Lanae Rivers-Woods, MAIT
Lanae Rivers-Woods moved to Korea in 2011 where she lives in the countryside with her family, friends, and puppies. She holds a BSSW (Bachelor's of Science in Social Work), a MAIT (Master's of Arts in International Teaching), and registered by the Pyeongtaek Korean Times with the Korean government as a Cultural Expert. Ms. Rivers-Woods used her 15 years experience as a social architect, UX/UI designer, and technology consultant to found South of Seoul in 2015. South of Seoul is a volunteer organization that leverages technological tools to mitigate cultural dissonance in multi-cultural communities. Through South of Seoul, Ms. Rivers-Woods works with independent volunteers, non-profit organizations, businesses, local & federal government, universities, and US military organizations to develop solutions to support English speaking international residents in rural South Korea. Additionally, Ms. Rivers-Woods founded the South of Seoul smart phone app available for Google Play and iPhone. The app provides information a resources for those living and traveling in South Korea. When she isn't in South of Seoul development meetings or working her day job, Ms. Rivers-Woods loves to be outside at skate parks, the beach, or playing in the mountains.
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Get to Know Plus Planner: Groups and Private Trips
Looking for a cheaper, easier way to travel in Korea while living here? You are not alone and finding ways to make your life easier when living in Korea is smart. So let’s talk about Plus Planner. You might have seen their trips on Facebook and wondered, “Are they for real?” Well, I had the same question so let’s get into it. (TLD;R Plus Planner is legit) Traveling Beyond Seoul Traveling across South Korea may feel challenging if you don’t speak Korean or can’t use Korean booking apps. It’s hard…
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Website for Making Homemade Dog Food in Korea
Do you need or want to make homemade dog food for your dog but worry about the nutritional balance? Well, we found a website you might find helpful. The Korean government realized that many people were making homemade food and launched a website to support cooking at home. The Purpose of this Post In my years as a pet owner in both the US and Korea, I have had pets deathly allergic to 95% of commercial pet foods. This includes our current pug who we rescued a few years back.…
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July K-Drama: Boys Over Flowers
Step into the captivating world of July’s K-drama, ‘Boys Over Flowers.’ We will delve into a tangled web of romance, friendship, and personal growth in this iconic drama. Breaking Down The Cultural Knowledge If you have been following our K-Drama series, feel free to skip this section to get straight into the drama. When you watch a K-drama while living in Korea or planning to live in Korea, you may want to go deeper than just the show. In order to fully understand the context of entertainment and the world around…
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The Reality of Student Work Permits in Korea
Can international students work in South Korea? The short answer is yes, but there are many different rules that you will need to navigate and each student’s situation is a little different. There is no such thing as one set of paperwork or a guaranteed outcome. Such ambiguity may leave international students feeling vulnerable and frustrated. It also may impact a student’s ability to focus on coursework. Therefore, let’s dig into the different factors that impact students’ ability to work on D-2 or D-4 visas in South Korea. Information Disclaimer…
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International Students and Housing in Korea
Moving to South Korea to study? Let’s talk about the reality of housing and the expenses you may need to prepare for as an international student. Remember universities don’t usually cover student living expenses so international students must budget for setting up their new lives. Barriers to Student Housing International students in South Korea often struggle with finding housing. Understanding the many issues associated with finding student housing can help international students mentally prepare for how hard moving to a new country for school may feel. Language and Culture International…
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Health Insurance Rules for International Students in Korea
Let’s talk about the Korean National Health Insurance requirements for international students studying in South Korea. It’s important to have a strong health safety net while you are studying and Korea and that includes health insurance. Thankfully, South Korea makes health insurance mandatory and affordable for many students. Listen to the BlogCast Don’t want to read? Listen to the South of Seoul BlogCast which provides accessible content through the use of AI technology. We don’t have time to read each article but we do our best to make more of our content…
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International Student Visa Guide for Korea
Interested in studying in South Korea but you don’t know your visa options? This is the perfect place to start. This visa guide for international students will help you better understand your options. About Studying in South Korea South Korean universities continue to expand their programs for international students who wish to study in the country. Such a drive to attract foreign students means that South Korea offers a few ways to become an international student. In this post, we will look at information for two groups of people: 1)…
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The Danger of Rivers in Korean Monsoon Season
Do you LOVE playing in the rivers in Korea like I do? When I see a river, I’m ready to jump in immediately. However, there are some actual life-or-death factors we all need to consider during monsoon season. Please take a moment to read about Korean rivers and the danger during heavy rains. Listen to the BlogCast Don’t want to read? Listen to the South of Seoul BlogCast which provides accessible content through the use of AI technology. We don’t have time to read each article but we do our best to…
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The Dirt on Applying for Korean D2 Visas
Korean student visas, D2 Visa, Studying in Korea
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Shoe Sizes and Shopping Culture Shock in Korea
Let’s have a quick talk about shoe sizes and shopping in Korea. It’s nothing exciting, but those with larger feet need to be prepared for some challenges. Shoes are something people feel very attached to and not being able to find shoes in Korea that meet a lifetime of expectations may feel hard. So let’s talk about it. Journey Into the World of Korean Shoe Shopping Moving to the Land of the Morning Calm or just visiting? Either way, you might wonder about shoe shopping and finding your sizes in…
