Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Keepongoing]

I teach in a university and was giving midterms today. They were doing dialogues with partners and for the last one, only one student came in. His English is quite limited and he told me his partner could not come and could would I be around later because she was having some heart problems. I dismissed this thinking she was at home or the hospital because she had been absent the week before. Anyway, directly after that I went into the students' canteen to but some kimbob and I saw this girl bent over on the table with her hand on her heart and experiencing labored, erratic breathing. I asked the students around her if anyone had called the ambulance and they said no one had. I went to one of the Korean cashiers and asked her to come out (wanted some adult Koreans around) and told them to call the ambulance. Another Korean Professor joined us and we waited for the ambulance. I asked them to call her parents, but the students said she did not want her parents to know, but her BF that was there agreed to call them. The ambulance arrived and took her pulse and rushed her away. I am not sure what is wrong with her, but would guess it is congenital. I have First Responder training, but because I am in Korea, would not touch her unless she went unconscious. After all this was over, I went back to my office and started shaking (very strange-not sure why, but felt in a bit of shock myself). I told our office figuring they would want to know if I sent a student to the hospital, but they did seem that interested.

[afsjesse]

So why wouldn't anyone take notice and ask if she's ok? I don't get this country sometimes. I mean really, if I have my hands on my chest, am sweating and breathing erratically and there's 100 people around and not one takes notice, then there's a serious problem.

Is this a cultural thing or pure ignorance?

[Robot_Teacher]

Ooooh, sounds like a classic heart attack. Yes, this can happen to anyone at any time at any age. It's where an artery is blocked causing the heart to be starved of oxygenated blood. The victim puts their hand on their chest with the feeling of an elephant on their chest and unable to breath. Pretty scary stuff, especially if immediate help is not available or offered. My dad and grandpa had heart attacks at a fairly young age.

Heart problem is simply something Asia never had before the fried foods, packaged snacks, and all this meat came. Now that western fried food, crackers, and meat are common, heart trouble is common like in America. If you're have a heart attack, it's likely few will understand your situation and know to call the ambulance ASAP to administer treatment such as nitro pills.

I noticed Korean customs are slow to catch up to the troubles of modern times. Another demonstration of this statement is people litter all over the place, becuase it used to be OK to throw everything on the ground when it was natural before western style plastics came.

Another deal is kids are having emotional issues those before them never had resulting from modernization conflicting with the culture while being fed high expectations only be disappointed leading to depression and possibly worse, but no psychiatric care and counseling available. To my knowledge, problems that are fairly new here are not well addressed, but laughed off and ignored out of saving face.

[JJJ]

And your question is....? You heard about that American boy that fell in the whirlpool or something and drowned didn't you? Lots of talk about that. No one did a thing here. He floating for 20 min. or so before someone goes and gets the old towel boy. I've seen countless passed out or maybe dead drunks on the street. No second glance. I've seen a guy get hit by a car, lying alone, no one except me helping him.

Yeah, ya don't want to get seriously hurt or ill here alone in your apartment or walking down the street. This girl obviously didn't belong to anyone's circle of either family, co-workers and close friends. That sucks and I know how she feels. I would have been in the same boat. Hope she's alright. That's the way it works here. Sigh.

[samcheokguy]

Korea...please let the Koreans die alone. You don't understand our culture.

[Keepongoing]

[Yu_Bum_suk]

[Skippy]

I do think here in Korea you do get a bit more of the "It's Not My Business" attitude. That is why you get more shoulder shrugs when you see or hear gf or wife abuse.

Heck Koreans are so into themselves sometimes that is the situation my father had when he was was at Seoul Train Station proves the point. While he was waiting for a bus. He notices an older Korean man who he thought was likely homeless. Anyways he notices the old is just sitting there staring right ahead. And staring.... and staring after a few minutes my father thought that was a bit weird and when up to the old man did the old wave you hands in front of the eyes maneuver. No reaction for the old guy. My father gives a little push and no response. The guy is DEAD. Dad decides to go find a police officer to handle this. Thru some hand waving and that he was able to get a police officer or two to handle the dead body. Dad jumped on his train knowing that at least the cops could handle it. But the thing that makes me shake my head is this is into middle of Seoul freaking Station. We are talking busy and no one really notices a dead guy for a couple of hours.

And before some Korean apologist gets to me. This stuff does happen in the states and the west.

[Bibbitybop]

I heard if you call an ambulance, you have to pay for it, even if the ambulance is for another person.

Is this true?

[jvalmer]

[refikaM]

The girl could have been having an anxiety attack... Feels a LOT like a heart attack.. tightening chest, difficulty breathing, hyperventilation.. It ain't fun!! Maybe she was super stressed over her exams or something..

[refikaM]

The girl could have been having an anxiety attack... Feels a LOT like a heart attack.. tightening chest, difficulty breathing, hyperventilation.. It ain't fun!! Maybe she was super stressed over her exams or something.. and maybe that's why she didn't want an ambulance?