How did you book your flight home?

[DWAEDGIMORIGUKBAP]

There's also a thread where a guy is asking if Korean banks exchange thai baht, instead of just going in the bank and asking.

Some people should never leave home....

[iggyb]

I've used travelocity at home in the US.  I've also bought several tickets in Korea during the 4 years I worked here previously - many years ago - and the common thing then was to use travel agencies -- which has changed... 

I was not sure if using a US-based website worked within Korea or I needed to use a Korean site - since governments like to attempt to keep tax revenues up on large purchases.  The Korean government in particular regulates the Internet...which I'm sure you must be well aware of given your impressive experience beyond home...

...so please in your advanced intelligence...forgive this boob for asking.

--- That is one good thing about waygook.org compared to Dave's:  a lot more people trying to be helpful and many fewer ego-masturbating by kicking others in the balls....but we still get some of that here....

[iggyb]

And 2 notes on online purchases:

In the US, it's now illegal for banks to transfer to or receive money from online betting sites.  It's probably illegal in Korea too, but I don't know if the sites block Korean players.  The gambling sites did start blocking American players when the US government started issuing arrest warrants for the owners...

Next, you can use Amazon.com to buy certain recently released PC games for download, you just can't download them from outside the US.  Most other PC games can be bought and downloaded with ease.

Citing your banking example, I guess I could have emailed or called the customer service people at the travel websites to make sure tickets I'd pay $1,000+ for could be picked up at the airport in Korea ---- but getting an answer faster or just as easily from people with experience in Korea handling airfare seemed like a rather fair thing to do...

[Chalkie]

Check out edreams.com

C.

[jayd22j]

Will schools ever just give you a lump sum of money and say "go buy the ticket"? I'll be leaving in March, and my final destination is Minneapolis, which isn't cheap to get to from Incheon. Are they looking at the average cost of flights or the absolute cheapest? (There is a flight where I would have to stopover two or three times as opposed to just once on a more expensive flight)

I've also heard that they check with immigration back home to make sure you got on that flight. Is that really true? Seems a little too much...

[DWAEDGIMORIGUKBAP]

Will schools ever just give you a lump sum of money and say "go buy the ticket"? I'll be leaving in March, and my final destination is Minneapolis, which isn't cheap to get to from Incheon. Are they looking at the average cost of flights or the absolute cheapest? (There is a flight where I would have to stopover two or three times as opposed to just once on a more expensive flight)

I've also heard that they check with immigration back home to make sure you got on that flight. Is that really true? Seems a little too much...

Usually, you buy the ticket, give them the reciept and copy of the e-ticket and they will refund you.  They usually want a reasonable ticket and I have always researched for the most reasonable price and then shown them it to be so before purchasing.

And where did you hear that?  Utter rubbish.

In fact my last 3 jobs (2 public school, one hakwan,) I started new jobs the weekend after but lied and said I was going home for a week so needed the ticket, bought it, got the refund from the school and then cancelled it with the travel agent and pocketed the dough minus the cancellation fee.

[iggyb]

SMOE gives you 1.3 million flat rate.  I think they send it to you with the severance after the last pay.  For some reason, my school gave me severance and exit money a month early.

I got a ticket to Atlanta for right at that amount.  Minn. is a Delta hub, isn't it? 

For myself, I prefer at least 1 stop over in the US.  After about 8 to 10 hours, my knees and back start to ache.  I don't mind a couple hours looking around an airport and stretching my legs. 

I've done the Korea to Atlanta run many times.  I like Minn.'s airport.  Disliked Chicago and SF.  Portland was OK.  Phoenix and Dallas were OK.  The only time I really didn't like a stop over is when it was only 1 and that was in Tokyo.  Still got the knee and back pain by the time we got to Atlanta from there.  Also had about a 7 hour layover in SF once in the summer and froze.  Froze in the summer...in the open-air airport section...  This time I have to stop in SF again, but only for an hour or so...