Packing and Countdown to Korea!

        With less than one week before heading off to Korea, I figured now is a good time to add a post and some photos. I'm not sure if I'll have time and Internet access during my orientation and moving in process, but I promise when I get settled I'll post more frequently.

        So the big question: how does one pack her life into two suitcases and a carry-on? Fortunately, my experience packing for a year in Japan made me realize how much crap I took with me that I really didn't need. This time around, I promised myself to pack smarter (and lighter) and it's going swimmingly so far. Here are a few tips that helped me decide what to bring.

Suitcase 1

Suitcase 2

Carry-on

Travel-size blow dryer

         The big one is voltage. Korea has different outlets and voltage than the U.S., so you have to buy an adapter and possibly a voltage converter. If you try to plug a 110V hair dryer into a 220V outlet (even with an adapter) good luck trying to explain why the building burned down. Luckily, most common items today (laptop, camera, kindle, etc.) are compatible from 110V-240V. It should say somewhere on the item's battery pack. My biggest problem was with my necessities; personal grooming appliances. Most U.S. hair dryers, flatirons, etc. are not compatible with 220V, so instead of buying a voltage converter just for that, I bought new ones that cover the wider range of voltage. So all that is needed is an adapter! Yay! *Voltage converters are heavy and can be bought overseas anyway, so it's best to wait if you're thinking about getting one.



Adaptor for Korean Outlets

        Other than that, clothing and shoes take up most of the space. I avoided packing a lot of pants/jeans, because with the Korean diet of rice, vegetables, and meat (in that order) and walking everywhere, it's a guarantee I will lose some weight. Everything will be fairly loose in a few months, making it necessary for me to buy practically a new wardrobe anyway. Also, deodorant is virtually non-existent in Asia, so stock up. You could probably sell one on the black market for $10. Oh, and here's a fun random fact. I had to buy gifts for my co-teachers/principal and I heard a popular item is multi-vitamins. Apparently they are hard to come by in Korea and are a much appreciated gift. I hope they like the horse pills I'm bringing...