Hello to all!

Midnight

Hello All,

Housing - We should be on base, just a matter of determining when we can get on, I haven't had any luck getting in touch with the Osan Housing office yet. I need to figure out if I can get concurrent travel. My wife traveling by herself with two kids + pregnant = -1000 husband of the year points. Does anyone have an email address for these guys? All the websites for Osan Housing list phone numbers, no email contact information.

Hospital - Big unknown for me on this one, we have to figure out where my wife will deliver over there, inputs?

School - Our daughter will start kindergartenl this fall, so she'll transfer in over there, anybody have young kids in school on Osan?

Phones - Skype/Magicjack seem to be the preferred method of talking to folks back home. I know you can get "normal" phones that work with Skype so you aren't totally tied to your computer with a headset, etc. Vonage is still port blocked from what I gather, any updates?

Cell-Phones - Don't bring one, you can get cheap used ones over there and get pre-paid minutes or some other plan. Updates? What do you use?

Internet - On base has LG or somesuch company and they have several rate plans.

Cable - AFN is free, you can get pay channels but most folks say it isn't worth it when you can BitTorrent whatever you want to watch. Inputs?

Cars - Don't bring one, buy a junker from somebody outbound for about $1,000 if you need one, updates?

What do you recommend to bring vs. buy in country, like furniture, bikes, computers, etc.

What am I missing?

Thanks in advance for any help you guys can give.

Midnight

As far as the hospital, the 121 on Yongsan is the only choice unless they are full and send her downtown. She has to stay up there after 36 or 38 weeks (I can't remember which now) at the Storks Nest.

Hubby has a prepaid cell that he got downtown and it suits or needs :)

My oldest daughter went to Kindergarten there and she really loved it. I wasn't wild about her teacher, but she learned a lot and we loved all the extra classes like spanish and Korean culture.

Evrything else sounds right on target. Others will be along soon to help you along.

BTW I think its funny you can't say ****pit on here

Thanks for the reply. Good words.

Midnight

For housing at Osan, contact Mr. Hyong No. His number is DSN 784-5256 and via email hyong.no@osan.af.mil.

I am NCS so not too much help here, but as far as furniture I would bring the basics and toys and such. I packed more so for the kids than I did for myself. Seeing as how you will be down south you will have way more access for things than we do up here in Area 1 which will be so nice for your wife.

Yes on the beater car, and yes on not bringing cells. They are cheap over here. I love my Skype, it is how I talk back home if I dont use my cell. :)

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Oh and on the cable, I dont know if its different on post, but here we have like 5 or 6 American channels, the rest we just plug our computer into the tv and watch from online.

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Thanks guys/gals

Hey, Tiffluv . . . we are NCS too. Hubby came a little over a month ago and we arrived a week and a half ago. I'm still trying to learn my way around and get signed in everywhere I'm supposed too. How do you hook your computer up to the TV?? I am definitely computer illiterate so it needs to be simple for me to figure it out. Our "American" channels consist of a couple cartoons (which the kids love) and CNN/BBC . . . I would love to be able to access Fox News, etc. Where are you guys living?? We're at Life so it's definitely nice to be able to walk to the base. I have two kiddos if you ever want to get together for a play date. Cheers!

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CC

Our blog:http://sharemyhope.blogspot.com/

Ooops, sorry . . . Midnight, most of the people I know that have come over recently were able to get concurrent travel. If it's not approved I suppose you could come over, get settled, and then fly back and pick them up. It would be a brutal trip, but then your bride would have help on the flight. That wasn't an option for my spouse so I braved it alone with two kids and a dog. It wasn't pleasant but I only charged him 750 in points.

We bought one car for $1200, we're approved for a 2nd one and have found adds on base (look for the window by the class 6 store inside the BX) for cars ranging anywhere from $300 to $3000. Most fall in the $1000 range.

Like the previous poster said, we went into one of the phone shops on the strip with a cheap cell phone we bought from someone leaving and had "minutes" loaded on it. Fairly inexpensive and we call home all the time.

We also have skype and love it.

I just registered my two kids for school (kindergarten and 3rd grade). We're NCS and not guaranteed a slot for the school year (prepared to homeschool, just in case). However, they said the numbers look great for my 3rd grader and "not so great" for my kindergartener. I have heard that they are expecting to have 3 kindergarten classes this year, so there must be a ton of five year olds running around. LOL Also, when you register for kindergarten they want a copy of their birth certificate AND their passport. I was surprised they asked for both, but there you go.

I'm finished having babies, but most everyone I've talked to had a good experience at the Storks Nest, etc.

I think I covered everything . . . you can sign up for extra channels, other than basic AFN in the BX. They have a brochure that lists all of the different tiers that are offered. Head back to customer service and you'll see the kiosk.

Cheers!
CC

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Our blog:http://sharemyhope.blogspot.com/