My First Week in Korea: Settling In, One Step at a Time

My First Week in Korea

Settling In, One Step at a Time

OCT 2024

I arrived in Korea on Thursday evening, planning to finish all my paperwork the next day. But it turned out to be more complicated and time-consuming than I expected.

📌 Tasks for the First Week

• Liam’s Birth Registration
• Health Insurance
• Mobile Number Setup
• Liam’s Passport
• Bank Account
• Government Subsidy
• Kindergarten Interview

🏛️ Liam’s Birth Registration: More Complicated Than I Thought

I thought I’d be done with the birth registration since I’d already done it at the Australian consulate, but there were more steps at the district office in Korea. The process was a bit confusing, and I had to make extra trips to confirm things. It ended up taking over 5 hours.

📱 Mobile Number Setup: Budget Plans Aren’t That Easy

Setting up a mobile number in Korea wasn’t as simple as I thought. I couldn’t activate my SIM card at the convenience store because of verification issues. Luckily, I found out that I could sign up for a budget mobile plan at the post office without an existing number. Just make sure to check with your local branch first!

💰 Bank Account Setup: You Need a Mobile Number

I couldn’t open a bank account without a mobile number for verification. Once I got my number, I went back to the bank and also set up the National Happiness Card to get monthly government subsidies.

🏥 Health Insurance: Auto-Registered, But Check Anyway

Health insurance is automatically registered once your birth registration is done, but it takes 2-3 days for the system to update. I called to double-check, and it was all good.

☕ Quick Break: Starbucks to Recharge

After all the paperwork, I needed a break. I grabbed coffee at Starbucks and took a breather—it really helped to recharge for the rest of the day.

✈️ Liam’s Passport: Name Confusion

When applying for Liam’s passport, I found out his Korean surname (my surname) had to be included, even though I was initially told it wouldn’t be necessary. Lesson learned—double-check everything!

🎒 Liam’s Kindergarten Interview

I had planned to send Liam to kindergarten on the first day, but heavy rain canceled our interview. Once it cleared up, we went back, and the interview went smoothly. Glad to tick that off the list!

📌 First Week Wrap-Up

The first week was definitely more complicated than I expected, but I’m slowly getting everything sorted. It’s a lot of paperwork, but little by little, we’re settling in! 😊