Especially for those arriving in Korea for the first time, 3 things become quite clear very quickly:

• In order to get the most out of your experience, a sense of adventure is essential
• The number of unknowns in your daily life can be overwhelming at first
• Creating a space for yourself that feels like home in the midst of a new life overseas is invaluable

I remember the early morning arrival into my new apartment in Korea. It was an overcast rainy day. I was jet lagged. The air-conditioning had been left on, my sink was full of cigarette butts and the make shift curtains made from old sheets sagged across the dirty windows. My fridge contained half eaten food and the few dishes that had been left behind were in a pile by the sink.

I sat down in the cold dark space that didn’t feel, smell, or look anything like home. I wanted to unpack, but I didn’t want anything I valued to fall on the unclean floor. So, I scoured the town, phoning my one Korean acquaintance for advice on where I could find cleaning supplies (I was lucky enough to have a phone the first day, which was very impressive to my new expat friends. Due to immigration procedures, the process of acquiring a cell phone in Korea for foreigners often takes 3-6 weeks. The Arrival Store, mentioned below, allows new arrivals to have a phone waiting for them when they arrive).

For an expat, this can be a difficult time. After you find a place to shop most essentials are labeled in Korean, making soaps, detergents, sprays and disinfectants hard to decipher. Finding essentials like deodorant, soft bed sheets, water purifiers, electronic power converters, oatmeal and other things can be a struggle.

Fortunately, there are a few resources for expats.

Some of the best I found:

- The Foreign Food Market in Itaewon (Seoul). Here Foreigners find a collection of foods that are imported from abroad, as well as calling cards and other shops near by with foreign goods. Buying foods like macaroni and cheese here can be exciting for foreigners missing the tastes of home, but many western expats agree that the over priced items sold here (often past their expiration dates) aren’t worth the long trip into the center of Seoul.

- Emart, along with several other chain department stores, can be a good place for finding certain essentials, including cleaning products. However, there are challenges for most new arrivals using department stores to meet their needs: Locating a store and then mastering the public transport system to get their can be quite overwhelming during your first month or two in Korea, and depending on where you live, may be prohibitive. Also, once you do find an Emart, figuring out what to buy can be difficult, in part due to the language barrier and product selection. Blankets purchased in stores like Emart are often expensive, scratchy and uncomfortable for foreigners. There can also be the added frustration that after you stuff everything you can carry into the shopping bags you buy, you must make the often-long trek home.

- The Arrival Store is by far the best option for Expats. Started by former English teachers, the Arrival Store combines low shipping costs and fast service with a good return policy and a well developed selection of goods that can’t be easily found in Korea. It’s online too, which means expats can place orders prior to their arrival and have their orders waiting for them when they arrive (now including home cleaning kits!). I was fortunate enough to have shopped at the Arrival Store. I had a cell phone, comfortable sheets, pillows, a down comforter, power converters, a water filter and English language maps and informational documents waiting for me. It was awesome, and helped me turn a cold apartment into a warm place that soon felt like home. While some products the Arrival Store carries are a little bit more expensive than back home, as one considers the price of shipping from home, the limited luggage space, and the fact that it often takes weeks to get things shipped from over seas, the immediacy of the arrival store (usually shipping 24-72 hours), its high quality products, great customer service and the sheer fact that it provides teachers with peace of mind upon arrival (They even allow their customers to defer payment without interest until they receive their first pay check) makes it the best option for expats. Many teachers, including myself, continue to order items from the Arrival Store for the entirety of their time in Korea.

With the adventure and exciting unknowns that await, establishing a comfortable home in which to rest and relax is essential. Whatever you do before arrival in Korea, make sure all your bases are covered. Do the right research on life as an expat there. In order to hit the ground ready, nothing will be more important than the immediate peace of mind that a comfortable home can bring.

About the Author
James Rempt (1.5 years teaching in Sanbon, South Korea) graduated from Trinity Western University in 2007 with a degree in International Studies and spent a year and a half living and working in South Korea as an English teacher. He currently lives near Seattle Washington where he works doing non-profit community development work.

We build engagement and trust for the UK through the exchange of knowledge and ideas between people worldwide.

Our approach to cultural relations harnesses the power of education, the arts and creativity, sport, science, English and governance to build relationships of mutual benefit worldwide and to address global issues.

Job Description

British Council is recruiting for EFL teachers in Korea starting in April 2012 for our centres in Seoul and Incheon. These posts offer some of the best developmental opportunities in the British Council network and the chance to earn and save well in a modern Asian city with a well-developed infrastructure and low crime rate.

Desired Skills & Experience

To be considered, you should be a highly proficient user of English with an undergraduate degree from an English Speaking country. Please note the original degree transcripts are essential for visa purposes. You should also have a internationally recognised TEFL-I qualification (i.e. CELTA or equivalent) and a minimum of 2 years full-time relevant post-certificate teaching experience with a wide range of classes, levels and age groups.

Email your resumes to EAteacher.Recruitment@britishcouncil.org.sg

or

From our pioneering role in the development and commercialization of silicones, Dow Corning has grown to become a global leader in silicon-based technology and innovation.

Today, we develop performance-enhancing materials and solutions for virtually every industry in the world from the green industries of solar and wind to electronics, personal care, textiles, construction, and automotive and improve the daily lives of billions of people worldwide.

We’re proud of what we make, and the safe, environmentally responsible way we make it.

Do what you love. Love what you do… at Dow Corning.

From day one, you will be a valued member of our team, working with people from every country, culture and walk of life in a friendly, welcoming, and empowering environment. You supply the ambition and innovation. We’ll supply the opportunity.

Our Total Compensation programs recognize and reward you for the skills and value you contribute to the success of our company. We’ve made it our mission to create a culture that helps you maintain a healthy, well-balanced work-life style.

At Dow Corning, your future isn’t predetermined by us … it’s invented by you!

Job Description

• Work with customers and internal teams to establish specifications of wafer and epitaxy products.
• Assess and communicate Dow Corning technical capabilities and relevant customers’ needs.
• Assess device performance and correlate to material metrics to identify key material quality parameters in compound semiconductor.
• Act as the technical link between Dow Corning and customers for compound semiconductor wafers and epitaxy products and R&D programs.
• Support key customer / prospect relationships in order to understand and translate unmet needs to potential products / solutions.
• This role is based in Jincheon, Korea.

Desired Skills & Experience

• Masters or Ph. D in Material Science, Inorganic Chemistry, Semiconductor Engineering preferred. Or, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering.
• Minimum 2 years of working experience as a process engineer or R&D engineer in compound semiconductor fabrication, power electronics module, epitaxy process.
• Strong knowledge of solid state physics and materials engineering.
• Specific knowledge of material growth, characterization or discreet electronic device fabrication is desirable.
• Good interpersonal with written and verbal communications skills.
• Has a strong desire and ability to learn by seeking new information, knowledge, and experiences and practically apply that.
• Proactive, energetic and enjoys meeting with customers.
• Ability to effectively work across multiple functions and cultures.
• Can work autonomously with a high degree of self organization.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Revenue Goal Attainment: Develop and manage assigned global carriers in the defined geographic region for revenue goal and/or management business objective attainment.

Account Ownership:

• Ownership at a headquarters and through communications with the INTTRA General Managers, at a regional level for all account activities relative to account penetration, business development activities, integration requirements, support requirements and overall account satisfaction.
• Account ownership and communication with INTTRA product, customer service, marketing and other relevant departments on product positioning, new requirements, commercialization and implementation, issue resolution etc.
• Account Planning: The development and maintenance of detailed “Account Plans” as defined by the Vice President, Enterprise Team.
• Reporting: The on-time reporting of all forecast reports, trip reports, etc., as defined by the Vice President, Enterprise Team.
• Communications: Timely regional, headquarters (executive and departmental) and support related communications across the company to achieve global account penetration and satisfaction.
• New Product Launches: Introduce and design in new corporate products as they are released by the organization for the Ocean supply chain industry.
• Teamwork: Working with regional and headquarter personnel to address any and all account related needs and corporate related objectives.

Desired Skills & Experience

Education & Professional Qualifications: Bachelors Degree preferred.
Prior Experience: 10+ years of direct sales and Key Account experience

Candidates from senior positions or with significant commercial experience in a 3PL, Logistics, Software solutions or Ocean Carrier environment will be considered.

Skills & Qualities:

• Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team is critical.
• Demonstrated innovativeness and motivation.
• Must have excellent communication skills in English and Korean; Japanese language skills would be a definite asset
• Polished negotiation skills with major accounts with excellent listening and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated tenacity and the ability to navigate corporate structures.
• International experience is desired
• Flexibility and ability to shift with the demands of the business in an entrepreneurial, informal environment

Preferred:

• Extensive background in international supply chain and e-commerce solutions.
• Commercial background: Candidates with previous employment experience in a commercial/trade and/or business-related Project role working at an Ocean carrier, or Commercial Services and Key Account experience for Ocean Carrier clients at a HQ level, will have a definite advantage.
• Commercial understanding and industry knowledge of the Internet and e-commerce solutions for the logistics sectors such as B2B web portals is preferred

(select Seoul from the city dropdown menu and click search)

Job Description

Think Theorem -Think Ahead!

The primary function of a Clinical Research Associate II (CRA II) is to ensure the timely production of high quality clinical data, adhering to the standards set by the Company/Sponsor in the Standard Operating Procedures for clinical studies.

• Identifies potential investigator sites.
• Performs comprehensive site management activities. Provides consultative services to site personnel by coordinating and disseminating all pertinent data regarding study protocols, Case Report Forms, and FDA/ICH GCP guidelines. Helps to define quality standards within the project team.
• Conducts Pre-Study Monitoring visits. Reviews study plans with clinical investigators and evaluates clinical sites to ensure that they meet all study parameters and all FDA and GCP guidelines.
• Conducts Site Initiation visits. Reviews and explains study protocols with clinical investigators and clinical site staff. Serves as consultant to site personnel on all sponsor-related SOPs and regulatory requirements.
• Conducts Interim Monitoring visits. Reviews source documents, CRFs, regulatory documents, Informed Consents, Investigational Product, and clinical supply accountability. Ensures all Adverse Events have been documented and reported according to FDA regulations and sponsor protocols. Provides feedback and training to site personnel as needed.
• Conducts Close-Out visits. Retrieves and reconciles all study supplies. Archives study documentation and prepares the clinical site for any potential audits.
• Produces timely and comprehensive visit and status reports with minimal corrections/rewrites.
• Within International – collection of high quality critical documents and completion of ethics committee and regulatory submissions as applicable.
• Completes all other assignments given by management or as business needs require.

Desired Skills & Experience

• Solid knowledge of ICH-GCP and applicable regulatory guidelines. Solid clinical research and monitoring knowledge base.
• Demonstrated ability to provide consultative services to Investigators and site personnel.
• Good communication skills with ability to relay pertinent information to site personnel and study team.
• Strong organizational skills. Ability to function independently in either a home-office environment or office facility. A proven ability to take initiative and follow-up independently.
• Strong team skills with ability to work effectively with Company Clinical Monitoring Managers, Lead CRAS, Project Managers and Project Directors as well as site personnel.
• Computer literate; Microsoft Office skills including Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education or RN certificate required. Degree in Life Sciences preferred.
• 2 to 3 years of experience as a field monitor within a work-from-home setting.
• Ability to travel approximately 65 70%
• Fluent in English and Local language. (Written & Oral)

To apply for this job send your resumes to:
International.Careers@TheoremClinical.com

The third in our series on Photography Spots in Korea, we have Colin Roohan from Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is a photographer, writer, and teacher who has been exploring the globe in search of creative inspiration. In this series we will follow him, through his pictures, in the traditional markets of Korea.

The markets of Korea are something of an anomaly to most westerners. The atmosphere is a boiling caldron of smells, sounds and sights that are just simply unmatched by anything found on the western hemisphere. The first time I walked through a market in Seoul I was completely engulfed in the chaos. I had never experienced a shopping trip so sensual in my entire life. Tub after tub full of unidentifiable vegetables and roots enhanced my curiosity. The vendors are incredibly friendly and typically love having you inspect their goods; poking, prodding, and tasting are all commonplace.

Two Korean food items that you will undoubtedly see in most markets are gochu peppers and Korean ginseng. Gochu peppers are a type of red chili that is indigenous to Korea, while not as spicy as red chilies found in Southeast Asia; the Korean gochu still carries a good amount of heat and is a staple in Korean cooking. Korean ginseng is said to be some of the finest on earth do to Korea’s climate and geographic location. Ginseng can be bought in several forms and is often given as gifts. With numerous health benefits ginseng is a true miracle food.

Unsurprisingly the best part of Korean markets is the food. The markets are typically operated by farmers and working class patrons and in my humble opinion the food that this group dines on defines what food is on the Korean Peninsula. Hot bowls of rice, steaming vegetables, and when meat is involved not an ounce of the animal goes to waste; everything is fresh and extremely savory.

My favorite markets in Seoul are: Gwangjang Market in Jongno-Gu, Shindang Market in Jung-Gu, and Noryangjin Fisheries Market (south of the Han River) in Dongjak-Gu. There are dozens more sprinkled throughout the city so be brave and explore without an ounce of trepidation.

About the author

Colin Roohan has been a serious photographer for roughly two years and enjoys every second of it. He has won several photography competitions around South Korea, which is his current home. Colin’s travels have taken him through North America, Europe, South East Asia, Japan and South Korea. His images have appeared in magazines and newspapers throughout Seoul. Colin currently uses digital and film techniques to capture his images.

Through his blog – Colin Roohan Photography, he wishes to inspire creativity and ignite curiosity within its viewers. To follow his work, you can check his photostream on Flickr or like his page on Facebook.

These are my top unique situation romantic films from Korea. They deal with time travel, an alternative universe, and getting married to a high school student because grandpa says so.

시월애 (Si.wol.ae) literally “Time Transcending Love”
English title – Il Mare

As the literal title means this is a love story where the individuals are living in different times. The female lead, Jun Ji-hyun (aka Gianna Jun), is moving out of a custom house overlooking the sea. As she brings her last few boxes out she drops a note in the red mailbox asking the next owner to forward her mail. However the man to read the note is the first owner of the residence; two years prior to when the dated note was written.

After some time both understand that this mailbox allows the different owners of the home to communicate despite years apart. Using this tool they are able to do things like ask the other to retrieve a lost item and give warnings about abnormally cold weather.

They try to take each other on dates, while unable to actually be there, they send instructions and ideas of what they want to show the other. Seeing how these are rather entertaining they make plans to meet in real life.

This film combined with the bigger success of My Sassy Girl released the next year made Ji-hyun a star. It was remade in 2006 with Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves with the title “The Lake House”.

인어공주 (In.eo.kong.ju) literally “The Mermaid Princess” but is also the name for the Disney film The Little Mermaid
English title – My Mother, the Mermaid

Na-young is a young office worker living with her parents; an emotionally absent father and an oppressive-controlling mother, Yeon-soon. As she meets with her boyfriend Na-young sees herself becoming more like her mother. For understandable reasons the father has taken enough and suddenly disappears the day Na-young is to go abroad for the first time. She disregards her ticket and runs to her father’s hometown hoping to find him.

Now the movie gets fun as she is transported back to when her parents met; around Na-young’s age. Her father is a handsome young postman delivering the mail on his bike and teaching Yeon-soon how to read and write. Yean-soon is an older sister trying to help her little brother get the education she never had while supporting them as a female diver (haenyeo / 해녀).

Na-young and Yeon-soon become friends which is interesting when you learn there was only one actress playing both roles.

The town is sweet, the time is innocent, her parents make an adorable couple, and the movie is wonderful here.

역전에 산다 (Yeok.jeok.ae san.da)
English title – Reversal of Fortune

Kang Seung-wan was a promising golfer who decided to work the stock exchange. Well he made some bad calls, borrowed money from a loan shark, and now payment is due. After a “reminder” to pay he drives through a tunnel and spots a man who looks just like him, but with blond hair, right before he loses control of his car. Oddly enough he wakes up on a park bench and discovers that he is an alternate universe. In this world he is a pro golfer, his wife is ready to divorce him, and he needs to play in a major tournament despite not picking up a club in over ten years.

While this film is more comedy than romance it is included in this list due to the alternative universe aspect and he learns to be a proper family man.

Do also watch the credits as you get to see what happens to the blond haired Seung-wan in his alternate reality.

And if you like this actress she has been in plenty of other films where she plays other very strong female characters.

어린 신부 (Eo.rin shin.bu)
English title – My Little Bride

This film is a remake of the Hong Kong film My Wife is 18 from two years earlier. While the rights to a number of Korean films have been sold to Hollywood don’t expect this one to.

While families can pick the spouse for their children in various cultures, this is no longer true in Korea. So when recent university graduate Sang-min is told he must marry 15-year-old Bo-eun because of a promise made by their grandparents during the Korean civil war, they both object. Both families are uncomfortable with the idea and everything sets into motion when it appears the last of the two war veterans is on his deathbed.

Despite being forced to marry it is held a secret especially since Bo-eun has a crush on another boy at school and Sang-min is now the newest teacher at Bo-eun’s high school.

I know the premise sounds odd and possibly uncomfortable (which is why it has been hard to recommend at times) but the whole film is funny, not sexual, and is rather sweet. It is less romantic but instead feels like two old friends hanging out in awkward situations.

It was the 4th highest grossing film of the year and is one of many popular roles staring Moon Geun-young (Bo-eun) dubbed “Korean nation’s little sister”.

About the author

Richard Moore holds a B.A. in film production and has finished his M.A. in English
Education in Seoul. You can see other posts about the life of him and his wife in Korea at www.rickandnyo.com.

Richard was my roommate in Seoul and now is a very good friend of mine. He and Nyo are undoubtedly my guiding light whenever I am in doubt about anything related to life in Korea.

If you enjoyed our last series – Photography Spots in Korea – Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring by Ranjitha Jeurkar, then you would enjoy this even more. Because in this series we have 7 budding photographers from India sharing their pictures and insights about places to visit in Korea.

In this series we will showcase photographs of my dear friend Prashant Soni, Abhijit Jadhav, Shravan Kumar Nagabandi, Amit Jeed, Neha Mittal, Dr. Preeti Mishra and Sandeep Sangwan.

Prashant Soni (PJ Soni), myself and Deepak Nair had visited Seoraksan Grand Park along with Seoul Hiking Group and undoubtedly it was one of the most memorable trips in Korea. We hiked the beautiful mountains of Seoraksan continuously for 16 hours in the wee hours of the morning. It was the best time of the year when the leaves had just started changing its color at Seoraksan and autumn had just begin. Without giving away a lot let me share the top 5 pictures from Prashant Soni’s collection of Seoraksan Grand Park.

I have met Abhijit many times but it was only recently I got to know from his wife, Ashlesa about Abhijit’s secret passion for photography and poetry. I believe it is Ashlesa who inspires him to be so creative. Abhijit has captured some beautiful places through his lenses. Looking forward to more of his night photography pictures in the future.

Shravan has taken photography to a new level through his iPhonography and he has this atmospheric feel of Korean Indie Movies in his pictures. But I wonder whether it is Instagram or Pudding Camera which is at work here. Well, Shravan can let the secret out about the app which has helped him creates this magic.

Amit Jeed’s pictures of Ulgi Park in Ulsan is indeed very photogenic. Thanks Amit for sharing info about this beautiful place. I personally believe it is one of those unexplored places in Korea which is really beautiful but not very popular. I was really surprised to know that such an place exist in Korea.

Ulgi Park has a forest of 15,000 seashore pine trees, which are more than 100 years old. There is Daewangam Rock at the tip of the park. This large rock, now connected by a bridge, bears the legend that Queen Munmu became a dragon and submerged herself under Daewangam rock to protect Korea.

Neha’s picture shares the excitement I had when I had visited Korea for the first time. The excitement is not about visiting Korea per se but it is more about watching snow-fall for the very first time. I remember going ballistic clicking pictures of snow-covered Seoul and sharing it on facebook. Thanks Neha for bringing back those winter memories and excitement through your pictures.

I believe your journey to Korea would be incomplete if you fail to capture Buddha through your lenses. Dr. Preeti has shared this beautiful picture of Waojeongsha Temple in the forest valley of Mt. Odaesan, Yongin. Visiting Buddhist temples in Korea not only gives you insight about Korean history and culture but also cuts you off from the noisy city and gives you an opportunity to have a conversation with your inner-self in the tranquility of these temples.

And finally hats off to Sandeep Sangwan for standing 3 hrs in -5°C for clicking these beautiful pictures of this unknown beach in Ulsan. It is very hard to believe that this is your first time photography. Hoping to see more of your good work in the near future.

• Product management & Project lead for new market development
• Identify market opportunities and define product vision & strategy
• Develop and launch partner channel service and enhance existing service.
• Mobile service development with partnership to drive Yahoo! revenue
• Mobile ecosystem development

Basic/Minimum Job Qualifications:

• 10+ years experience in online and mobile business and related work.
• Knowledge of internet business ecosystem
• Solid fundamental understanding of APAC internet market and user’s behavior.
• Experience in cooperation with regional organization.
• Project management skills.
• Excellent communication, multitasking skills.

Preferable Job Qualification:

• Excellent communication, multitasking skills.
• BA or higher
• Good English skill (written and verbal)

Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected.

Millions of people use Facebook everyday to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet.

Other ways to connect with us:
Visit the Facebook Blog at: blog.facebook.com
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Job Description

Advertising Operations focuses on planning, implementing, and optimizing advertising campaign spending for the world’s top tier advertisers. This team collaborates with media agencies, creative agencies, brand managers, internal sales and cross functional teams to build Facebook’s advertising business through helping clients reach their consumers and become more social. This role is located in Seoul, Korea.
Desired Skills & Experience

Responsibilities

• Work directly with top tier brands, media agencies, and creative agencies as a Facebook advertising expert
• Educate clients on Facebook’s advertising processes, tools, products, and best practices
• Strategize, plan, and implement all elements of clients advertising campaigns with a focus on efficiency and scalability
• Consistently monitor advertising campaign performance and identify opportunities to optimize and improve return on investment
• Act as the point of contact for your advertising partners and proactively handle communication during all phases of a campaign’s lifecycle
• Collaborate with the sales team and other cross functional groups
• Identify and drive upsell and new sales opportunities
• Work with local, regional, and global cross functional teams to share, establish, and improve best practices and procedures
• Develop innovative and entirely new methods for planning, managing, and implementing Facebook advertising campaigns
• Develop research and insights that will help Facebook further develop and evolve our advertising platform and guidelines

Requirements

• Highly motivated self-starter with the ability to act independently
• Ability to thrive in a constantly changing environment
• Ability to manage multiple projects while maintaining strict attention to details
• Ability to collaborate and work effectively on a team
• Good communication skills at all levels of an organization
• Ability to confidently present to external clients
• Good problem solving and analytical skills
• Experience working with large data sets
• Experience inspiring action through data driven insights
• Experience managing online advertising campaigns
• Understanding of major advertising success metrics
• Experience working with SQL is a plus
• Experience with advanced Excel and VBA is a plus
• Experience with Stata, SAS, SPSS, Matlab, R, or other statistical packages is a plus
• Experience with PHP, C/C++, Ruby, C#, or Pyhthon is a plus
• Please note that all applications should be submitted in English