Reply To: Getting Jaw Reduction and Sliding Genioplasty – Seoul Searching

[FoxyFire]

Does anyone know of an easier way to get around Seoul? Catching a cab is tricky because most, if not all, cab drivers here don’t speak a lick of English. Not to mention they have poor eyesight so dont even think about showing them your phone unless you have a Galaxy phablet like many of the locals.

Will keep you posted on the consultations, just trying to consolidate everything so far.

It’s a little tricky sometimes but here are some things you can do:

Always use big landmarks: (Big Hotels, Subway Stations, Etc…)

Korean cab drivers don’t really go by addresses, but landmarks such as subway stations, so a good pre-plan is to know the nearest subway stations of your destinations before hand.

Telling the driver to use his GPS if you have the address:

If you have an address, you can ask the driver to put it in the navigation. Just point your finger at the GPS navigation on their dashboard and say “Navigation Jew Saw” (Means you have an address for the GPS) When you say the address you always say it in this order: _______Gu _______Dong ### – ###. For example Gangnam Gu Sinsa Dong 323-343 (Say each number individually and slowly and when you get to the hyphen or dash say “Dash-She” and then the last part of the number). If you have the address printed in Korean like on a business card or on a webpage – even better! Just show that to him/her.

Example: Gangnam Gu Sinsa Dong 323-343

You: (Pointing at GPS and paper address) “NAVIGATION JEW SAW”

Driver: (Puts on glasses leans to GPS and starts pressing buttons)

You: (Start Saying Slowly) Gangnam-Gu (Gu pronounced like goo); Sinsa Dong; Three, Two, Three, DASH SHEE ,Three, Four, Three

Getting an Interpreter to Help You

Say “Free Interpreter” they will call a taxi interpretation service (this is a hit or miss, some drivers might feel annoyed and say no and ask you to find another cab)
If you have a Korean sim card, rental phone or don’t mind roaming you can call 1330 – This is a 24-7 Foreigner Support Line
You can download an app called BBB, which is a free voice language volunteer app that can connect you with Korean person using Wifi or Data on your smart phone, and they can help you do quick interpretations.

Google Maps

Depends on eyesight, but if you have a smartphone zooming into the area you want to go and showing it to them helps.

Anyone else got tips I left out?