Weight Watchers in Korea

Well, it happened. The rice and chocopies and McDelivery and 찜닭 have taken their toll. I'm bigger now than I was when I got here, and while I could go to a diet center, the idea of it horrifies me. I've tried herbalife as well, and don't want to doom myself to a lifetime of expensive powedered shakes.

But I need to do something, and simply trying to eat right and move more clearly isn't enough for my lazy and indulgent self. So, after seeing it work for friends and family, I'm giving Weight Watchers a go. I could do MyFitnessPal or SparkPeople, but having tried them in the past, I want something that doesn't treat calories as equal but rather encourages me to eat healthily. Plus, I think if you've already joined Weight Watchers back home it might be hard to find information to help you continue it here, so I'd like to gather it in one place.

There are some small problems with doing Weight Watchers here. Firstly, like racial discrimination, homophobia, mental illness, sexually transmitted diseases,  and instant mac & cheese, Weight Watchers doesn't exist in South Korea.

If they DID operate in Korea, I'd probably throw money at them. As they don't, I had to figure out how to do it on my own. So I needed three things:

1. The system. 
Information about how to calculate the points you're allowed and so on is available online. However, the formula is patented and I don't want to get cease and desist letters, so let me google that for you. 

2. A way to conveniently track it. 
I fiddled around with various for-free and for-money apps from the android store and ended up with these two that I'll be using mostly:

Tracking, food database, compatible with USA,UK and Australian systems

food database based on restaurants. 

I felt better paying for the apps once than I might have paying a monthly subscription. The official Weight Watchers app does not work on Korean phones (unless you find a workaround).

3. Accountability and Support
One of the main parts of the success of the Weight Watchers program is the community support. Luckily for me, I already have a strong fitness community online, and a couple of friends in the same boat here who can help me to hold myself accountable.

So now the only thing holding me back is lack of information. I decided to make my own Korean food list, as a google doc that I can edit from my phone as I encounter foods. I'll link it here for you to reference.

I made it by learning to read nutritional information on Korean packaging and plugging it into the Weight Watchers points formula (again, available online and I won't post it here).  One problem is that fiber (식이섬유) is not required to be listed on the packaging, although they are making changes there. 

To get nutritional information about foods in Korea, you can use these resources:

Naver: click 영양/다이어트 and search with hangul.
MyFitnessPal:  and plug that information into the points formula above.
Chris Backe's article: and again, plug the info into a calculator.
My list: where I've done all the heavy lifting for you. It's a work in progress so it may take some time for me to complete it.

I hope that helps. 

Taxes and How to save a LOT of money

So this week we're dealing with the tax nightmare that happens when the government increases taxes and then takes the difference out of one paycheck. We're looking at a chunk of about 300-400 000 won being removed before you even see your paycheck.

IT CAN BE AVOIDED.

If you use your debit card or credit card to pay for a lot of stuff, then you have probably worked up a large deductible amount. I sat down with my co-teacher and she did it all for me on the 'calculate your tax deduction' website, sent the results of that to the school administrator, and it's cut my tax payment from 300 000 to 30 000. And that is freaking amazing.

 Be sure to click each category (medical, credit card, debit card) so that the amount you spent appears, before downloading the pdf with all your info to send to the school admin. If you've had a lot of hospital care because you're a clutz, well, this is where karma is coming back to give you a hug.

I would post a tutorial here, but my co-teacher did it so fast I didn't really see what she was doing. Ask your co-teacher or a friendly co-worker to help you. All you need is your ARC number and the NEIS ID certificate or your ID certificate from your bank.

The website is here (best accessed on the dinosaur that is Internet Explorer): http://www.yesone.go.kr

So, that's how you can cut your taxes down right now. But for future planning, there's a little more you can do. There's a tax save card that most Koreans have, which you can register for. Then, every time you pay for something with cash, you swipe the tax card or provide the number (it might be tied to your phone number...?) and logs it with the tax authorities. You can then claim on that money too. That includes paying your bills and paying your rent. The (Korean only) website is here: http://www.taxsave.go.kr

Of course, if you're a smart Saffer who got a certificate of residence in SA and gave it to your school when you were hired in the first place you won't be in this situation but this might help people who are not from tax-exempt countries to at least make this a little less painful. 

Severance, Exit allowance, Pension and Moving On

It's that time of year, folks. After two years in EPIK, it's time to pass GO, collect $200 and keep on going.

The DMOE sent out the following email which caused much a-fluttering:

Hi - 

If you are receiving this email, you have requested copies of the documents that are necessary to continue employment in Korea after your current contract with the DMOE has ended, or have indicated that you have secured employment elsewhere in Korea through communication with the coordinator's office. As you are probably well aware, we are not permitted to distribute the exit allowance to those NET's that continue employment in Korea after the end of their contracts, whether it be at another MOE or POE, a private institution, or university (article 11, clause 4). Essentially, if you are changing your visa while staying in Korea to reflect new employment, then you are not eligible to receive the exit allowance. At this point, we have asked our financial officer to withhold sending the total amount to your school until you are able to submit substantiating evidence that you will be leaving the country. You will need to submit a copy of an itinerary or plane ticket in your name that shows the date of departure as anytime after the end of your contract (or before, if you are using vacation days to leave early). You may feel free contact us individually if you feel you have a special circumstance that does not allow you to submit said documentation. 

Please understand that this is an incredibly difficult rule to enforce on our end. While we are well aware that merely requesting copies of documents doesn't automatically mean that you will be securing employment, it is the only objective method that we can use in order to enforce this particular rule in the contract. We would appreciate your cooperation in order to give you the allowance if eligible. 

Thanks,

DMOE Coordinators.

TL;DR:

1. If you are leaving the country, you get the $1300 exit allowance. If you're transferring your visa to another employer, you don't.

2. To get your $1300 (if you're eligible), send them the receipt of a ticket (plane, ferry, tuktuk, whatever) in your name, leaving the country. 

I took a closer look at our contracts and the above is in there, so there's not really any way around it. 

However, I also found this:

3. Everyone, regardless of what you're doing next, who is ending their EPIK contract, is eligible for severance pay. 

From the DMOE:

Information regarding the severance pay went out in the "end of contract details" email that we sent out when you renounced your renewal contract. I will provide you with the link again. Severance pay is roughly equivalent to 1 month's worth of salary for every year that you have completed. Note that the entire sum is taxed. Your admin office may be able to give you the exact sum total. I might suggest that you ask for a breakdown of your last payments for your records.

So let's break that down. On payday, February 25th (more or less), you should receive the following:

1. February 2015's paycheck (according to the pay scale, your usual amount).
2.1 month's salary (of the amount you were paid in your FINAL year) for each year of your previous consecutive EPIK contracts. (e.g. 2013 + 2014 = 2 months worth of 2014 paychecks)
3. (- taxes)

If you have not yet received your renewal bonus for re-signing for 2014, you should definitely remind your school about that and receive that too. 

As far as I can tell, renewal bonus and severance are NOT the same thing. If your school carried over your renewal bonus to pay it with your severance, it should NOT be deducted from your severance.

So, if you're leaving Korea, your paycheck for February should be about $5000-8000 (depending on your pay scale level and how much taxes are). If you're staying but moving to another job (not EPIK) it should be about $4000-6000. If you're moving to another POE/MOE, you should receive $4000 ~ 6000 + $300 (settlement bonus) from the new POE/MOE. 

On top of that, Australians, Canadians and Americans are eligible for a full refund of their pension payments as follows:

You have been contributing 50% to your pension fund, while the DMOE has been matching that and paying 50% as well up until now. You will be eligible to get a 100% refund ONLY if you are from Australia, Canada or U.S.A., according to the national treaties. You must physically go to the National Pension Office in person, up to one month prior to your departure from the country to request your refund. After the last day of your contract, your school will report the termination of your contract to the pension office. After the school's report and the Immigration Service's confirmation on your departure are complete, your application for the refund will be processed. Please refer to the website for the National Pension Corporation for detailed information about the Pension Plan and the application process for your refund (http://www.nps.or.kr - English website available). Also, a telephone consultation service is available at 02-2176-8702.

*Please note: while you can physically submit your application for renewal up to one month prior, your refund request can only be processed starting the day after your contract ends, and it usually takes about one to one and a half months after your departure has been confirmed by the Immigration Office for the funds to be deposited into your account.*

Required Documents
Passport
Alien Registration Card
Flight Ticket (departure date must be indicated) - flight confirmation/itinerary printed from the internet is acceptable.
Bank Account Number (domestic or international - international may require your bank's swift code)

*Please note: The DMOE does not provide pension payments. Your payments will come from the National Pension Office.*

You lucky bastards. 



I hope this is clear... If not, please go ahead and spam the coordinators' inboxes.

Skiing Solo in South Korea (Daegu to High1)

There are many group packages that are great for a fun, drunk weekend of skiing. But they can be a little expensive, and sometimes you might want to trade off the party for a bit more time on the slopes, and a peaceful night's sleep to soothe your aching muscles. 

This year, the Boyfriend and I decided we wanted to ski as much as possible, since our vacation times don't line up. Here's how we did it.

Step 1: Join the Snowboard and Ski South Korea Facebook Group
The group is ideal for finding out the conditions, and finding buddies to go with so you're not completely alone (and to share accommodation costs), and any other information you might want. Additionally, it is through this group that you can progress to the next step. The Korea Snow website is also helpful.

Step 2: Get a season pass
Pick a resort and get a pass for it. I think it's possible to get a multi-resort pass (or it SHOULD be, darnit!) but if you're going to just go with one resort, then I recommend High1. I've heard Phoenix is good too. You also might want to check out the facilities at Pyeongchang, which are being upgraded for the upcoming 2018 Winter Olympics. High 1 is ideal for beginners and snowboarders, although if you are an intermediate/advanced skier/snowboarder then you'll enjoy the relatively empty non-beginner slopes as the crowds trip over each other on the bunny slopes.

The passes sell for much less if you get them early in the year. I ordered mine for High 1 in September, and the prices at the time were as follows:

Man without bus: 300,000won

Man with bus: 352,000won

Lady without bus: 190,000won


Lady with bus: 236,000won

Option A: You can book that all online if you speak/read Korean, through the High1 website or through 3rd-party sellers like Gmarket. I'm afraid I can't help with that, because I went with option B.

Option B: The easiest way to do it is through John Shaw and his wife, Choi Jiyeong. They post on the facebook group and will organise your season pass and bus pass for you, as well as booking your bus each time you ski and your gear rentals, for a very very small fee. The service they provide is amazing!  They have stopped taking orders for this season, and will probably start up again sometime in September for the next season. Keep an eye on the facebook group.  My ski pass arrived in the first week of December. I also received two images on my phone. The one with my picture on it is the bus pass and the other is for ski rental. I have my own ski clothes.

Accommodation: If you're coming from Daegu, the odds are that the bus will drop you off at the Valley Ski House. There is a pretty good motel just five minutes' walk down the road (if you take the shortcut through the bus parking lot) called the Goodstay High Valley Hotel. You can book a room online here. The room was comfortable, the bathtub was soothing for achy ski muscles and we were able to order pizza to the room as well. I was able to use my KEB credit card on the Agoda website but others have had problems. Apparently you can book via the hotel's website as well.

Step 3: Get to the resort
With your bus pass in hand (on your phone or printed out), and the bus booked by Jiyeong, head to your pick-up point a little ahead of time. It's best to wear your ski clothes on the bus (everyone else does) to save time when you arrive at the resort. Take a book, a pillow, an eye mask, or whatever you need and settle in for the long nap as you head to the resort. My bus left at 4:50am and the pick-up point was really close to my apartment. People on the bus were all extremely quiet and friendly and the bus driver was one of the friendliest ajeossis I've ever met. He didn't turn the heat up too high although I've heard that's a problem on some buses.

At some point during the trip (usually when you arrive at the resort) a dude will walk through the bus to scan the barcodes on your bus pass. It's the image that looks like this:

Travel light to save time as well. I brought the absolute minimum, so I didn't have to worry about loading the bus. It's also a bit of a walk when you're on your way home so you don't want to be lugging a huge bag with you.

Step 4: Get your ski ticket
Once you get off the bus, follow the crowds through the front doors of the ski house and to the right. Stand in line at the "Season Bus" desk and show them the image with bar codes and NOT your picture. If the desk is closed (as it is in this picture), then go outside, down the escalator, turn right and go into the "Season Bus Lounge". You must do this in the ski house where you were dropped off. I was dropped off at Valley but Boyfriend had to do all of his at Mountain. They are connected to each other by a gondola if you're in the wrong place.

The season bus desk:

Season bus lounge:

What you must show them:

What you get:

Complete the form with your details.

Step 5: Get your gear
I didn't rent clothes but I imagine it works much the same as the ski rental. Get a ticket, fill out details, and go where you need to go.

For skis, head to this desk:

You'll hand in the top part with your passport or ARC and keep the bottom part to return the skis and get your ID back when you're done. They will tell you what time to return the skis. If you're skiing for two days but don't have a night rental, you need to repeat this process both days. They'll give you your stuff, and you can find a bench somewhere to sit and put everything on.

When you're done struggling, stash your things in a locker. You need two 500 won coins to operate the locker, and if you want to open and close it again you'll need to pay again, so make sure you have everything you need.

Step 6: Ski!
You're done! Hit the slopes, have fun, be careful not to crash into babies on skis or beginner snowboarders, and see you at the top! For lunch, I recommend the cafeteria-style food at the restaurant at Valley Hub, or KFC down at the Valley ski house at the very bottom. The rotating restaurant at the peak has good food but it's very expensive. Pro-tip: eat an early lunch and beat the rush, then ski while everyone else is eating and enjoy the empty slopes.

Step 7: Going home
Return your stuff, get your things out of the locker, and head down to the bus parking lot that you cut through to get to the Goodstay High Valley Hotel. Follow the crowds and ask for help if you're confused. The buses are all there. It's a little tricky finding the right one, but if you ask nicely, they'll be happy to help you. Your name should be on the driver's list so it should be pretty hard to get on the wrong bus.

I went to my bus at 4pm and was able to nap there until it left at 5pm.

walking to the buses at the end of the trip

I couldn't have done it without John Shaw and Choi Jiyeong, and highly recommend them to anyone. Ski rental for the weekend came to 24k won, and the hotel was much cheaper than the resort condos as well. The bus (as part of my season pass) was free to ride, so the weekend ended up being really cheap. It's definitely worth the investment if you plan to ski a lot during the season, and I was amazed by how easy it ended up being.

Comparing prices with the group package tours, if you only ski once it's more expensive. But if you ski more than once, suddenly it's MUCH less expensive. I think you break even after two or three trips. It's even cheaper if you book a room with a group of friends, sleeping on the floor, and split those costs. You also get more ski-time because the admin stuff is quicker when it's just for you and not 200 sleepy/drunk foreigners.

Group Package tour: KRW 219,000
Season pass (lady with bus option): KRW 236,000
Hotel (couple room): KRW 80,000
Rentals(skis and boots, 2 days, no night skiing): KRW 24,000
Total cost of first trip: KRW 340,000
Cost of trips thereafter: KRW 104,000