It has come to my attention that I have several readers who are preparing to come to Korea. Since I have been where all of you are, excited about the adventure, but nervous about what to expect, and unsure of what to pack, I'm offering a bit of assistance. I went crazy trying to figure out what to pack, especially since airlines put so many restrictions on size and weight now. I was unable to find a good, comprehensive what-to-pack list, so I'm making one for all of you. I hope this helps.
First of all, a few words about airlines and their restrictions. The restrictions on luggage vary depending on what airlines you fly out on. Most likely, you will be using two different airlines for your trip, and it is likely that the restrictions will be different on each one. I have done some checking on the policy of charging for a second bag, and it turns out that that only applies to domestic flights, so for international travel you can still check two pieces of luggage. Below are links to the luggage restrictions for several major airlines (in alphabetical order):
American
Asiana
British Airways
Continental
Delta
Korean Air
Northwest
Singapore Air
Southwest
United
Now as to what to pack, I can offer you the following list (this is geared towards women, but men can benefit from this list as well):
Clothing - If you wear over an American size 8 and you are going anywhere other than Seoul, pack as much clothing as you can. You will find it hard to find pants over here that fit. If you are going to Seoul, you should be able to get clothes there, unless you are over an American size 14. Anyone over that size needs to pack as much clothing as possible; Korean women are very small. If you wear over a B cup, don't count on finding bras here. Everyone should be sure to pack for all seasons; winter is very cold and summer is very hot and humid. Korean women do not wear spaghetti strapped tops except as undergarments. Topwise, they tend to dress modestly. Check with your director as to any dress code for teachers at your school - in my case, jeans and t-shirts are fine, but many schools expect teachers to dress nicer. Socks are plentiful, cheap, and cute here.
Shoes - If you wear over a US size 8 shoe, you may have trouble finding shoes. Don't weigh yourself down bringing a ton of shoes with you. Bring shoes that are comfortable for walking and that are easy to take on and off, since you'll be removing them a lot. Don't bother packing flip-flops; you can get them here. Wear your heaviest pair of shoes on the plane to save weight in your luggage. I recommend packing a light pair of slippers in your carry-on so that you can just leave your shoes off on the flight - it's a long trip getting to Korea.
Electronics - Make sure you bring your laptop computer if you have one. You can inexpensively buy a converter over here to plug it in - don't waste space or weight on bringing a converter from home. Do not waste space on hairdryers, curling irons, or electric razors; you can get all of them over here, and the plugs and current are different as well. Don't bring your cell phone; only Korean phones work here. They're better anyway, so you'll be happy to get one here. Portable DVD players are nice for the long travel, but if you fly Korean Air, you'll have a personal LCD monitor with over 60 films to choose from on the flight. Do bring DVDs; they're nice to have and plus, you can swap with other foreigners and host your own movie nights to socialize. If you don't have a digital camera, buy one here - they're cheaper and better than the ones at home.
Bedding - don't waste space on it. If you absolutely cannot sleep without sheets, bring one full size set with you - sheets are pretty much unheard of here. I brought a really soft, plushy blanket with me, which has been nice to have. If you're particular about your pillow, bring one from home. I didn't bring a pillow, and I am perfectly satisfied with the two I have here.
Toiletries and Feminine Needs - Bring travel-size bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, since you may not be able to get to a store right away. Don't waste space on big bottles. Korea has awesome bath and body products. Don't waste space on facial products or lotion either - you can get better stuff here than at home. Do bring as much deodorant as possible; it's hard to find good deodorant and the good stuff is expensive. I was smart and brought a year's supply. Toothpaste and toothbrushes are easy to find, but not fluoride toothpaste, so you may want to bring that. Contact solution is sold at all the pharmacies here, and they have many of the name brands. Pads are easy to find. Bring a year's supply of tampons. To save space, consider buying the compact style that Tampax pearl now comes in. If you are prone to yeast infections, bring some meds with you. Makeup is quite easy to find here, and they have some really nice products. Bring enough basics to get by at first, and then buy more here.
Medication - Korean pharmacies and doctors are great. However, when you first arrive, you won't know the language and you will almost certainly get sick, since your body will be bombarded with changes. I recommend bringing Benadryl and Clariton to handle allergies, as well as a good nasal spray and perhaps some allergy eyedrops. I recommend Musinex DM and Nyquil to handle the inevitable first illness. You might consider having your doctor at home give you a general antibiotic to bring with you. Once you are more familiar with your surroundings and know a bit of Hangeul, you should have no trouble getting meds here. Get a one year supply of all your prescriptions before leaving home.
Misc. - Books are great to have, but don't load yourself with too many. They do have English bookstores in several cities here, like Seoul, Daegu, and Busan. Many full-text books are available to read online at The Literature Page. Stationary supplies and notebooks are easy to find and very neat over here. A phrasebook is nice, but not essential. Flashcards and a puppet are very useful when teaching small children. I recommend bringing some teaching aids with you. A small book about your state or city will be of interest to your students and to the Koreans you'll befriend. Dishes and kitchen supplies are a waste of space - you can get them all here, and almost all directors will provide you with the essentials.
Must Haves - Bring one bath towel, one hand towel, and one washcloth. The ones they have here are much smaller and rather weird for us westerners. Bring pictures from home and possibly a map or two; your students and fellow teachers will be eager to see where you are from. Buy one good guidebook - I recommend either the Moon Handbooks one or the Lonely Planet guide. Get the latest edition, since spellings of place names tend to change and can get confusing (ex. Gyeongju used to be Kyong-ju). Bring a few special things that remind you of home, since you'll be away for a year. Pack some protein bars in case you have trouble with the food at first. Most of us love the food here, but vegetarians and picky eaters will have a hard time.
One more thing - shipping isn't terribly expensive, so if you can't cram everything you want into the allotted space, have someone back home ship things to you. Use your school address to have your mail and packages sent to.
I hope this is helpful to all of you who are preparing to come. If you have any questions or concerns, I would be happy to help you, so just post a comment.
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