So today was a whirlwind. If its one thing I've learned about Korea, or at least Seoul is that things go fast. I get to school, meet everyone, and the school director, a very nice woman, takes me to get my medical exams right away.
It went like this:
1. Height/weight/blood pressure
2. Eye chart
3. "Consulation" (doctor asking me if I had diseases)
4. "Dentist"(dentist looking at my teeth and asking if I have problems)
5. Pee! I have a shy bladder. This part took the longest. My boss came back in to check on me and remind me "only pee".
6. 3-4 viles of blood stolen. I didn't cry but I'm sure I made some horrible and pitiful faces
7. Change my clothes to scrub-like thing and do an x-ray, change back
The whole thing, even with having to go take a photo at a subway station probably took maybe an hour or so. Can you believe that? I did not have to wait in one line. Glorious.
So some highlights from the medical center trip:
- "My's Chicken Taste Good" sign
- "Have a nike day" smiley t-shirt
- Woman wandering around in her hospital gown, pushing her fluid cart (including a rather full bag of pee) on the street
- Many motorcycles have bars around the outside of where your arms are and sometimes a top bar... maybe kind of like a roll bar for a jeep? I dunno. And big back parts for putting crates of stuff.
Then to school. Well with the medical exam I didn't get any down time with the teacher I'm replacing for training before the classes started. I am definitely overwhelmed and she is not going to be back at the school. I am in a different classroom with different kids every period. Different books for all of them, different ages I think. On class has 11 students but the rest have 3-5.
Drivers in Seoul are... oh my god. Basically it seems to me if there is "space" you can go anywhere as fast as you want. The taxi drivers and other seem to have no qualms whatsoever about occupying more than one lane, blocking intersections, and then honking at people trying to get through the intersection they just blocked.
Oh man. And trying to look at people without making eye contact is harder than I thought. I feel so awkward.
What have I gotten myself into! :)
Wow, busy day but very efficient people, at least you didn't have to wait hours just to see the doctor for a minute and be charged hundreds of dollars.
ReplyDeleteHang in there sweetheart, it's shocking at first but you'll adapt, hopefully.
You are very courageous.
No I was very pleased and surprised at how fast everything was. I just kept thinking... well why shouldn't things be like this? Because in America we need chit chat. We need the doctors to take time and pretend they care about us, small talk. No thanks. I'd rather just get in and get out when it comes to routine stuff.
ReplyDeleteDo I know you Dicas or did you just happen upon my blog?
Yikes. I *was* thinking (having read your blog most recent to least recet) jetting off to Korea to teach English COULD be in my future... until I read this. Take my blood? Poke around in my mouth? Pee for a stranger? No thanks. I know I have to do that stuff here, but I freak out enough as it is with all that... doing it in a foreign country would scare the bejeezus out of me. I would die then and there. Haha.
ReplyDeleteDo you think you'll ever drive there? Or just rely on the taxi/bus/walking/biking route?
Whhhaatt! lol oh come on I exaggerate. It wasn't really that bad. It was just a quick medical test. If THAT'S the thing that stops you from Korea! haha... but think (besides all the other benefits) health care!! Unless you have it already then its not a big deal to you. But I haven't had health care since I was 12!
ReplyDeleteDrive... HA! HAHAHA! HAHHHHAAAA! Never in a million years. There is no way. I'd be crashed in about 5 minutes. The whole asians can't drive thing... I dunno about the rest of the Asians but the Koreans have to be damn good drivers to not get in crashes left and right and have so much traffic moving so quickly. It amazes me every day. There is always traffic but I've never gotten stuck. Course I def don't go during peak times.
Not sure about the biking route. I see it every day on the way to school but I haven't walked to it yet.
In any case. I'm glad I don't have to drive. I mean I'm sure in time I'll miss driving but really... I don't like to drive anyway. Plus addresses here just don't work the same. I'd have to get a gps to know how to get anywhere and even that would take ages with the korean and all...
nope nope. Best stick to public transport.