Joseph and I have had our first experience with Korean Healthcare 3 weeks in.
On our way to dinner one night with a few friends Joseph was coming down the stairs and slipped on the last few injuring his foot. We were unsure where to go so we waited until the next day (Monday) and talked with our boss about it. He said he was going to take Joseph to the hospital and if I would mind teaching one of his classes if they were not back in time.
After they came back I asked how the hospital was. I got a smile and the question: What hospital? Our boss took Joseph to the acpuncturist across the street and for 5,000W (less than 5 USD) he got about an hours worth of treatment. Really? Apparently an acupuncture doctor is similar to a hospital?
So 5 days worth of acpuncture and 20,000W (less than 20USD) later his foot still hurts and we are a bit concerned so we are thinking X-Rays sound like a good thing. Our boss again was kind enough to take Joseph to a real clinic/hospital and had X-Rays. Nothing is broken, just a bad sprain. The cost of the X-Rays were........wait for it........approximately 9,000W (less than 10USD).
The doctor at the clinic said it would take about 2 weeks to finish healing which is easier said than done because we walk everywhere.
I will post a few pictures later of our experience with acupuncture. How much would this be in the United States? X-Rays alone would be a few hundred dollars and I'm not sure about the acupuncture (minus all insurance payments of course).
We asked how much would these services normally be without insurance. You are going to love this part:
Acupuncture with no insurance: 20,000W per treatment (less than 20USD) and the X-Ray/exam about 20,000W (again, less than 20 USD).
You want to come to Korea now don't you?
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Update on Immigration
Apparently we are not set up with our Alien Regristration Card. We were told yesterday by our director that we needed to go in person to give our fingerprints. Again?? Not only our our fingerprints in multiple counties in Florida (for teaching purposes only, I swear) but now they are in Korea. Really? Isn't there a one stop shop for this kind of thing? Perhaps Interpol could set up a database for this particular type of noncriminal thing? I think they may have just wanted to collect the 20,000W...
Anyway, we were told that in about one week our Alien Card would arrive and at that time we would be able to open a bank account. Oh goody. So Sallie Mae, and U.S. Dept. of Ed this is the only reason why I haven't paid you the one thousand dollars you take from us each and every month. I apologize?
On the up side it is entirely possible to live for one month here on less than $500. That's food money and spending money for local items. Go American and triple the price. For instance we ate dinner this evening for about $2.75.
Anyway, we were told that in about one week our Alien Card would arrive and at that time we would be able to open a bank account. Oh goody. So Sallie Mae, and U.S. Dept. of Ed this is the only reason why I haven't paid you the one thousand dollars you take from us each and every month. I apologize?
On the up side it is entirely possible to live for one month here on less than $500. That's food money and spending money for local items. Go American and triple the price. For instance we ate dinner this evening for about $2.75.
Reading and Unexpected Surprises
As teachers, Joseph and I understand the full power behind being able to read and comprehend in whatever language you speak or are trying to speak.
Never has that been as well defined for us as in Korea these past two weeks and never has our speaking Spanish been so fluent! We are finding ourselves answering in Spanish sometimes with the students or people at a market or taxi. Too funny!
Example: Ordering in a restaurant in Korea there are picture menus or pictures on the walls or you have no pictures. God bless the person who decided to put pictures on the walls and in their menus.
While at our school it is not necessary to speak Korean we do speak to the children in general "hello and good-byes" and a phrase here and there. The ability to speak Korean and to read Korean is greatly needed outside of our apartment and school.
Joseph and I carry around a notebook and if we are with someone who is able to read and speak Korean we may ask them a word or phrase and spell it phonetically in that notebook. Why can't we just look in our trusty Korean pocket guide? We are unable to correctly say the sounds of the characters and letters.
Now for the surprise: while ordering last night we were at a restaurant that had yummy looking pictures then items with no pictures. Feeling overly confident Joseph told me to choose so I said go for that one that is 6,000\. No pictures for that one. Next thing you know we are given a table full of side dishes (yummy!) and a large pot of steaming soup with an entire (large) fish in it. Eyes, fins, skin and all. Now, it was delicious but if I had seen a picture of it that would not have been my first choice two weeks in. Joseph was delightfully happy and ate most of it. :-)
Mission: learn to read the Korean characters.
Welcome to Korea!
Never has that been as well defined for us as in Korea these past two weeks and never has our speaking Spanish been so fluent! We are finding ourselves answering in Spanish sometimes with the students or people at a market or taxi. Too funny!
Example: Ordering in a restaurant in Korea there are picture menus or pictures on the walls or you have no pictures. God bless the person who decided to put pictures on the walls and in their menus.
While at our school it is not necessary to speak Korean we do speak to the children in general "hello and good-byes" and a phrase here and there. The ability to speak Korean and to read Korean is greatly needed outside of our apartment and school.
Joseph and I carry around a notebook and if we are with someone who is able to read and speak Korean we may ask them a word or phrase and spell it phonetically in that notebook. Why can't we just look in our trusty Korean pocket guide? We are unable to correctly say the sounds of the characters and letters.
Now for the surprise: while ordering last night we were at a restaurant that had yummy looking pictures then items with no pictures. Feeling overly confident Joseph told me to choose so I said go for that one that is 6,000\. No pictures for that one. Next thing you know we are given a table full of side dishes (yummy!) and a large pot of steaming soup with an entire (large) fish in it. Eyes, fins, skin and all. Now, it was delicious but if I had seen a picture of it that would not have been my first choice two weeks in. Joseph was delightfully happy and ate most of it. :-)
Mission: learn to read the Korean characters.
Welcome to Korea!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Welcome to Korea!
Before Joseph and I left Florida we were told that when we arrive we would begin work the next day. We arrived at the airport in Seoul around 7:30-8pm and made it into Daejeon by bus about 10:30-11. Awesome Amy met us there and helped us with tickets to our city then to our apartment.
Busses here are taken very seriously. When you purchase your bus ticket you are also given a seat number. You must adhere to your seat number. Apparently in the past of long ago people would get upset because you took their seat, etc. and thus began assigned seats. I should also mention this is not a school bus, Greyhound or city bus type of bus that American's are familiar with. This is a reclining seat with seat belts ("kindly wear your seat belt please." says the driver) and it is expected that you do not converse loudly (or at all) on the bus. HA!
Amy, Joseph and I tried our best to talk softly and eventually we nodded off for a few minutes. We did not sleep well on the 25 hours of flight.
We arrive at the bus station and the couple who we are replacing met us and we took a taxi to our apt to drop our stuff then go in search of food. I need to say that 5 adults ate a full meal for less than $16 total. Spectacular.
We have explored our neighborhood a little bit today and we were told also that our neighborhood is the restaurant district and called Mocha Gommo (mot-cha go-mo) so we say that if we are in a taxi and we will usually get dropped off near our building or right in front of it.
We have been too busy to gather an appropriate opinion of our surroundings and country but once we are more settled and less tired and are able to venture forth a bit more we will have more information.
Welcome to Korea.
Busses here are taken very seriously. When you purchase your bus ticket you are also given a seat number. You must adhere to your seat number. Apparently in the past of long ago people would get upset because you took their seat, etc. and thus began assigned seats. I should also mention this is not a school bus, Greyhound or city bus type of bus that American's are familiar with. This is a reclining seat with seat belts ("kindly wear your seat belt please." says the driver) and it is expected that you do not converse loudly (or at all) on the bus. HA!
Amy, Joseph and I tried our best to talk softly and eventually we nodded off for a few minutes. We did not sleep well on the 25 hours of flight.
We arrive at the bus station and the couple who we are replacing met us and we took a taxi to our apt to drop our stuff then go in search of food. I need to say that 5 adults ate a full meal for less than $16 total. Spectacular.
We have explored our neighborhood a little bit today and we were told also that our neighborhood is the restaurant district and called Mocha Gommo (mot-cha go-mo) so we say that if we are in a taxi and we will usually get dropped off near our building or right in front of it.
We have been too busy to gather an appropriate opinion of our surroundings and country but once we are more settled and less tired and are able to venture forth a bit more we will have more information.
Welcome to Korea.
We Are Here + 1 Cat
Here we are 2 days in and already have one after dinner gathering and 2 days of work under our belts. Oh, our cat, Captain Eddie, arrived today also to the city we live in: Daejeon. He is adjusting well.
We are settling in and getting situated. Tomorrow we go to our health thing and get our bank account then apply for our Alien Card.
We will try and do at least 1 weekly post of things happening but right now we have been so busy getting Eddie, working and finding what we need and where to find it. It's actually really fun. People here are very nice and wanting to help you with anything you need. This has been our experience anyway.
It doesn't seem like we are on the other side of the world when we are in our apartment or at work but when we step outside it is a new world to explore. :-)
We will post pictures as well. If anyone has any preference please leave a comment or email us.
We are settling in and getting situated. Tomorrow we go to our health thing and get our bank account then apply for our Alien Card.
We will try and do at least 1 weekly post of things happening but right now we have been so busy getting Eddie, working and finding what we need and where to find it. It's actually really fun. People here are very nice and wanting to help you with anything you need. This has been our experience anyway.
It doesn't seem like we are on the other side of the world when we are in our apartment or at work but when we step outside it is a new world to explore. :-)
We will post pictures as well. If anyone has any preference please leave a comment or email us.
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