Job Discussion Forums

[Thel]

I wanted to post this in the Korean forum but couldn't, so I'll ask here (and hope that the topic hasn't already been extensively covered somewhere):

I'm assuming that before anyone from North America goes to just about anywhere in Asia, shots are taken to stave off malaria and such. I was wondering if, despite vaccinations, it is common for teachers to experience at least one bout of serious illness because of the new environment, or smaller but recurring illnesses. I wish I could be more specific, but I'm clueless as to what kinds of bugs lie in wait Asia-side.

Cheers,
Thel

[tedkarma]

A good majority of Asia has no malaria - so no problem there. Do some research on where you intend to go - or ask on this forum and you will be well prepared.

FYI, shots don't work for malaria - you will need to take pills before and while in an area where it is a problem. However, Korea, Japan, most of Thailand, etc - have no problem with it. Asia is a BIG, HUGE place - you will need to be more specific about your concerns.

I do think though, as you suggest, that most people get sick at least once when they move to a new location. Just bugs that your body isn't used to. But, no big deal - just a cold or a mild flu-type thing and you get over it.

No secret bugs await you here - I've lived in this part of the world since 1992 and I think I am healthier due to the lack of stress.

Come on over!

[Thel]

Hi TedKarma,


That's good to know . For some reason I thought malaria was still a serious problem in many Asian countries. You're right that it's a huge place: I was specifically thinking about Korea. I think the media's instilled a bit of paranoia in the Western psyche when it comes to Asia. Not long ago the World Health Organization was a hair's breadth away from promising an outbreak of plague from Asia within the next twenty years; and it did, in any case, claim that the potential for some super-virus developing in Asia is greater than many might imagine. More likely than not it's hype whipped up to create fear and secure funding for the organization itself.

From what you wrote, I take it that there's nothing to really worry about for someone who's relatively healthy. Thanks for the reassurance.

Thel

PS: I will indeed come over, but unfortunately it's going to take a couple of years (sh*t!).

[Gordon]

I have spent about 6 years in "Asia" and travelled to most of the SE Asian countries with very young children. Both my kids were in Indonesia and Vietnam before their first 1st birthday.

The only thing I have really noticed is that the flus and colds seem to be much worse, nothing debilitating though. No problems.

[denise]

And there might be stomach bugs while your body adjusts to new food and kitchen hygiene, but generally nothing serious. I am usually really careful about what and where I eat for the first few weeks, and it helps to avoid health problems.

d

[Thel]

Hi, Gordon:

Your tone had lulled me into a sense of impending reassurance until the "but much worse" part . When I think of some of the vicious flu/cold attacks I've had, "much worse" translates into "you're dead." I take it that you mean nothing deadly, though. By the way, it's cool that you children weathered the foreign-bug storm without problems. Happy to hear it; and probably good news for aspiring TEFLers with children (we might have something bouncy and smelly by the time we get out there-- should someone on my swim-team finally finish a lap-- and it's nice to think s/he won't face severe health problem because of the move).

Cheers

Thel



Denise, Hi:

Yes, I'm reconciled already to some nasty stomach trouble during the early go. I hear you on being cautious. My understanding is that tap water just about everywhere isn't potable. Makes you wonder, though, because the body absorbs water during showers and teeth-brushing. Would you mind sharing the worst case of transition-related health problems you've heard? People often dismiss anecdotal evidence, but I usually find it instructive.

Anyway, thanks.

Thel

[Gordon]

I drink the tap water in Japan as do my kids and I did in Korea some of the places I lived.

Japan is as developed as the States in most areas, housing not being one of them.

As far as brushing teeth goes, this should be doable in most places after you've lived there awhile and have gotten used to things.

[denise]

When I was in China (just for a one-month summer program, so not long enough really to adjust...), my hotel/apartment brought me two steaming thermoses of water every morning. I drank that water, brushed my teeth with it, rinsed my fruit in it (and then peeled the fruit), etc. And didn't have any problems.

d

[Thel]

Hey, Denise,


Why'd you rinse the fruit if you were going to peel it anyway?

Thel

[Thel]

[denise]

[Thel]

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

I don't drink the water where I live in Japan. Round here, it's roughly the colour of the pre-boiled water that comes from taps in campgrounds (the ones with the big ' do not drink this until it's been boiled for three minutes' signs over them) in Ontario (it has sort of a brownish tint to it).

In the last place I lived in Japan, the water tasted pretty much exactly like it does in the area around the Great Lakes in North America- great.

I wouldn't recommend drinking the tap water in Thailand either (but then in Thailand bottled water is super cheap- in Japan it's about the same price as pop).

People do get a little more sick here, just because of the housing standards.

Oh, if you come to Japan, don't believe people who tell you that Japanese food isn't fattening (often Japanese people who've never actually been outside of Japan)- it is.

[Thel]

Hey GambateBingBangBoom (or as I hear the name in my head, "ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom," the effect of seeing one too many Scorcese movies )


I'm an Ontarian so I know just what kind of water you're talking about. Enough metallic elements in it to make you shite nickels. If something like that comes out of a tap, I run, not walk, to the nearest bottled water dispensary. World over, the drinking-tap-water thing has insidiously become a big deal. When I was a kid, there were no injunctions against drinking even from the garden hose. The idea of buying water would strike anyone as absurd. Now no one trusts anything not packaged. And the scary part is that there were no morally-indignant, glaring headlines saying, "Hey! What, we can't drink the water now!" Disturbing how we kind of just accept whatever comes along.

Well, we're almost certainly going to end up in Korea, and I imagine the water there is as bad or, more likely, worse than that in Japan. I hope the bottled stuff is as cheap as in Thailand. It rather sucks to live in a world where you have to be cautious with one of life's necessities (even a symbol of life and purity--how ironic).

Thel

[GambateBingBangBOOM]