Year 2 - Where is the address?

Howdy

Tis the season, eh?

Even sending out Christmas cards is a learning experience here. I finally found out my FULL mailing address. Before I only had part of it. City, Province. Now I know all of it, and even learned what each designation is.

My Building (Whatever Floor)

Young-Am Dong

Cheong-Ju Shi

Sang-Dang Ku

ChungCheongBuk-Do

360-810

Korea

When giving a street address it isn't that easy. There are not many signs labelling streets in most cities. Most houses and buildings have NO number on the outside. Buildings are assigned a number when they are built. So, if you built a new home beside building number 10 you could be building 120 if you are the 120th to be constructed. Confusing eh?

Most large buildings, 3+ floors, have names. That tends to be how people find places. Which is why you use the building name and floor when sending mail.

Yongam-Dong is my Ward. The section of the city I live in. Many people also refer to it as town or district. The proper translation is ward.

Cheong-Ju Shi is my city. Most people in Korean actually do refer to it as Cheong-Ju Shi when they talk about it. Westerners tend to leave out the Shi.

Sang-Dang Ku is my county.

ChungCheongBuk-Do is the full name of the Province I live in. Most people, Koreans and Westerners, tend to refer to is as just CheongBuk-Do

The lack of street names can make it hard when using a taxi too. You need to find a well known building near your destination in order to get to where ou want to go. Some of the best references to use are police stations, as each ward has its own station. Yong-am Pachusol would be the police station in Yong-am Dong. Popular stores are also good. Mulyu Centre is a large grocery store (a la Superstore or Walmart) near my place, and a handy reference.

Finding your way around town can be difficult for a foreigner. Then again, if it is not your hometown, it can even be difficult for Koreans.

Time to get ready for work.

Take care

Flint

*****