Guide for Overseas Hire Faculty 2016-2017
Guide for Overseas Hire Faculty 2016-2017
Welcome to Asia Pacific International School The number one reason faculty members join APIS begins with our unique mission and vision. Our mission of educating the future leaders of the New Pacific Century commits all of us here at APIS to a truly global education that sets us apart from other typical international schools. Asia Pacific International School prides itself in providing a distinctive model of international education in the context of East Asia. By emphasizing East Asian studies and languages in its curriculum, APIS is committed to making the educational experience in Korea an opportunity to achieve a greater understanding and empathy for this part of the world. In particular, every APIS student will have the opportunity to graduate being fluent in English and at least two East Asian languages
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necessary to succeed in this era of globalization. In delivering on our mission and vision, the most important element however is the quality of our teaching staff. I am a firm believer in the saying that “the quality of an educational institution cannot exceed the quality of its teachers.” Despite its short history, APIS has achieved enormous success because we have attracted first-rate educators who are skilled in their craft and, more importantly, passionate about their profession. For this reason, APIS is committed in providing our teachers with competitive benefits and ample resources so that they are able to do what they do best: TEACH AND INSPIRE OUR CHILDREN! Lastly, I would like to emphasize that you will be joining a school that practices mutual respect and showing appreciation for others. Firmly founded in the Christian Faith, APIS strives to provide a loving and caring Christian environment where all members, both Christians and nonChristians, belong together, are supported and encouraged. Again, welcome to APIS!
Euysung Kim, Ph.D. Director Asia Pacific International School
Orientation Guide 2016-2017
our students will be able to distinguish themselves from others and to gain the competitive edge
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(Korean and either Chinese or Japanese). By acquiring these sorts of “East Asian Competencies,”
Table of Contents
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About APIS Mission Profile Curriculum Core Emphases of APIS Education APIS Literacy Program College Matriculation Christianity and APIS
6 6 6 7 8 8 9
Background Information on Korea Fast Facts Economy History Religion Climate
10 11 11 14 14
Visa Procedures
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Your Contract
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Packing and Shipping General Shipping How to select what to ship
17 17 17
Travel to Seoul
18
Arrival
18
First Week Expectations at APIS
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Housing APIS Housing Policy Your Apartment on Arrival Temporary Soft Furnishings Utilities
21 21 21 21
Cars and Driving APIS Vehicles Driver’s License
22 22
Health Staying Healthy Medicines Immunizations Children’s Health In Case of Emergency Being Safe in Seoul
23 23 23 23 24 24
Teaching Responsibilities Faculty Work Days Additional Responsibilities
25 25
APIS Teacher as Learner and Leader
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Tips for Living in Seoul Entertainment and Recreation Language Food Transportation and Travel Shopping Television and News Mail Cell Phones Telephone Time Zone Money Matters Worship Services Embassies
29 30 31 32 33 33 34 34 34 34 35 36 36
Appendices Map of Korea Map of Seoul The Seoul Subway System Average Price List of Goods
37 38 39 40
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22 22 22
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Computers Laptop PCs Email Internet Service
THE MISSION STATEMENT APIS strives to educate its students, in a loving and caring Christian environment, to become globally enlightened citizens, who are able to bridge the gap between the East and the West and are ready to welcome the exciting challenges of the New Pacific Century.
About APIS Profile
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Asia Pacific International School is a K-12 private, non-profit college preparatory school fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). APIS is a purpose driven school with a unique vision and mission that will prepare our students for the “New Pacific Century.” APIS is a growth-mindset school with a belief that all students can succeed. APIS has: • A highly distinguished teaching staff recruited from the finest universities in North America and the world. Our teachers’ passion for teaching and expertise are the main reasons why our students achieve excellence. • An intimate, family-like learning environment with a 5:1 student to teacher ratio. • Purpose built facilities in safe and secure surroundings, located within metropolitan Seoul and only 30 minutes from City Hall.
• A resource rich learning environment, including high-speed wireless access, Smartboards in every classroom, a professional recording studio (equipped with Protools HD and an Avid C24 Control Surface), and a 3D printer (Zprinter 450). • An explicit commitment for need-based financial aid.
• A learning center staffed with full-time teachers to provide both in school and after school support for any students who need extra academic assistance.
Curriculum
• An inclusive community where children of all faiths can be nurtured together to achieve the highest level of intellectual and personal development.
U.S. based curriculum with emphases on East Asian competencies; performing and visual arts; science, technology, engineering, and math; and spiritual growth.
The Hibiscus Model of APIS Education The flower hibiscus symbolizes the APIS way of international education. Biologists describe hibiscus as a complete flower. In order for a flower to be considered complete it must have 4 components: sepals, petals, stamens, and pistils. With each of these parts serving a uniquely important function, a complete flower has all of the necessary components to sustain and reproduce itself. Similarly, the four components that we believe make our educational philosophy complete are: APIS Mission, Core Curricular Emphases, Skills and Dispositions, and Key Character Values. Core Curricular Emphases
APIS MISSION
APIS MISSION
CORE CURRICULAR EMPHASES
APIS mission sets the direction for our educational philosophy by asking “what will the New Pacific Century demand from our leaders?” The New Pacific Century refers to the growing importance of the linkage between the East and the West. Moreover, we recognize the growing importance of the East in terms of economics, politics, and culture. In a loving and caring Christian environment, we strive to educate our students to be the bridge builders between the East and the West. Our focus on four curricular emphases (East Asia Emphasis, Emphasis on Performing and Visual Arts, STEM Emphasis, and Spiritual Emphasis) is deliberate in design to address the unique challenges facing the New Pacific Century. We believe certain core knowledge or expertise simply cannot be fully outsourced to machines or to others. They can only be useful and serve a basis for further innovation if we possess the appropriate literacy and fluency in these content areas.
We use the term ESLRs (Expected Schoolwide Learning Results) to describe skills and dispositions we believe are necessary for the New Pacific Century. Defined into four main categories (Problem Solving, Communication, Collaboration, and Global SKILLS & Citizenship as Christians), our ESLRs reach beyond the simple 3-Rs of the conventional DISPOSITIONS education: Read, wRite, and aRithmetic.
KEY CHARACTER VALUES
Nurturing character values at APIS, we believe, is the most important supporting component because it is the foundation or backbone for the other two supporting components described above. That is, the content area expertise and ESLRs can only take one so far unless they know how to Aspire to the highest standards/goals and to Persevere in the face of obstacles. With Integrity, they will know how to make choices that stand up to one’s faith and the higher moral standards. Spiritually grounded, they will know the meaning and joy of leading a life of calling.
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Skills & Dispositions
Overseas Direct Hire Faculty
Key Character Values
APIS Literacy Program
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One of the key strengths of APIS’ educational program is its emphasis on building strong literacy skills in our students. Our elementary division has instituted the balanced literacy program, in which we implement our Writer’s and Reader’s workshops (based on the work of Lucy Calkins of Columbia University). This commitment to literacy is continued in the secondary through a rigorous humanities program with an emphasis on academic and creative writing.
College Matriculation Our graduates have been accepted to top colleges and universities, including Brown, Cornell, Columbia, Dartmouth, Duke, NYU, Stanford, UC Berkeley, Rutgers, USC, University of Michigan, Washington University in St. Louis, Rhode Island School of Design, and Yonsei University (UIC).
Christianity and APIS Firmly founded on the Christian faith, APIS seeks to foster the spiritual growth of its members in a loving and caring Christian environment where both Christians and non-Christians can work and learn together. We believe that an environment where both Christians and non-Christians are working and learning together is highly advantageous for all. Such an environment can, we believe, lead to a kind of spiritual growth that is more robust and enduring than would otherwise be possible in more traditional settings. For the non-Christian student, it amounts to being afforded a unique opportunity to understand the Christian faith, a movement which has been incalculably important in the shaping of world history and culture. We believe that this alone is of tremendous educational value. For all students, this model helps equip them to successfully live and work in a very diverse and increasingly close global community.
APIS Christian Philosophy As a Christ-centered school, we espouse the following beliefs: 1. A PIS is an educational institution focused on academic excellence, intended to serve students of all faith. • APIS is committed to providing a truly loving and caring educational environment where all children, regardless of their race, religion, gender, or nationality, can be nurtured together to achieve their fullest intellectual and personal development. 2. APIS will provide each student the opportunity to consider and accept the Christian faith in an atmosphere without pressure or the fear of disadvantage. • APIS aims to maintain an atmosphere where all members respect the personal convictions of others. Each student is ensured of the right to make his or her own decision about faith. At the same time, by choosing to matriculate in a committed Christian school, non-Christian students are expected to respect APIS’ Christian norms and practices.
Orientation Guide 2016-2017
While a plurality of worldviews is acknowledged at the school, APIS does not espouse other religious traditions. Neither have we designed the Spiritual Life & Education department to incorporate them in our spiritual life and practice. We do encourage all students and staff to pursue spiritual life and knowledge, but to this end, the school does not endorse or offer as part of our program practices rooted in religious traditions other than Christianity. This we see as essential to maintaining clarity in the theological position of the school.
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Christian education at APIS is departmentalized, as opposed to being infused into every part of our curriculum. The Chaplain and the Spiritual Life and Education department at APIS administers to spiritual guidance and Christian education of our students. Any course offerings not led by the Spiritual Life and Education department are, by design, identical to those offered in a standard, non-religious context. In other words, the availability and opportunity to access Christian education specialists and programs set APIS apart from other secular schools.
Background Information on Korea Fast Facts Country Name
Republic of Korea
Capital City
Seoul
Area
total: 99,720 sq km land: 96,920 sq km water: 2,800 sq km
*slightly larger than Indiana
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Population
50,220,000 (2013)
Population growth rate
0.4% (2013)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 79.3 years male: 76.12 years female: 82.7 years (2012)
Currency
won (US$1 = 1,100 won) (January 2015)
GDP
US$ 1,304.3 billion (2013)
Official Language
Korean (English is widely taught in junior high and high school)
Literacy (% of age 15 and over who can read and write)
total population: 97.9% male: 99.2% female: 96.6% (2002)
Religions
Buddhism (43.0%), Protestantism (34.5%), Catholicism (20.6%) and Other (Confucianism, Shamanism, Islam) (1.9%) (2005)
Climate
temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter
Terrain
mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south
Natural hazards
occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic activity common in southwest
Economy Prior to the economic crisis of 1997, Korea’s impressive growth performance was part of what has been described as the East Asian miracle. The three decades of extraordinary growth that transformed Korea from one of the poorest agrarian economies to the 11th largest economy and exporting country in the world, culminated in its accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on December 12, 1996. Korea’s rapid development was driven by very high rates of savings and investment and a strong emphasis on education, which boosted the number of young people enrolled in universities to among the highest levels in the world. Since 2004, Korean-made semi-conductors, automobiles, and wireless telecom devices have accounted for over 30% of the country’s total trade volume. Exports of IT products have risen every year since 1998 and reached US$ 126.4 trillion worth of exports in 2010. Korea’s semi-conductor industry, in particular, has achieved tremendous growth over the past two decades and is the third largest in the world.
History 11
The Prehistoric Age
Orientation Guide 2016-2017
Overseas Direct Hire Faculty
Korea’s history dates back to 2333 B.C. Archaeological findings have indicated that the first settlements on the Korean Peninsula occurred 700,000 years ago.
Gojoseon (2333 - 108 B.C.)
According to a legend, the mythical figure Dangun founded Gojoseon, the first Korean Kingdom, in 2333 B.C. Subsequently, several tribes moved from the southern part of Manchuria to the Korean Peninsula.
The Three Kingdoms Period (57 B.C. - 676 A.D.)
The Three Kingdoms Period refers to the period from the early 4th to mid-7th centuries A.D. marked by the struggle of three rival kingdoms (Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla) over territory spanning the Korean peninsula and part of Northeastern Asia.
The Unified Silla Kingdom and Balhae
The Unified Silla (676-935) The Unified Silla Kingdom promoted the development of culture and arts, and the popularity of Buddhism reached its peak during this period. The Unified Silla Kingdom declined because of contention for supremacy among the noble classes, and was annexed by Goryeo in 935.
Balhae (698-926) The Balhae Kingdom began to emerge just as the Goguryeo Kingdom was on the verge of collapsing. Goguryeo General Dae Joyeong founded Balhae along with his army of displaced peoples. At one point, Balhae became so powerful that it was able to acquire territories in northern and eastern parts of China. At those times, the Tang Dynasty of China referred to Balhae as ‘the strong country by the sea in the east.’ The significance of the Balhae Kingdom is greatly inherited from Goguryeo, and included territories previously held by Goguryeo.
The Goryeo Dynasty (918 - 1392)
The Goryeo Dynasty was established in 918. Buddhism became the state religion during this time and greatly influenced politics and culture. Famous items produced during this time include Goryeo celadon and the Tripitaka Koreana. The world’s first movable metal type was developed in Korea during the Goryeo Dynasty. Jikjisimgyeong, a Buddhist scripture printed using the metal type, is at least 78 years older than the first Gutenberg Bible. The Goryeo Dynasty’s strength decreased gradually in the latter half of the 14th century.
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The Joseon Dynasty (1392 - 1910)
The Joseon Dynasty was formed at the end of the 14th century. Confucianism became the state ideology and exerted a massive influence over the whole of society. Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, was invented in 1443 during the reign of King Sejong. The dynasty’s power declined as a result of foreign invasions, beginning with the Japanese invasion of 1592.
Establishment of the Korean Government (1945-1948)
Korea was liberated from Japanese oppression on August 15, 1945, but it soon faced the tragic division of North and South along the 38th Parallel. Both regions were placed under temporary military rule by the U.S. and Soviet armies. On May 10, 1948, with the help of the United Nations, South Korea elected Dr. Rhee Syngman as its first president. On August 15th of the same year, an official declaration announced the birth of the South Korean government. In the north, North Korea formed the Provisional People’s Committee for North Korea, led by Kim Il-sung, in February 1946. On September 9, 1948, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was officially founded.
The Korean War (1950-1953)
The Japanese Colonial Period (1910 - 1945)
In 1876, the Joseon Dynasty was forced to adopt an open-door policy regarding Japan. The Japanese annexation of Korea concluded in 1910, and Korean people had to suffer under Japanese colonial rule until the surrender of Japan in 1945, which ended World War II.
In the early hours of June 25, 1950, North Korea attempted a forcible unification of North and South Korea by crossing the 38th Parallel and invading South Korea. Military help from over 16 nations under the leadership of UN General Douglas MacArthur helped defend South Korea against the threat of communism. China and the Soviet Union lent their military might to North Korea. The war continued over the next three years until coming to an end on July 27, 1953, with a peace agreement signed at Panmunjeom, located in the DMZ. Not only
did the war ravage the peninsula, it also heightened hostile feelings between the North and South, making reunification a difficult task.
In 1988, the Roh Tae-woo government started off the year on a good note by successfully hosting the 1988 Seoul Olympics. His government went on to join the UN in 1991. The Kim Young-sam government, which began in 1993, implemented a new system in which people were required to use their real names when making financial transactions, a much needed reform at the time. In 1998, Kim Dae-jung was elected president. He threw his efforts into overcoming the financial catastrophe that hit Asia in 1997, and also hosted the 17th FIFA World Cup in 2002. President Kim Dae-jung was also the winner of the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize for his Sunshine Policy regarding North Korea.
The Aftermath of War (1954-present)
Beginning in 1954, the Rhee Syngman government focused on an anti-communist approach. In 1960, the government’s power collapsed under the students’ anti-government movement, the 4.19 Revolution.
President Lee Myung-bak took office in 2008 as the 17th president. His administration pursued change and pragmatism, and actively undertook the privatization of public corporations and passage of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA). On February 25, 2013 Park Geun-hye was inaugurated as the 18th president of Korea. She is the first female president since the establishment of the Korean government. She is also the daughter of president Park Chung-hee.
Orientation Guide 2016-2017
The Roh Moo-hyun Administration, which came into office in 2003, aspired to be a participatory government where public engagement played a key role. Key outcomes of the Roh Administration included a human resources policy targeting young and open-minded people, the liquidation of authoritarianism, and growth of the civil society. The second round summit talks between South and North Korea also took place under his administration.
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In 1963, Park Chung-hee was elected president and ruled with a controversial iron fist for the next 17 years. President Park Chunghee’s ‘Saemaeul Undong’ (New Community Movement, an effort to modernize Korea that began in 1970) brought about much progress in South Korea, and the systematic approach to economic development also yielded increased exports and positive returns. But with the democratic movement in progress and the citizens becoming wary of such extended rule, Park Chung-hee’s life ended in a 1979 assassination. In 1980, Chun Doo-hwan came to power and continued to lead the nation with an authoritarian slant, as had been the case with former rulers. His rule came to an end in 1987, after massive protests demanding democracy broke out across the country.
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Religion Historically, Koreans lived under the influences of Shamanism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and in modern times, the Christian faith has made strong inroads into the country, bringing forth yet another important factor that may change the spiritual landscape of the people. The rapid pace of industrialization which occurred within a couple of decades compared to a couple of centuries in the West, has brought about considerable anxiety and alienation while disrupting the peace of mind of Koreans, encouraging their pursuit of solace in religious activities. As a result, the population of religious believers has expanded markedly with religious institutions emerging as influential social organizations. Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the Constitution in Korea.
Climate
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Season Winter Spring
Summer
Autumn Winter
Month January February March April May June July August September October November December
Minimum -10 °C 14 °F -7 °C 19.4 °F -1 °C 30.2 °F 5 °C 41 °F 11 °C 51.8 °F 16 °C 60.8 °F 21 °C 69.8 °F 22 °C 71.6 °F 16 °C 60.8 °F 8 °C 46.4 °F 1 °C 33.8 °F -5 °C 23 °F
Maximum Average 0 °C 32 °F -5 °C 23 °F 3 °C 37.4 °F -2 °C 28.4 °F 9 °C 48.2 °F 4 °C 39.2 °F 17 °C 62.6 °F 11 °C 51.8 °F 23 °C 73.4 °F 17 °C 62.6 °F 27 °C 80.6 °F 22 °C 71.6 °F 29 °C 84.2 °F 25 °C 77 °F 31 °C 87.8 °F 26.5 °C 79.7 °F 26 °C 78.8 °F 21 °C 69.8 °F 20 °C 68 °F 14 °C 57.2 °F 12 °C 53.6 °F 7 °C 44.6 °F 3 °C 37.4 °F -1 °C 30.2 °F
Visa Procedures: E-7 Working Visa
In order to reside and to be employed in the Republic of Korea, all foreigners or expatriates must have valid passports and working visas. E-7 visas are required for teachers working in international schools. To obtain your visa you must first be issued a visa authorization number. This is accomplished by sending us (APIS) the following documents. 1. Make certain you have a valid passport.
3. Include also the following documents required for your visa issuance number. a. Photocopy of the first two pages of your passport which shows your photo and personal information b. Five recent official photographs in color (size: 3.5cm X 4.5cm, white background) c. An original copy (not a photocopy) of teaching certificates (if any, including ESL/ESOL teaching certificates) d. Your resume/CV (signed and dated) e. Letter of Employment from teacher’s most recent work place f. Completed and signed Self Health Statement (The form will be e-mailed to you.) 4. O nce all the required documents listed above arrive at APIS, they will be submitted to the Korean Immigration office here in Seoul for a visa issuance approval number. You should obtain your visa with this number from a Korean embassy or consulate in your country before you come to Korea. ( It is important to submit the visa application to your local consulate because each Korean embassy or consulate is responsible for a specific area of a host nation.) • P lease make sure that you’ve obtained an E-7 visa. If there are errors, please contact the Korean embassy or consulate as soon as possible. • APIS also requires each new faculty member to forward a criminal background check. U.S. citizens can go to their state police department, and Canadians have to visit a local division of the RCMP. If you cannot get a record before you come to Korea, please make sure to arrange it to be mailed directly to APIS.
Orientation Guide 2016-2017
2. After you have signed two copies of the employment contract send both copies to APIS (one will be returned back to you).
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* Please check your passport expiration date. If you renew your passport after getting the E-7 visa, the visa in your old passport becomes invalid.
Your Contract • Faculty workdays are 192 days starting from the first day of school. All new and returning faculty members are expected to participate in the pre-service orientation program that takes place before the start of the school year (The pre-service orientation period is not counted toward the faculty workdays). For new faculty members, the orientation period starts on August 1st and, for returning faculty members, the reporting date is about week later than that for the new faculty members. As there are some variations each year, the duration and the starting date of pre-service orientation program is published in advance in our school calendar. • Work Hours: 8 hours per day, Monday to Friday. There will be 3-5 nights/weekend days per year that teachers are expected to work (i.e. Open House, Back to School Night, Winter Concert, etc). • Employment and salary are conditional on verification of credentials, degrees, experience, placement files (or letters of recommendation), personal resume, and all post high school transcripts, evidence of which will be submitted to APIS within seven days of reporting for duty. • During the term of this contract, teachers shall abide by all Korean laws and regulations and the policies and regulations of APIS which are currently in force.
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• Teachers will work during the term of this contract under the direction and supervision of the assigned Administrator and/or the Director. A teacher’s primary teaching responsibility shall be determined prior to his/her first assigned duty day and may be further adjusted during the school year, if necessary, to meet the school’s needs. Each teacher will also be expected to assume two professional duties a year (e.g., an after school extra-curricular activity of about 2 hours per week). • Teachers shall not engage in any other employment nor engage in any activity that might be construed as a conflict of interest during the term of this contract without the prior written approval of the Director. • Your contract with APIS is an At-Will Employment Contract. As an at-will employee, you or Asia Pacific International School (APIS) can terminate your employment at any time with or without cause, reason, and/or notice. Nothing contained in any faculty handbook, or any workplace policy or rule of APIS and no verbal statements or promises made by employees or agents of APIS shall alter the at-will employment relationship between you and APIS or restrict the option of you or APIS to terminate the employment relationship. • If for reasons beyond the control of APIS, a teacher elects to terminate his/her employment with the school before the expiration date of this contract or you are terminated for cause before the expiration date of the contract, this contract shall become null and void in accordance with the current personnel regulations. Teachers hired through recruiting agencies who elect to terminate their contracts before the expiration date are responsible for all fees as described in their contract with said agency. • Any change in your marital or legal status, your spouse’s employment status, number and location of dependents, or any other significant changes from the conditions under which you were originally hired shall necessitate a review of current and/or subsequent contract status. • APIS salary and benefits are not based on an open pay scale. By signing your employment contract, the employee agrees not to discuss his or her salary and benefits package with other APIS employees. Any questions or issues with regard to the salary and benefits package should be addressed to the Director.
Packing and Shipping
Shipping A reputable company in Korea should handle all shipments. Contact one or more and request their nearest agent in your home country. All their prices are competitive, and all of those listed below are recommended. However, the school bears no responsibility for your shipment whatsoever. You may also wish to contact companies in your own area. If you choose an agency other than one listed below, ensure that your home country agency makes a connection with the Korean branch office and arranges for an agent to receive and deliver your goods. Remember to ship “Door to door.” • Excess Baggage Company : http://www.excess-baggage.com/ • Maersk Line : http://www.maerskline.com • Hyundai Shipping : http://www.cyhds.com
How to select what to ship Think carefully before packing and bringing valuables, antiques, or anything you cannot afford to lose. More and more articles are becoming available, but imported goods are somewhat expensive.
• Large sizes of clothes, underwear, swimming suits, and shoes are sometimes difficult to find. • Medications you are accustomed to. • Adaptors to be able to plug-in your western applicances (cellphones, computers, etc.) • Your favorite “Western” brands of shampoo, soap, toiletries, etc. (especially deodorant can be hard to come by in Korea). • In Korea, cheap items are indeed inexpensive but expensive items are really expensive. If you have any affinity for top brand items (Gucci, Prada, etc.), buy them at your home town outlet store. Even if they are not top brand items, anything you can pack away from an outlet mall is cheaper than buying in Korea. • If you like sports, bring your sports equipment. It is very expensive to buy top quality sports equipment in Korea (especially for bicycles, golf clubs, ski equipment, etc.) Somehow everyone in Korea uses top brand equipment. • BUY SLINGBOX and install it in your parent’s or your friend’s house back home. If you bring it to Korea, then it is of no value. It is the best way to watch your favorite tv programs back home in Korea. (see www.slingmedia.com) To make it work, you have to get an additional cable/or satellite box in your parent’s place (additional box is very cheap to rent) and hookup your slingbox to that unit. Otherwise, you (in Korea) will have to watch the same channel as your folks back home. • Even some everyday household items are usually cheaper in the U.S. and Canada. Actually, almost anything you can buy in a major discount store in the U.S. will be cheaper. The only consideration is the cost of transportation. If you are shipping a container and have left over spaces, by all means fill them with your favorite items. But, for a minor move where every inch of the volume will cost you, it is not usually worth to bring bulky everyday use items.
It is Better to Buy in Korea • 220-volt electronics and appliances (many of your electrical appliances from home will not work in Korea, due to differing plug sizes and voltages) • Regular household items – simply because it costs more to bring them.
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It is recommended that you use your own discretion in bringing to Korea the things that might be needed to help make you feel at home as well as make your adjustment easier. You should pay particular attention to those goods which are expensive locally or hard to find. Check with your airline for details of your baggage allowance.
Do Bring From Home
Overseas Direct Hire Faculty
General
Travel to Seoul You are expected to report to work on August 1, 2016. For those with travel benefits, the school office will arrange your flight and arrival dates. Ms. Jade Shim, APIS School Office Manager, is the contact person who will verify your point of departure. She will then make arrangements to send you the airline ticket. Ms. Jade Shim’s contact information: jshim@apis.seoul.kr (TEL: 82-(0)2-9072747 ext.5106)
Arrival On arrival in Seoul, a school representative will meet you at Incheon International Airport, immediately after you have cleared customs and exited the airport. The person meeting you at the airport will take you to your apartment. Staff Contacts: (to dial the number from outside Korea dial 82 then drop the zero; to dial inside Korea drop the 82 and include the zero).
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Cell Phone
Director
Euysung Kim
82-(0)10-6286-8465
ekim@apis.seoul.kr
Director of Development and Public Relations
Chung Min Ko
82-(0)10-8763-2443
cmko@apis.seoul.kr
Principal
Bruce Knox
82-(0)10-4907-5104
bknox@apis.seoul.kr
Dean of Students
Andrew Murphy
82-(0)10-9154-5091
amurphy@apis.seoul.kr
School Office Manager
Jade Shim
82-(0)10-8778-2069
jshim@apis.seoul.kr
Registrar
Suzie Chung
82-(0)10-8526-2906
suzie.chung@apis.seoul.kr
Registrar
Keira Lee
82-(0)10-9299-6204
keira.lee@apis.seoul.kr
Faculty & Student Service Coordinator
Julie Jung
82-(0)10-6369-7870
juliejung@apis.seoul.kr
* Once you arrive in Korea, if you have any problems, please contact Jade Shim or Julie Jung. They will be able to help you with any problems you may have upon arrival.
First Week Expectations at APIS
• Welcoming: Not only will
new teachers be welcomed upon arrival at the airport, but there will be a number of informal gatherings and meetings as an opportunity to get to know other new teachers and the administration.
• School Facilities Tour:
Within the first couple of days at APIS, new teachers will be given a tour of the school facilities (classrooms, gymnasium, music rooms, cafeteria, playground areas, etc.)
• Transportation:
Arriving into a new country can be intimidating, especially when it comes to transportation. New teachers will be picked up in the morning from their apartment in an APIS van and will be transported to and from the school. After the first few days, and with some guidance from returning teachers, the commute in the morning and afternoon using local transportation is easy, safe, quick and clean.
• Buddy Teacher:
There will be many opportunities during the first week (both formal and informal) for new teachers to be introduced to and to exchange ideas with their buddy teacher.
• Administrative Meetings: There are a
number of administrative requirements that need to be discussed during the first week. During this time new teachers will not only be introduced to the mission, philosophy and teacher handbook of APIS, but will also have an opportunity to discuss a number of pressing issues: cell phones, Internet access, bills, trash, AC, etc. Be aware that teachers will not be able to get a cellphone, internet, or banking until the health check has been completed. This can take up to three weeks after arrival to Seoul.
Orientation Guide 2016-2017
The first week at a new school is a time when many different feelings come forth and flourish: excitement, nervousness, uncertainty, accomplishment, etc. Here at APIS, we are all committed and dedicated to helping new teachers with a smooth transition into a new country, culture and school community. Here is a list of what new teachers can expect during their first week at APIS.
Overseas Direct Hire Faculty
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• Computer Software Meetings:
Here at APIS we use a number of applications that new teachers need to become familiar with in order to effectively communicate with students, parents and other staff. Some of the applications teachers use on a daily basis includes: Rubicon Atlas, Power School and SMART board. (Training sessions for these programs and equipment will be provided during the orientation week).
• Classroom Set-up Time:
Having an ample amount of time to set up the classroom is one concern on the mind of new teachers. Between meetings, workshops and informal gatherings, new teachers will also be given a considerable amount of time to set up their classroom environment.
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• Entire Staff Retreat:
New teachers will arrive at school a few days prior to returning teachers. When the entire staff has arrived, the administration leads an all faculty retreat so all teachers have the opportunity to get to know one another, to discuss important school policies and goals, and to build collaboration among the staff.
• Health Check: Due to Visa requirements, overseas hires will need to get a health check in Korea prior to the completion of their Visa. Within the first few days, all new teachers will go to a clinic together with a member of the administration. It is an easy process and the school administration will help with all the paperwork. The health check includes blood work, a urine sample, a chest X-ray, an eye test, and a hearing check.
• Staff Shopping Trip: There are a number
of large super-markets in Seoul that are within a short taxi ride from all new teacher apartments. At some time during the first week in Korea, new teachers will take a trip to one of the local super markets (E-Mart, Home Plus, Costco, etc.) as a group in order to do some shopping for their apartments. This market will give new teachers an opportunity to buy not only food, but also items for their kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, etc. If you have a Costco card from home, please bring it with you as you are able to use it in Korea.
• Neighborhood Walk:
It always takes a few days or weeks to become familiar with a new neighborhood. During the first week, a returning teacher will lead new teachers on a neighborhood walk to help them get acquainted. During this time a returning teacher will assist with: the buying of a T-Money card (used on the subway and local buses), showing how to get to and from school, locating near-by subway stops, pointing out of pharmacies and markets, etc.
• Local Trips: Occasionally a returning teacher will act as a guide and lead a group of teachers to local places within Seoul for the day. These trips in the past have included museums, palaces, markets, etc.
• Survival Korean Classes: An introductory
“Survival Korean Class,” given by one of the Korean language teachers, will begin during the first week at APIS. This class gives new teachers the opportunity to learn useful Korean words/phrases.
• First Week Evaluation:
Following the first week at APIS, new teachers will be asked to fill out an evaluation form in order to give feedback and to improve upon the orientation program.
Housing APIS Housing Policy Apartment houses are leased by the school and assigned by the administrative office to the faculty based on factors such as family size, age of children, and special needs. All apartments meet western living standards.
Your Apartment on Arrival Every attempt will be made to have your apartment ready for you when you arrive. The apartment will have basic furniture and major appliances. In a few cases, new teachers are placed in leased housing in which the apartment owner furnishes the apartment and you may not have exactly the items listed below. Of course, it is up to the teacher to spend the money to provide the “extras� that make the difference between a house and a home. Your apartment will be equipped with the following: 1 queen bed (or 1 single bed), wardrobes, couch, coffee table, one desk per teacher, a dining table with chairs, an air conditioner, refrigerator, gas stove, washing machine, bookcase, microwave oven, and basic cupboard items (pots and pans, etc). The school will provide basic food in your apartment to get you through the first couple of days.
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Utilities Korea uses 220v electricity. Transformers will be available locally to use your favorite 110v appliances but it is cumbersome to use transformers all the time. If the appliances (like most laptops and shavers) have free voltages, all you need then is an adaptor (available locally) to fit the local socket. It is best to purchase adaptors in your home country prior to arrival in Korea.
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New overseas-hire faculty will be provided with a starter kit of basic household items.
Overseas Direct Hire Faculty
Temporary Soft Furnishings
Cars and Driving APIS Vehicles
Computers Laptop PCs
A limited number of school owned sedans and mini-vans are available after school hours at a per kilometer charge.
Driver’s License If you have a foreign driver’s license, it is much easier to get a Korean driver’s license because you do not have to take a road test. The Korean road test is very difficult to pass so if you intend to drive in Korea, it is suggested that you get your license from your home country first. Our local staff members will help you get a license in Korea.
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Do bring your laptops to Korea or you might consider purchasing one in your home country before coming. Computers are no cheaper in Korea than in most other countries. For those who do not own a computer, there are APIS owned laptops/tablet PCs that can be made temporarily available to our faculty members. Any loss or damages due to negligence or misuse while the computers are in the possession of the teacher will be the responsibility of the user. Laptops used at APIS can be purchased at a reduced price through the school.
Email Even if you are applying for a permanent license in Korea, we recommend you to get international driver’s license issued from your home country. You can drive with your international driver’s license for 1 year, from the date of entry to Korea. The Korean government does not issue International Driver Licenses for foreigners; these licenses must be obtained outside of Korea. For additional information and requirements, please see the following website: http://dl.koroad.or.kr/license/en/index.jsp
You will be issued a school e-mail address shortly after your arrival (or if you would like it sooner just contact Julie Jung at juliejung@ apis.seoul.kr.) The APIS email portal is found at mail.apis.seoul.kr. If you choose to bring a laptop computer equipped with a LAN card, you may connect to the school network and enjoy full network services such as email, library access, internet/ intranet and print service from your teacher work area.
Internet Service High speed internet service providers are available in Korea at a cost of about $20~$40 per month. You may choose to explore this option if you would like to have email and internet access at home. Our staff will provide you with information when you arrive. It will take approximately three weeks to get internet set up in your apartment.
Health Staying Healthy
Medicines
Health care in Seoul is very cheap and available to everyone. The doctors are qualified, the clinics are clean, and the staff is professional. Most doctors speak some English. After receiving a prescription from a doctor, you may have it filled at a pharmacy (yak guk). This should not be difficult as pharmacies are everywhere and there is always at least one located close to hospitals and clinics. You can purchase OTC drugs at very reasonable prices and you can usually find things like hair care products, birth control, pregnancy tests, and traditional medicines.
If you require prescription medicines, you should bring a sufficient supply with you. Find out the generic name of the drugs in your medicine. Korea has a modern pharmaceutical industry, and most likely your prescription is available here, although it may have a different brand name. All prescription drugs and medical records should be carried with you and not trusted to a freight shipment. Prescription drugs arriving by mail will be assessed a heavy duty.
• Sinchon Severance Hospital 82-2-392-3404 82-2-2228-5800 • Asan Medical Center 82-2-3010-5001 • Kang Buk Samsung Medical Center 82-2-2001-6205 • Hannam-dong International Medical Center 82-2-790-0857 • Yeouido St. Mary’s Hospital 82-2-3779-2212 • Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital 82-2-2558-5745 • Soonchunhyang Hospital 82-2-709-9158 • Seoul National University Hospital 82-2-2072-2890
Children’s Health Again, check with your doctor for all immunization required and carry a complete record of what immunizations your children have received with the dates. This should be documented on an International Health Certificate and brought with you to Korea. • Minimum requirements are: full series of DPT, Polio, Hep. B, and MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella). • Many doctors recommend the typhoid series for children. • BCG, the vaccine against tuberculosis, may be given to children and babies. However, you are advised to discuss this with your physician first. • Smallpox is also recommended. • Cholera or yellow fever vaccinations are not required.
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• Samsung Medical Center 82-2-3410-0200
Medical opinion varies as to which immunizations are advisable when living in Korea. Check with your doctor for all immunizations required, and carry a complete set of records of all immunizations you have had with the dates. Most people receive the typhoid series and the Hepatitis A and B vaccinations.
Overseas Direct Hire Faculty
The following is a list of medical centers which include an international clinic:
Immunizations
In Case of Emergency Emergency Medical Information Center
* 상계 백병원 (Sanggye Paik Hospital) Address: Sanggye 7-dong 761-7, Nowon-gu, Seoul, Korea (#139-707) Hospital information
In case of emergency, foreigners can call 119 for help. When a foreigner calls 119, the staff in the situation room connects the call with a translator. The following services are provided:
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• 24 hours medical consultation by emergency medical experts • First-aid instruction guide for illness and injuries • Dispatch of ambulance when needed
The following is a list of medical centers near APIS: * 을지 병원 (Eulji Medical College Hospital) Address: Hagye 1-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul, Korea (#139-711) Hospital information Main number: 02)970-8000 Emergency center: 02)970-8282~3 Business hours Monday through Friday: 09:00 ~ 17:00 Saturday: 09:00~12:00 • English translation service is provided only during the day time. • This hospital is very close to the Brownstone and See & Me apartments.
Main number: 02)950-1114 Emergency center: 02)950-1119, 1120~1 For first-time appointments: 02)950-1166 FAX 02)950-1429 Business hours Monday through Friday: 09:00 ~ 16:00 Saturday: 09:00~12:00
Being Safe in Seoul Most foreigners feel very safe in Korea, even more so than in their home countries. In most neighborhoods it is not dangerous to be outside even very late at night. However, as a city with over 10 million people, crime does exist and one should always be careful despite the apparent lack of danger. Seoul can be a somewhat dangerous city with respect to civil unrest. Large scale protests are a common occurrence and sometimes you will see buses packed full of riot police near where the protests are taking place. These protests usually do not turn violent but it is best to steer clear of an area where one is being held. One important tip is to register with your embassy when you arrive in Korea. Registration ensures that your whereabouts will be known in the event of a major disaster or military emergency. You will also receive periodic updates regarding what to do in the event of such a major catastrophe. For a list of embassy websites see the list in the “Tips for Living in Seoul” section.
Teaching Responsibilities Faculty Work Days
Additional Responsibilities
New faculty members are required to report to the school in August 2015 (see “contract” section in this guide). Returning faculty report to the school about one week before school begins. Faculty will be required to remain one day following the close of school in order to bring the school year to a close.
In addition to teaching responsibilities, we expect our teachers to:
• Attend meetings such as staff and departmental meetings • Carry out supervisory duties at break times and/or at the beginning or end of the school day • Participate in parent-teacher conferences • Attend special events and support student functions outside of the regular school day • Serve on committees • Lead at least two extra-curricular activities for students
Additional Responsibilities
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All teachers are teachers of our EAL students within the classroom. Hence, it is possible to have a wide range of abilities in each class and teachers are expected to differentiate student learning as they develop their units.
• Participate in off-site student field trips
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Various sporting and cultural activities take place after school hours and on weekends. All teachers are expected to contribute to the extra-curricular activities program.
• Assume primary responsibility for student development by serving as a homeroom teacher with responsibility for the day to day pastoral care of students.
APIS Teacher as Learner and Leader Statement of Purpose & Beliefs APIS exists to ensure not that all students get taught, but that all students learn. Growing in the practice of teaching is a lifelong process that means as an educator there is continuous learning and growing. We believe that an educator committed to collaboration is both a learner and a leader.
“The Teacher as Learner and Leader” To be effective as both a learner and leader there is a need to be: • reflective in both our practice and our growth in a structured manner
We believe commitment to this requires: 26
• intentionally structured conversations built into our practice • continually learning as an educator and staying at the front of educational best practice taking on the role of leading • being accountable and transparent to the people who believe and trust in us - our parents and students
Our reflection is centered on: • What do we want our students to learn? How will we know they’ve learned it? • What will we do if they don’t learn it? What will we do if they already learned it?
PROCESS AND COMMITMENT To be effective, the TLL process must be participatory—individual teachers working with administrators and colleagues at all stages of the cycle, from goal-setting, to data-gathering, to interpretation, to reflection for further goal setting. Professionals at different stages of professional growth and experience may require different appraisal and support strategies. We see teaching at APIS as having two stages; The Beginning Years and The Continuing Years. We also recognize that on a rare occasion a teacher may be in need of professional assistance in their teaching. Classroom observations have at times been described as “formal” and “informal”. In some professional growth programs formal observations have included a pre-observation meeting, a thirty to forty observation and post observation meeting. Recent research has challenged the impact and helpfulness of this process in the professional growth of a teacher. Do single event observations truly capture the teacher in the classroom? Frequent observations sometimes called “walkthroughs” are believed to provide a clearer picture of teacher performance and a more balanced perspective of how things are going in the class. At APIS we have adopted this belief with an understanding that administrators may use a combination of these approaches in the observation of faculty.
THE INDICATORS OF EFFECTIVE TEACHING Domain I: Clarity in “What we expect our students to learn.” What do we want our students to learn? Curriculum Content Knowledge: Displays strong content knowledge based on the learning outcomes of the subject area; consistently embeds ESLR’s in subject area curriculum Curriculum Design: Develops, reflects upon and continuously refines curriculum maps that meet design standards and clearly articulate high expectations for what students will know, understand and be able to do Curriculum Equity: Collaborates to ensure equity--that all students in the same grade level or course have the opportunity to acquire the same essential knowledge and skills Communication With Parents: Communicates effectively with parents regarding student learning and works proactively with parents to problem solve when students don’t learn
Focus on Results to Improve Teaching and Learning: Explicitly aligns assessments of student learning to outcomes; Common Assessment results are analyzed collaboratively to inform teaching and learning; attempts to respond to students who are not learning and to challenge students who have already mastered learning outcomes Performance Expectations: Develops criteria and performance expectations (rubrics, exemplars, models) which are clearly communicated to students, involving them in their own learning Instruction: Plans and delivers engaging instruction designed to support achievement of identified learning outcomes, essential questions, and enduring understandings, for all students. Instruction (Research Based): Designs instructional strategies that reflect recent professional research on best practice and respond to diverse student needs Domain II: A Culture of Collaboration Students achieve when teachers are given the time and support to work together to build shared knowledge. Skills of Collaboration: Actively contributes to the development and maintenance of positive relationships in collaborative teams; knows and applies many of the strategies and behaviors of effective collaborative teams Skills of Collaboration to Clarify Purpose: Works respectfully and productively with colleagues to clarify what students should understand, know and be able to do and to determine how to assess their achievement Setting Goals: Works collaboratively to develop response strategies when goals do not result in improved learning
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Works effectively with counselors, student support services, administrators and/or teaching team to problem solve when students don’t learn
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Communication With Colleagues:
Domain III: A Focus on Learning Results Educators gather evidence about their school. They review data and adjust instruction accordingly. Data Gathering and Use: Gathers and uses assessment data to identify measurable improvement goals, to monitor classroom improvements, to make adjustments to practice and to inform instructional decisions for individuals and groups Assessment Literacy: Constructs valid and reliable assessments of learning that meet standards of assessment quality Setting Goals: Articulates measurable goals linked to student learning Domain IV: Environment for Learning Creates an environment in which students learn. Knows how to create a comfortable and respectful environment that creates as safe place for taking risks.
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Classroom Management: Establishes standards of conduct and classroom routines that are effective, clear to all students and appear to have been developed with student participation Respect and Rapport: Demonstrates genuine caring and respect for students as individuals; students exhibit respect for teacher as an individual, beyond that for the role Culture of Learning: Establishes and maintains through planning of learning activities and instructional goals, interactions, and the classroom environment, high expectations for the learning of all students Domain V: A Focus Beyond the Classroom An APIS teacher is committed beyond the classroom. They are involved in the community as well as their own professional growth. Organizational Service: Provides effective service to the organization beyond the classroom (such as participation in schoolwide and divisional committees) Co-curricular Leadership: Effectively leads co-curricular activities or programs that enable students to explore and enjoy new areas of interest and pursue excellence in those interests, talents and skills already developed Professional Growth: Willingly participates in professional development that aligns with APIS professional growth initiatives and implements required elements of PD.
Tips for Living in Korea Entertainment and Recreation Seoul is a dynamic and vibrant city that has just about everything you could possibly need. It has all the entertainment options that you would expect to find in a big city such as theaters, restaurants, and bars. Seoul also has a lot of parks and mountains located in and around the city where you can enjoy a wide range of sports including soccer, baseball, cycling, or one of the Korean people’s favorite activities – hiking. Last but not least, there are many amazing cultural sites to visit such as palaces, temples, and museums. Another great cultural experience is to see some traditional Korean performances such as Talchum (mask dance) and Samulnori (Korean percussion and dance).
General Information: • www.korea.net • www.visitkorea.or.kr • http://global.seoul.go.kr • http://travel.cnn.com/seoul Popular Websites for Expats: • www.adventurekorea.com • www.meetup.com • www.korea4expats.com • Seoul Hiking Group (on Facebook)
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You may also decide that you would like to learn something new or continue to pursue one of your current hobbies or interests while you are living in Korea. There is no shortage of opportunity to learn new skills or join one of the countless activity-based clubs. Korea has many institutes and academies in which you can learn things like martial arts, yoga, dance, cooking, and musical instruments. You can also search the Internet or look in magazines and newspapers to find clubs to join for a variety of activities such as travel, photography, and sports. Koreans tend to be very group-oriented and the average person often belongs to a number of different clubs or classes, so joining these kinds of groups is also an excellent way to make new friends in Korea.
Overseas Direct Hire Faculty
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Language Koreans call their alphabet Hangul. Like English, the letters of the Hangul alphabet represent individual sounds or phonemes. Hangul was invented by King Sejong of the Choson Dynasty, and introduced to the public in 1443 in Hun-Min-Jeong-Eum. King Sejong believed that Koreans needed an easy-to-learn system for writing their own language. Before King Sejong deigned the Hangul, Koreans had either written in the Chinese language or had written Korean using Chinese characters to represent the Korean sounds in a complex system, Idu.
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Hangeul, is made up of 14 basic consonants, 6 regular vowels, plus a few more complex consonants and vowels. It is a phonetic alphabet and surprisingly easy to learn. If you study hard, learning how to read Korean takes just a couple of days. Although there is a lot of English used in Korea and you can get by without learning much Korean, studying the language will make your time in Korea much more comfortable, not to mention rewarding. Korean people are very appreciative of foreigners who put some effort towards learning the language, and you will find that people will often compliment you on your Korean ability even if you are just using basic phrases. There are many institutions that offer Korean language programs, especially in Seoul. Every major university has a Korean language program and there are also a number of private academies that offer classes. Finally, many Koreans who are learning English are interested in doing language exchange sessions, which is a great way to learn Korean for free and meet people at the same time. Korean language study websites: • http://korean.sogang.ac.kr Sogang University Korean Language Program: the best free website for learning Korean. • http://www.kosnet.go.kr Kosnet: Korean government website for studying Korean. • www.talktomeinkorean.com
Food The most distinguishing feature of Korean food is its spicy flavor which comes from one of the prime ingredients – the red pepper. Korean meals are served with a large number of side dishes which include various vegetables, fried fish, eggs, and of course Kimchi. Kimchi is considered the Korean national food and is served with virtually every meal. It is made by fermenting cabbage and then adding red pepper and other spices. Koreans also enjoy many different varieties of meat dishes including Bulgogi, marinated beef or pork which is then barbequed. There is also a wide variety of different soups available in Korea and they tend to be quite spicy and very rich in flavor. These days, food from many different countries around the world can be found in Korea including all the usual Western fast food restaurants.
Eating out and ordering food in is also very common and cheap in Korea. In your basic Korean restaurant you can get a full meal for about 5 or 10 dollars. Of course there are many restaurants which are much more expensive; in fact, some of the most expensive are the Western style so-called “family restaurants.” A number of chains such as TGI Fridays and Outback Steakhouse have been very successful in Korea. Also, if you don’t feel like leaving the house almost any food you want can also be delivered with no extra charge for delivery. You can order in Korean food, Chinese food, pizza, chicken, etc. The only hitch is if you don’t have a Korean speaker helping you, you will have to master ordering and saying your address in Korean first. Vegetarians will quickly find that very few Korean people are strict vegetarians and at first it may be a bit challenging to find foods that do not contain any meat at all. Many dishes in Korea contain very little meat but the idea of making strictly vegetarian food is not widespread. However, there are many very delicious Korean foods that are made without meat and once you have found them you will be pleasantly surprised. Probably the most common Korean vegetarian dish is Bibimbap. It is made with rice and various vegetables and mixed with red pepper paste for extra taste. If you are a strict vegetarian make a habit of asking every time you order whether or not the food contains any meat even if it looks like there is none.
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Where to find foreign food: • www.highstreet.co.kr: Sells a variety of foreign food. Delivers straight to your door and accepts US credit cards. • www.iherb.com: An online store which sells vitamins, organic foods, etc. that are hard to find in Korea. Ships to Korea within 3-5 days and accepts US credit cards.
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When you shopping for food in Korea you cannot expect to find everything you are used to eating back home. However, you will be surprised how many foreign products can be found in Seoul. There are a few Walmart-type supermarket locations in Seoul and even a Costco which carry a large selection of Western products. Additionally, some of the larger Korean department stores, such as Hyundai and Lotte, invariably have a rather large grocery store in the basement levels. These are also a good bet for finding foreign foods. Moving down in size there are the Mom and Pop supermarkets in every neighborhood that carry all the essentials, but don’t expect to find Kraft Dinner there. One suggestion is to go shopping with a Korean friend when you first arrive to help you find what you are looking for.
Transportation / Travel Korea’s public transportation system is extensive and cheap, accessing almost every place imaginable. For quickly getting around the city and avoiding the increasingly heavy road traffic, taking the subway can be the best way to go. Subway lines go to most of the popular areas, with stops near the major train stations and bus terminals. One trip costs between 1,150 and 1,450 won depending on the distance. Station signs are written in English and Korean, as well as Chinese characters at some stops. Announcements about the upcoming stop are made in Korean and English. You can also use the well-developed bus system to get around. Buses go to every part of the city but figuring out which one to get on can be a bit of a challenge. Stops near a subway station or major landmark are announced and displayed in English but otherwise all the stops are in Korean. The drivers often go pretty fast and make very sudden stops and starts. However, like the subway, the bus fares are reasonable. It costs between 1,150 and 1,450 won to take the bus and you can also make transfers between buses or to the subway if you get yourself a transportation card. These cards are available at all subway stations and many convenience stores. You can put money on the card and then you don’t have to worry about having change for the bus or the subway.
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In Korea there are always taxis available at any time day or night. Just stand on the side of almost any street for a few minutes and one will come by. Of course taxis are more expensive than the bus or the subway, but relative to Western standards they are quite inexpensive. However, there are two different kinds of taxis in major cities in Korea. There are the standard ones and the deluxe taxis which are much more expensive. The deluxe taxis are usually black nice looking cars, whereas the standard ones are silver, white, or orange and a little more plain-looking. Many areas also have calltaxis or vans that will come and pick you up when you call them, for an added charge. Traveling around the country is also quite easy. A couple of years ago Korea introduced its first bullet train called the KTX. On this train you can get from Seoul to the port city of Busan on the southern tip of the peninsula in just over 3 hours at a cost of about 50,000 won. The equivalent trip by bus takes about 5 1/2 to 6 hours depending on traffic and costs about 30,000 won. The buses are very spacious and actually quite comfortable. If you are not concerned about getting where you are going quickly then you can also choose to take the original slower trains for about the same price as the bus. To reserve tickets for trains, including the KTX, visit this website: www.korail.com * Reservations for buses are not normally necessary as they leave the bus terminal (located at the subway stop called “Express Bus Terminal” at the intersection of lines 3 and 7) at regular intervals throughout the day and you never have to wait very long. * http://emap.visitkorea.or.kr - There is a lot of great information and some interactive maps on this site you can use to plan trips inside and outside the city.
You could also shop for your necessities and home appliances online: • www.thearrivalstore.com: Sells sheets, converters, home accessories etc. • www.gmarket.com: A Korean online store which sells home goods, clothes, accessories, furniture, food, etc.
Television and News
If you are looking for items that you miss from home or clothing that is more Western style then you might want to check out Itaewon (Itaewon Station, line #6). This area is located near the US army base in Yongsan, so when you arrive in Itaewon it almost feels as if you have left Korea. The streets are filled with clothing shops, tailors, and souvenir shops. Many of the “brand name” goods you see in Itaewon are knock-offs, but if you don’t mind that you can get some pretty good deals here. Itaewon also has great restaurants, pubs, and bars. The population of the area is very diverse and as such you can find great food from all over the world. Some of the most popular restaurants in the area serve food from countries such as India, Thailand, and Vietnam. The pubs and bars in Itaewon range from the somewhat classy to the very seedy, but some of the nicer ones actually have quite a pleasant atmosphere.
In Korea there is actually a fair amount of TV programming and news available in English. Basic cable TV has a fair number of channels in English such as CNN, BBC, movie channels, and sitcom/drama channels. On these channels you will likely be able to find many of your favorite shows, but if you want to get all the shows you get at home, you will probably have to look into some sort of internet TV system. For news in English, there are a number of English daily newspapers which you can sometimes find on newsstands, but the best way to get the latest Korean news in English is online. All the major newspapers have websites in English. • www.koreaherald.com - The Korea Herald • http://english.chosun.com - The Chosun Ilbo • http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr - Yonhap News • http://tbsefm.seoul.kr - English Radio Station - TBS EFM 101.3MHz
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Seoul has no shortage of shopping districts and some of them are so enormous that you would have no hope of seeing the whole place in an entire afternoon. The two largest markets in Seoul are called Namdaemun Market (near Seoul Station, subway line #1) and Dongdaemun Market (Dongdaemun Station line #4 or Dongdaemun Stadium line #2). Namdaemun is known for having everything you could possibly need; the challenge, however, is to find what you are looking for in this huge maze of shops above and underground. Shopping is an adventure in Namdaemun. Dongdaemun Market is mostly clothing and there are a number of large department stores in the area along with smaller shops clustered around them.
There are many other shopping districts in Seoul which are more specialized. Some of the more trendy shopping districts include place like Myeongdong, the Ewha Womans University area, and the poshest of them all Apgujeong. If you are looking for traditional Korean souvenirs, teahouses, and restaurants then check out Insadong (Anguk Station line #3). For electronics go to the Yongsan Electronics Market (Sinyongsan Station line #4). There are simply too many shopping districts to list here, so for more information see the general information websites listed above.
Overseas Direct Hire Faculty
Shopping
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player, movie player, etc. Smart phones cost approximately 400,000 won. Most teachers pay anywhere from 35,000 won to 75,000 won a month for their phone and service.
Sending and receiving letters and packages in Korea is no problem. When sending something home, simply take your package to the post office and based on where you are sending it they will work out the postage for you. The one problem you may run into is receiving larger packages from home. For letters and small packages you can have them sent to your home address. However, because you only have a small mailbox, you cannot receive large packages at your home address. If a package too large to fit in the mailbox is delivered to your home and you are not there when the postman comes, it gets taken to the nearest post office. Then it might be a little difficult to retrieve it if you cannot speak Korean. The best thing to do is to have larger packages sent to the school’s address. That way you can just pick them up at the school, rather than having to get it through the post office. The school’s mailing address is:
Asia Pacific International School 57 Wolgye-ro 45ga-gil, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01874, Korea
Cell Phones
For foreigners, paying for your phone usage is a bit more complicated than it is for Koreans. There are a few different options. First, is to use prepaid minutes. You simply take your phone to the nearest shop which is run by your service provider and buy minutes. However, this option is quite expensive and inconvenient. The other option is to pay by monthly phone bill. The option however requires that you have a valid alien registration number –which you would have once your visa process is completed. It will take approximately three weeks to get a cell phone.
Telephone Calling Korea from overseas
When you make a phone call to Korea from abroad, first dial 82 (Country Code for Korea), then Area Code (except for the first number 0), finally, dial the Phone Number you desire to call. For example: Calling Seoul (Area Code 02) with 777-7777 as the phone number, dial +82-2777-7777.
Calling overseas from Korea
Dial 001 or 002 and then the country code, area code and finally the number you are calling. *Pre-paid phone cards are available at convenience stores and newsstands and make calling home a lot cheaper. The number of minutes available on each card is different so ask how many minutes you get for calls to a particular country before buying. * These days many foreigners are also using Skype internet phone to make free international calls. www.skype.com
Having a cell phone is an indispensable part of life in Korea. Phones are sold in shops throughout the city and you can buy cheap used phones for about 40,000 won. A standard new camera phone costs about 100,000 to 200,000 won and they get more expensive as you add options like video recording, mp3
Time Zone Standard time zone: UTC/GMT +9 hours No daylight savings time
Money Matters denomination
Most restaurants, hotels and shops accept credit cards. You may not be able use credit cards at small businesses and in rural areas. You may also want to check whether your credit card is accepted or not by looking at door signs. Visa and Master Card are generally accepted.
Bank Cards
Foreign cards with the Plus and Cirrus logos are the easiest to use and most widely accepted in Korea. ATMs are everywhere in Korea and you can make withdrawals, deposits, and fund transfers. However, not all ATMs accept foreign cards and even if they do the service can be unreliable. Some ATM machines operate 24 hours a day, while others are opened from 8am to 12am. It is easy to get a Korean bank account and a bank ‘check’ card (debit card). You can withdraw cash from the ATM and also pay for purchases with the check card. The school will assist you during the orientation week to help you open up a bank account.
Online Banking
If you wish to use online banking with your Korean bank account, you must request it when opening the account.
Tipping
Tipping is not customary in Korea. However, sometimes, expensive restaurants and luxury hotels may add a service charge of 10%. Thus, you do not necessarily have to prepare for extra charges since it will be included in the bill.
Orientation Guide 2016-2017
Credit Cards
Overseas Direct Hire Faculty
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Worship Services Churches with English services APIS Sunday Fellowship 10:30 -11:30 a.m. APIS Christian Life Center International Lutheran Church 726-39 Hannam 2-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, 140-212, Korea Phone: 02-794-6274 http://www.ilcseoul.net/
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Jubilee Church 3&4F Sang Ah Bldg. 527-1, Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 135-888, Korea Phone: 02-569-2225 http://jubileeseoul.com/ Myung Sung Presbyterian Church EWS Office: 3rd Floor, Room 301, Jerusalem Building 330-5 Myungil-Dong, KangDong-Ku, Seoul 134-830, Korea Phone: 02-440-9080 http://www.msews.com/ Onnuri English Ministry 241-96, Seobinggo-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, 140-240, Korea http://www.onnurienglish.org/ Seoul Union Church 144 Hapjeong-dong, Mapo-gu Seoul, 121-885, Korea Phone: 02-333-7393 http://www.seoulunionchurch.org/ The Catholic International Parish of St. Francis 707, Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, 140-212, Korea Phone: 02-793-2070 http://church.catholic.or.kr/international/index_eng.html Yoido Full Gospel Church 11, Yeouido-Dong, Yeongdeungpo-Gu Seoul, 150-868, Korea Phone: 02-783-4851 http://english.fgtv.com/
Youngnak Church 2-69 Jeo-dong, Jung-gu Seoul, 100-032, South Korea Phone: 02- 2280-0228 http://www.yniwe.org/
Embassies • US Embassy: http://seoul.usembassy.gov/ • Australian Embassy: http://www.southkorea.embassy.gov.au/ • Canadian Embassy: http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/ korea-coree/ • British Embassy: http://ukinrok.fco.gov.uk/
Orientation Guide 2016-2017
Overseas Direct Hire Faculty
Appendices Map of Korea
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Map of Seoul
Asia Pacific International School
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Orientation Guide 2016-2017
Overseas Direct Hire Faculty
The Seoul Subway System
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Average Price List of Goods
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0.5L water 750 won
Apple 1,500 won
Bagel 2,000 won
Ramyeon 600–1,320 won
Snack (small) 700 - 1,000 won
Pizza Hut Super Supreme (F) 32,900 won
Starbucks coffee Americano (tall) 4,100 won
Big Mac set at McDonald’s 5,000 won
Bibimbap 5,000 - 10,000 won
Movie 9,000 - 10,000 won
A book (small) 8,000 - 12,000 won
CD 15,000 - 20,000 won
DVD 20,000 - 25,000 won
Newspaper 600 - 1,500 won
PC room One hour 1,000 - 2,000 won
Karaoke Room one hour 15,000 - 20,000 won
Soda 250ml (small can) 850 won
Milk (1L) 2,100 - 2,600 won
Beer (bottle) 1,800 – 3,500 won
Aspirin (20 tablets) 2,750 won
Bus fare 1,150 won
Base taxi fare 3,000 won
Subway fare (base fare) 1,150 won
$1USD = 1,200 KRW (Last updated 2016) Current exchange rate
www.apis.org
57 Wolgye-ro 45ga-gil, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01874, Korea Tel : +82-(0)2-907-2747 Fax : +82-(0)2-907-2742