Sick Days

I think after nearly 2 years, I've grown pretty accustomed to living in Korea. My blogs are less and less about what strange and unexpected things I find, and more about the adventures I'm having around the country. I think it's a good thing, though I hope it doesn't make for boring reading.

I'm sick today, which I think happened from far too much activity and stress on my body. Shannon and I went up to Seoul, and besides playing hard ultimate for two days, we also went out each night and were singing our heads off at a noraebong on Saturday night until 5am. I think it was my spirited and over-the-top rendition of "Don't Stop Believing" that did my vocal chords in, and I had some very difficult times speaking clearly to my students yesterday. Today I feel even worse, and I woke up a few times during the night in some wild fever sweats.

In the past 20 months, I think I've taken 4-5 sick days. I know 2 were legitimate, 1 was to take care of Miso when we first got him, and another I think I just didn't want to work that day (I needed a mental health day I suppose). Today is definitely a legitimate day to call in sick, or at least it would be in Canada. In Korea that's not really the case. I don't think I've ever seen a Korean take a sick day yet. I've only noticed people miss school when relatives die or there's some other educational function they need to attend. So tomorrow when I go back to school, it's going to be quite a big deal with lots of "Did you go to the doctor" and "What was wrong with you" from everyone.

Oh wait, my principal last year did miss half a day once. I thought he looked so sick he could die at any moment, but he made it until 2 o'clock or so.

Students are the same, sometimes coming to school when they can hardly stay on their feet. I've heard a rumour of a student who died from people ignoring just how sick he was, but my google searches on it came up empty. It might not be a true story, but the idea behind it, that Koreans generally feel you should not be slowed by colds and flus, is definitely true.

Well, it's back to the couch for me now. I'm not really sleepy, but I think a good day of eating fruit, lying down and taking it easy will help me feel better for tomorrow. I'll need all my energy to deal with the 300 "Teacher are you sick?" questions tomorrow.