to students’ homes or designated locations to teach. If you serve as 2-3 tutors, you can pay for all the expenses of studying abroad. As a tutor, there is no burden on students, easy teaching, free time control, good income, and enough study time. It can be said to be the best choice for work-study.

4 Take advantage of the holidays to work for a company overseas for a period of time. On the one hand, you can get a relatively stable income, and on the other hand, you can learn about the basic operations of Korean companies and the life of the working class. The monthly income is generally 1 million won.

5 Advantages of working in a hotel: you can find classmates as work partners, there is music in the work place, and it is easier to work and you have more opportunities to eat delicious food than elsewhere. Disadvantages: You have to stand a lot, which consumes your energy. , having to serve several people, usually requires a lot of effort and low pay.

Studying in South Korea generally costs about 2,000 yuan per month for living expenses. The living habits in Korea are different from those in China, especially in terms of food. When you first arrive in Korea, you will be very uncomfortable. Eat three meals a day, casual breakfast and dinner, only eat better at lunch. In university student dining halls, breakfast is often bibimbap. The so-called bibimbap is a bowl filled with rice, and on top of the rice are lettuce, bean sprouts blanched in boiling water, and seasonings such as soy sauce. Lunch is rice bowl, which is a bowl with rice inside and meat on top. Rice bowls include pork rice bowl, beef rice bowl, etc. The price of each rice bowl is 3,000 to 4,000 won, which is approximately equivalent to RMB 24 to 32 yuan. Since the portion of the meal is large, one girl can't finish it, so she can share it with another person, which saves money and fills her stomach. In Korea, oil is rarely used for cooking. Usually rice is mixed with sesame oil.

Korean law does not allow foreign students to rent a house alone, so international students generally live in student dormitories provided by the school. The price generally ranges from 100,000 to 300,000 won per month. In addition, they have to pay for their own expenses. Electricity, phone calls, etc., and heating bills in winter (generally about 100,000 yuan a month). Nowadays, many students rent a house to live outside. One type of renting a house is monthly rent, which is paid monthly or every six months. The rent usually ranges from 150,000 to 400,000 a month. Another option is to pay a one-time deposit of 15 million to 30 million before moving in, and the deposit will be returned to you when you move out. Although it is very cost-effective, most Chinese people are afraid It’s hard to come up with that much money at once.

Housing type: If you are a foreigner who wants to stay in Seoul for a long time, it is best to choose rental housing, which is more advantageous than other accommodation facilities. There are many types of housing in Seoul, including single-family houses, western-style houses, apartments, and One Rooms. Most of the first three are unfurnished, so before signing a contract, you should confirm the housing type and prepare the required furniture.

1. Single house: It is to build a house and courtyard on personal land, with a single door and a courtyard. Gas or kerosene is generally used for heating in winter, and the landlord is responsible for security. Many foreigners live in such houses in Hannam-dong and Seongbuk-dong.

2. Western-style buildings: The area is larger than ordinary apartments, usually 3 or 4 floors, with managers and doormen responsible for security, and can be found throughout Seoul.

3. Apartment: The doorman is resident and provides services. Comes with parking and courtyard.

4. One Room: The living room, bedroom and kitchen are combined into one room, similar to a single apartment, and are most common near universities such as Sinchon-dong and Sinlim-dong.

5. Homestay: When you stay with an ordinary family, the landlord will provide you with a room and two meals in the morning and evening. Room and board fees are paid monthly, and prices vary depending on transportation and equipment conditions.

Areas where Chinese people live together: With the internationalization of Seoul City, the number of foreigners staying long-term is also increasing. Therefore, areas where foreigners live concentratedly by country and region have naturally formed. Although the residential area is small, you can experience foreign culture and taste exotic flavors in this area. In particular, most Chinese people live in the Yeonhuidong area.

South Korea’s transportation is very developed. The criss-crossing railway network runs throughout the country. It takes about 4 hours and 10 minutes to take a train from Seoul to Busan. The highway network connects large and small cities and towns in South Korea. Connected, very convenient.

Food prices in Seoul (all food prices are market prices near my residence, calculated in Korean won)

Bread, a bag of small slices is 1000/400-500g, can eat 3 This morning, there was a discount of 1280 in E-mart on weekends. Haha, 800g, just enough for a week.

There are two types of milk from the same brand, one is Tetra Pak, which can be stored for more than 1 month, and costs 1250, and the other is a house-shaped box, which costs 1600, and both are 1000ml. The latter will buy one and get a small box of 200ml, but it is still a good deal. As for the taste, a dull person like me can't tell the difference.

Four is okay, 900-1000/kg, but rice is very expensive, about 1700/500g. I eat rice at school at noon, so I usually don’t make rice at night, but I still buy it. I eat it when I'm stewing fish and meat, because I don't know how to make pancakes.

Instant noodles are more common in the price of 2000-3000/5 packs. I have eaten two kinds, one is spicy ramen, which is also available in China, and is Nongshim's, which is spicy as hell. I also changed to another type of seafood, and the corresponding Korean rice is called "Kai Gusu". But it’s not delicious, mainly because of the seasoning. There are no delicious sauce buns or oil buns, so eating instant noodles is not as good as hanging noodles (the price varies between 1200-1600/900g due to different thicknesses and brands). The taste Make your own mix, beat an egg, and stir-fry some vegetables.

Quick frozen dumplings, 4000/400-500g, are actually stuffed with cabbage and kimchi. A box of dumpling wrappers (small) costs 1,700, so rolling your own wrapper and filling is the most cost-effective. It is usually only eaten when there are many people or during the New Year and festivals, so it is worth the trouble.

Grease, basically soybean oil and corn oil, about 3000-4000/1.8L. Koreans are very afraid of oil, and you can’t see any oil in the food in the cafeteria. Although I eat a lot in the cafeteria every day, I am still very hungry after school, so I have to refuel myself.

Vegetables: Onions, my favorite is 2000/6. It’s still the kind of white onions, I can eat 2 in one meal. There is a stall selling onions, haha, 2000 for a small basket, so heavy.

Green peppers, 1000/3-4 small ones, if you add an egg or some shredded meat, you can fry two for one dish.

Chinese cabbage, 1000/half or a small plant, but after cutting it, there is still a lot, and it is occasionally used as a side dish for boiled meatballs.

Cabbage, 2000/1 big tree, 500/quarter, rarely eaten, don’t know how to eat it.

Cauliflower, 1000/1 piece, one piece cannot be eaten once fried.

Potatoes (large) 300/100g. I bought two and it cost 1,400.

Small tomatoes, 500-600/100g, big ones are not tasty, they look raw and have no taste, so I don’t buy them.

Soybean sprouts are the cheapest, 500/large pack. Occasionally, they are cooked and stored in the refrigerator for cold dishes.

Cucumber, 1000/3-5 pieces, of course not the domestic kind with thorns on top, somewhat similar to autumn cucumbers.

Garlic sprouts, 1000/a small handful,

Carrots, 1000/3-5 pieces

Eggs, generally 5000/30 pieces, Lotte Supermarket promotion The cheapest one at the time was 2800/30, but it was smaller. Eggs are really a good thing. They can be cooked in various and simple ways. They can be steamed, boiled, fried, stir-fried, or made into soup.

I don’t know what kind of fish it is. How much does it cost per catty? I bought a large fish for only 1,000. The taste is okay. Flat fish costs 5,000/3 fish. It is medium-sized and rarely eaten. Lean meat is about 450/100g. Beef is not worth it, it is at least 1400/100g. I have never seen mutton. Pork belly is also very expensive, but I don’t like it, so it seems to be around 1500/100g. I don’t know if I’m used to eating water-injected meat in China, but I feel that the lean meat here is unpalatable. Pork filling, 2400/600g, occasionally used to make boiled meatballs without adding any oil.

Chicken, depending on the size of the whole chicken, ranges from 2,500 to 5,000 yuan. Eat meat and drink soup, um, delicious. There are also chicken legs and chicken breasts, which are much more expensive at 980/100g. The key is that the taste is not as good as the whole chicken. I once saw chicken feet, but I didn't ask about the price at that time. Then Huang He left and never came back. I never saw them again, which was very depressing.

Green onions, necessary for cooking, 500-800/bundle. Ginger, 2000/a large piece, garlic, 5000/1 small bag, this is too expensive, I only buy it to stew meat and fish.

Soy sauce, 2500-3500/1L, I have bought several kinds, the one with the words "Quan" and "No1" is more delicious. Vinegar, the taste is different from domestic ones, 650/400ml.

White sugar, 900/1kg, feels so cheap. After buying it, I ate it once, with tomatoes mixed with sugar, and the rest was just too sugary.

Table salt is about 600/500g. I have never bought MSG, so I don’t know.

Beer, Hi brand 1,400/bottle; soju, I hate it so much, I don’t know.

Currently, bananas are the cheapest fruits and can be eaten all year round. A lot is 2500 yuan, about 16 pieces, very big and very good. There are cheaper ones outside. I saw one from a truck at the subway entrance. It only cost 2,000 yuan. It’s super big and very good. Strawberries, about 1500/400g, extra large ones cost 2500/400g. These are the two most eaten types, along with small tomatoes, 2000-2500/400g. Apples cost 1,000/piece, but they are not the domestic Red Fuji. They are smaller and not good-looking, but they taste okay. Sometimes supermarkets have special prices, so you can buy some and save them to eat later. Oranges, a huge one costs about 1,000. Pineapples, very green ones, cost 4,000 per piece, and you don’t even have to peel them. Grapes are 600/100g, small kiwis are 3500/5 pieces, and there is also a small yellow-white melon, which is about the size of my fist, 3000/3-5 pieces. These are still affordable for us. . You can only look at watermelons and other melons. A small pearl melon costs 8,000, and a watermelon costs 6,000-8,000. Isn’t this stealing money?

Chewing gum: 1000won for three packs of Lotte, ***18 pieces.

Coffee is cheaper than domestic coffee, and there are often discounts. 20 packs of Nestlé 3-in-1 Instant only cost 950, which is RMB 5 cents per pack. I occasionally buy it to stay up late before exams. There are a lot of teas, but they are all tea bags and taste bad, so tea lovers bring some from home.

Mineral water: I bought 500/500ml outside when I went out for fun. The cheapest one in the supermarket is 500/2L.

In supermarkets, Pepsi costs 950/1.5L, Coca-Cola costs 1,300/1.5L, orange juice costs around 2,000/1L, and canned Coke costs around 400. The volume is smaller than domestic products.

There are also various small packages of juice, vegetable juice between 350-700, canned Nescafe coffee, 1000/6×200ml.

Yoghurt, usually a lactic acid drink, is very sweet. If you drink too much, you will gain weight, haha. Original yogurt 1600/4×100ml is not delicious, not as good as the yogurt from my hometown sports team.

Snickers bar, 800 for a large bar, bought in a small store, I don’t know if I bought it in a supermarket.

For chocolate, I have seen Dove, but there are not as many varieties as there are in China. I often eat Hershey’s, 1000/180g promotional packs.

I can’t find melon seeds, plums, etc. I usually see cashew nuts, peanuts and dried raisins, but I haven’t bought any.

Seaweed, Chengjing’s 2000/1 big bag, I eat it often.

The weird thing about biscuits and pastries is that the guide prices are printed directly on the packaging, but they are all cheaper than that. The most common factions are basically hovering around 2000-3000. Biscuits cost about 500-1000/100g. Small sticks like black and white are common and very cheap. They cost 1000/3-4 boxes. I sometimes buy them and put them in my schoolbag to eat when I am hungry in the afternoon. Nongshim’s shrimp crackers taste pretty good, and the guide price is 600/90g, which can usually be purchased for 450.

The popsicles are between 500 and 1,000. They taste good but are too sweet.

Eating out, haha ??`````` 3000-5000 is the most common. Note that it is not barbecue and the like, but noodles, bibimbap and the like.

A piece of kimbap costs between 2,000 and 3,000, but it’s not filling at all. Bibimbap is about 5,000, fried rice is 3,500-4,000, cold noodles are 3,500-4,000, and shin ramen is the cheapest, 1,500-2,000, but I won’t eat things that I don’t eat at home, let alone outside. I feel like the restaurants near the university are cheaper and better. Hamburgers, around 2,000, the one on the right is delicious, but not guaranteed. The difference between this one and that in China is the smallest, and the taste is pretty good. I eat it often. Sandwiches are also often eaten, at least they taste better than pickles. Rice cakes usually cost 300-600 yuan a piece. They taste good, but they are still worse than domestic ones. They don’t feel glutinous enough.

Korean takeout is very developed and is generally guaranteed to be delivered within thirty minutes. But I don’t know the price, so it’s all for free. But it will definitely not be less than 4,000, and you must eat noodles. The soup is so watery that you will be full quickly, and the bibimbap is a big bowl. It is a little bit of rice, but it is gone before you can eat much.

The canteen set menu is 1500-4000 (I only eat 1500). It varies every day, but the essentials are white rice, kimchi and soup. It’s not very tasty and spicy, but it’s quite a bit (limited to white rice and kimchi), so I usually eat a lot of rice, and then go back to cook my own food in the evening to replenish vitamins and protein.

There is another thing that is very distressing, and that is plastic bags. Plastic bags in supermarkets cost money. Depending on the size, the price ranges between RMB 20 and RMB 50. I usually bring my own bags to the supermarket. Haha, save money if you can. No one's money is free. And garbage bags are even more distressing. Ten 20L bags cost 3,300, ugh, which is about 30 yuan in RMB.

Note: These are the general prices in supermarkets and markets. We are all students, and some are rich, but most of them spend their parents’ or their own hard-earned money, so in order to save money and eat well, observe carefully and search hard. Sometimes supermarkets will have promotions, usually at least 20% off, and some can be 50% off or lower. There is a small supermarket on my way to school. I go there every time after school. I see what is on sale today and what is the cheapest, so I decide what to eat today or even the next day. The cost of cooking food and meals by myself every week never exceeds 7,000, including meat, eggs and vegetables, ensuring nutrition and eating well. Including milk and bread for breakfast (2500/week), 1500*5 from the school cafeteria, plus fruits and pocket money, all weekly expenses are controlled at 25,000. Haha, in one month, it will be around 100,000. Water, electricity and gas are more than 30,000. If the total amount is converted into RMB, it may not be able to catch up with the monthly expenses of some domestic college students (but this does not include rent, which is the biggest expense, woo woo, woo woo woo). In fact, I didn’t calculate this way when I was in China, or I spent a lot of money lavishly. I don’t know why I seemed to grow up overnight after I came out. I suddenly understood that the Korean won in my hands was the result of my parents’ hard work, getting up early and working late at night, every penny. I earn it, and I always feel that saving money is honoring my parents. Of course, I know there are people who are more economical than me, but I have tried my best because I still have to use my revolutionary capital to study hard. And I know that if you want to live a better life, you must pay equal attention to increasing income and reducing expenditure, haha.