I’ve started a new chapter of my life. With around 4000€ in my bank account, no job and no income I got a one-way ticket to South Korea.
Although I have greatly enjoyed my time in Korea I won’t be in Korea for too long, I want to see some other places before I start living in Korea for a longer period. Also, getting a visa for Korea is hard, and I didn’t want to use the Korean Working Holiday visa yet.
My plan is to see more of the world and work on my digital business. (Note: If you are interested in an user-friendly app that combines habit tracking, health logging and journaling in a customizable way join the waitlist on dailyselftrack.com.)
Preparations
Before leaving Germany I did make some preparations:
- I finished up my university and received my bachelor’s title. It should be helpful for getting visas in the future and getting work.
- I’ve been working on entrepreneurial projects of mine, registered for self-employment and generally improved my skills in work that can be done regardless of location.
- I got accepted for a short-term internship.
- I got two Working Holiday visas for different countries.
Why
I previously enjoyed living in South Korea for a year. I was born and grew up in Germany, and never knew how amazing life could be on the other side of the globe. I wrote about my exchange semester at Hanyang University in Korea and my recommendations for anyone visiting South Korea.
It’s not the easiest, it’s not simple, but it is hugely rewarding. Diving deeper into other cultures makes you learn a lot about yourself, what you value and what brings you happiness, but also it is just very enjoyable as well.
And I’m not the only one that thinks going abroad for a bit is/was the best decision of their life. So here are some YouTubers talking about that as well:
- Mike Okay
- (Video is in German) Niklas Steenfatt
- Nate O’Brien - Didn’t go abroad, didn’t stay for a long time, but talks about that even camping somewhere else for a bit is a great way to get away from the usual environment that always surrounds you.
- Or you could just find it enjoyable like Torbjørn C. Pedersen
Return when?
I currently don’t plan on returning, but plans can always change.
It might make sense to return for entrepreneurial related matters, or for visa applications.
I might also run out of money. I might not be able to finance my journey. The amount of 4000€ might seem rich for some, for others it’s a miniscule amount. But with it I can finance myself for a few months, there are many ways to save money so I can extend my journey, but at some point I will have to earn money.
Another reason might be my health, I’m currently limited in what I can eat and drink, but for now it is manageable.
As part of this journey I also want to be more active on social media. Putting my criticism aside, it’s a great way to connect to new people, stay in contact, find new opportunities, and for building a business. So I posted my first reel.