Take a Rest

I'm not sick, but with all the swine flu craze going on in Korea at the moment, I felt a blog was in order.

"Take a rest" is the "Get well soon" of Korea. "Don't be sick" is another popular phrase. I hate hearing "Don't be sick" when I am sick.

"Don't be sick??? Wow. What a novel idea! Hold on a sec...(snaps fingers)...Yay! I'm not sick anymore!!!!"

It seems that one teacher is always sick at my school, and since we share one office, we share lovely germs as well. Plus, teachers tend to get sick more than anyone in any other profession, due to stress and germy kids, so it's to be expected. Not to mention the fact that we are in a new country with new germs. Also, there is that pesky yellow dust from China that tends to blow about.

My point being, I have been sick a few times here, and I'd like to share a few things that I have learned about being sick in Korea thus far...

• Foreigners get sick more than Koreans because we were not raised on kimchi nor do we eat it on a regular basis. (insert eye roll here)
• National health care is cheap and convenient. I'm a fan.
• Doctors and pharmacists do NOT like to tell you about the medicine they give you. They just expect you to take it, no questions asked. And they NEVER ask you if you are taking any medication in order to avoid fatal interactions. But I always ask as many questions as possible. Doctors love me here:)
• Every time I go to the doctor, I get a shot in my bum. I have no idea what it is. It's probably kimchi.
• My air conditioner is making me "catch a cold."
• I'm usually a complete baby when I am sick, but living here has really toughened me up. At work, we have two sick days per year, but we are expected to spend those days at work, working when we can and sleeping on a bed in the attic when we can't. One day I had a stomach flu or something and my principal sent me to hospital, and I was put on an IV for dehydration. Once the IV bag was empty, I had to return to work and teach two classes.
• I rarely see Koreans wash their hands in public restrooms...just an observation. Maybe I'm missing it. I watch my students like a hawk and make them wash their hands a million times per day. It's nice having a bathroom and sinks in the classroom.
• Spicy ginger tea rocks when you are sick!!! It helps with everything. It gets rid of nausea, makes you sweat out toxins, soothes your sore throat, suppresses a cough, and it even speeds up your metabolism.

Now, I'm not going to get on my swine flu soap box, but the paranoia has gotten out of hand. At my school, we now have an electric hand sanitizer, which is actually pretty cool, but while I encourage my students to thoroughly wash their hands for one minute with good ole soap and water, the Korean teachers completely cover the kids' hands with hand sanitizer (I'm talking dripping up to their elbows) and follow it up with an antibacterial hand lotion. It's madness!

Oh well. Who am I to judge? When in Lome, do as the Lomans.

Here's to staying healthy!!! Eat your kimchi!!!!