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Adventurer
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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 Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 11:07 pm Post subject: My boss wants me to go to the hospital (I've got a cold) |
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Do Koreans get colds that last for a week? One of my co-workers was acting like I was sick for more than a week. I caught a bad cold on Friday. It's only Wednesday. Sometimes, foreigners can have a cold that lasts two weeks, even, because we aren't used to the germs over here. My boss is kind of worried about me being sick, but I got sick in Ilsan, I've just been around my students, some of who are sick, I didn't go to any bars, I didn't hang around them.
I just have an annoying cold. The ones I know are in Seoul; I don't know anyone who works for CDI. |
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antoniothegreat
Joined: 28 Aug 2005
Location: Yangpyeong
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 11:21 pm Post subject: |
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if you are knew, having a cold here early is quite common, like you said, it is the different germs, plus stress, plus lack of rest and maybe nutrition, since you might have trouble finding good food.
if they want you to go to the hospital, i would go, it is cheap, and that will make them happy since there is the big old SI scare going on, and they think only foreigners have it.
really, what is the cost to you? 5000 for the doctor fee, 3000 for medicine, and maybe you get better early, and if you do have SI, you find out early, which is good. versus making your boss upset.
seems to be an easy choice. |
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Adventurer
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 11:26 pm Post subject: |
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| antoniothegreat wrote: |
if you are knew, having a cold here early is quite common, like you said, it is the different germs, plus stress, plus lack of rest and maybe nutrition, since you might have trouble finding good food.
if they want you to go to the hospital, i would go, it is cheap, and that will make them happy since there is the big old SI scare going on, and they think only foreigners have it.
really, what is the cost to you? 5000 for the doctor fee, 3000 for medicine, and maybe you get better early, and if you do have SI, you find out early, which is good. versus making your boss upset.
seems to be an easy choice. |
I am not new, actually, but even if I've been here for 3 years, I am still not used to all the germs of Asia. When I first came, my colds would last me for 4 weeks. Now, they last me about a week or so, which is normal.
Would I be taken to some quarantine if I could go to the hospital over havin' a cold? Some foreigners are nervous about going to hospital for that reason. For me, I just want some days off, so I can rest instead of dealing with hyper kids which is not what you need when you have a head cold. |
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English Matt
Joined: 12 Oct 2008
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| Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 2:49 am Post subject: |
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| Adventurer wrote: |
| antoniothegreat wrote: |
if you are knew, having a cold here early is quite common, like you said, it is the different germs, plus stress, plus lack of rest and maybe nutrition, since you might have trouble finding good food.
if they want you to go to the hospital, i would go, it is cheap, and that will make them happy since there is the big old SI scare going on, and they think only foreigners have it.
really, what is the cost to you? 5000 for the doctor fee, 3000 for medicine, and maybe you get better early, and if you do have SI, you find out early, which is good. versus making your boss upset.
seems to be an easy choice. |
I am not new, actually, but even if I've been here for 3 years, I am still not used to all the germs of Asia. When I first came, my colds would last me for 4 weeks. Now, they last me about a week or so, which is normal.
Would I be taken to some quarantine if I could go to the hospital over havin' a cold? Some foreigners are nervous about going to hospital for that reason. For me, I just want some days off, so I can rest instead of dealing with hyper kids which is not what you need when you have a head cold. |
Many Koreans tend to think you must be mental if you don't go to the hospital when you are sick (no matter what it is that you have).
As far as I am aware with the hospitals, they'll test your blood if you are exhibiting A/H1N1 symptoms and release you back into the wild if the test comes back negative. I wouldn't worry too much about going to the hospital, but at the same time just let your employer know that in your home country it is considered nuts and not a little selfish to go to a doctor with a cold....he can't do anything for you that a pharmacist couldn't help you with, and you could well end up infecting him.
N.B. Having re-read your post, I am assuming you are currently at home sick.....if that is the case then I would go to the hospital, because your employer may well think you're a lying slacker just trying to cadge some time off school (in their mind that would be the only reason they could see for you being a)not at work and b)not going to the hospital). Get a note from the Doctor and at least then you have a piece of paper saying you are sick....which can let you rest easy that your employer won't try and sack you for being a(n assumed) layabout. |
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Adventurer
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 5:08 am Post subject: |
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| English Matt wrote: |
| Adventurer wrote: |
| antoniothegreat wrote: |
if you are knew, having a cold here early is quite common, like you said, it is the different germs, plus stress, plus lack of rest and maybe nutrition, since you might have trouble finding good food.
if they want you to go to the hospital, i would go, it is cheap, and that will make them happy since there is the big old SI scare going on, and they think only foreigners have it.
really, what is the cost to you? 5000 for the doctor fee, 3000 for medicine, and maybe you get better early, and if you do have SI, you find out early, which is good. versus making your boss upset.
seems to be an easy choice. |
I am not new, actually, but even if I've been here for 3 years, I am still not used to all the germs of Asia. When I first came, my colds would last me for 4 weeks. Now, they last me about a week or so, which is normal.
Would I be taken to some quarantine if I could go to the hospital over havin' a cold? Some foreigners are nervous about going to hospital for that reason. For me, I just want some days off, so I can rest instead of dealing with hyper kids which is not what you need when you have a head cold. |
Many Koreans tend to think you must be mental if you don't go to the hospital when you are sick (no matter what it is that you have).
As far as I am aware with the hospitals, they'll test your blood if you are exhibiting A/H1N1 symptoms and release you back into the wild if the test comes back negative. I wouldn't worry too much about going to the hospital, but at the same time just let your employer know that in your home country it is considered nuts and not a little selfish to go to a doctor with a cold....he can't do anything for you that a pharmacist couldn't help you with, and you could well end up infecting him.
N.B. Having re-read your post, I am assuming you are currently at home sick.....if that is the case then I would go to the hospital, because your employer may well think you're a lying slacker just trying to cadge some time off school (in their mind that would be the only reason they could see for you being a)not at work and b)not going to the hospital). Get a note from the Doctor and at least then you have a piece of paper saying you are sick....which can let you rest easy that your employer won't try and sack you for being a(n assumed) layabout. |
I don't really go to the hospital if I have a cold. There is no cure for the cold. It only passes after time. You can take vitamins, drink certain things to rev up your immune system. If I got worse, I would consider going. I would have gone if I didn't think there was some paranoia about the H1, and I have no clue how quick results come from blood tests. Some people advised me not to take the chance and go in.
I didn't stay at home. I wish I did. I work for a hagwon. You can't stay at home if you work at a hagwon. Only public school teachers can do that sort of thing. No, I worked and put up with the classes, and I pray that tomorrow I will have recovered. |
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The Gipkik
Joined: 30 Mar 2009
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| Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 5:17 am Post subject: |
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| My coteacher had a cold that lasted more than two weeks. Another teacher had a cold that took at least a week. They share the same DNA as the rest of us. In fact, the divergence within each ethnic group is far greater than between races. I say this because my coteacher was relaying to me some propaganda in the Korean news about how Koreans have been spared the swine flu due to their superior genes. The Korean nationalism never ends. Of course, the reporter was making particular comparisons with Japan and China. |
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Robot_Teacher
Joined: 18 Feb 2009
Location: Robotting Around the World
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| Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 6:21 am Post subject: |
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| You mean to tell me it's still cold and flu season? Well it's not in NA. What's the deal with Korea? |
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Adventurer
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
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| Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 6:35 am Post subject: |
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| Robot_Teacher wrote: |
| You mean to tell me it's still cold and flu season? Well it's not in NA. What's the deal with Korea? |
Well, Koreans aren't superhumans, and it's absolutely normal to have a cold for about 5-7 days. Anyway, one reason I got sick is because the change in weather abruptly messed things up, and I teach kids, and some of them were sick. Obviously, I got sick from superhuman Korean children. So what am I supposed to do? I understand the hagwon owner would be worried about his business, but he should take my word for it, that I had no possible way of getting the swine flu except from a Korean since I wasn't around foreigners when I got my cold except for my co-worker who didn't leave town and didn't hang out with foreigners except me and another friend who stayed put as well. |
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moosehead
Joined: 05 May 2007
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| Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 7:26 am Post subject: |
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a typical cold lasts 7-21 days.
most K drs will prescribe meds that are loaded w/caffeine which is why your K coworkers go back to work sooner; if a NET doesn't go to the dr and become loaded up on these meds, they feel the full effect of the cold and let it run its course naturally.
a K will often stay sick longer (coughing, sniffles) but keep working due to the caffeine effect.
*also* when they say hospital they are really talking about a clinic |
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Moko
Joined: 21 May 2009
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| Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 8:59 am Post subject: |
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| If it lasts more than a week, it's probably a bacterial infection, and you need amoxicillin or other antibiotic. My 'colds' used to last for weeks and be totally disgusting. Finally, I found out I had a sinus polyp which basically invites the bacteria in for a house party. I had the operation (also disgusting), and since, I discovered what a normal cold is: some sniffles for 3-5 days. And I know when it's worse than that, I'd better see the doctor. |
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Hyeon Een
Joined: 24 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 11:39 am Post subject: |
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| moosehead wrote: |
a typical cold lasts 7-21 days.
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...21 days? For a cold? I can understand taking 3 weeks off pretending so that you can make use of sick leave, but are people seriously sick for 3 weeks because of a COLD? They are weak weak people. Did they not get an immune system growing up or something? If I was a boss I'd fire anyone who was 'too sick to work' after 7 days if they had a COLD. |
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bassexpander
Joined: 13 Sep 2007
Location: Someplace you'd rather be.
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| Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 1:40 pm Post subject: |
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I caught yet another sore throat. Symptoms started late the night before last. I've got a little bit of anti-biotics left from my last illness. I'm going to finish those, then get some more today.
Bought a digital thermometer yesterday ,and it doesn't work. Battery died. Grr.. |
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D.D.
Joined: 29 May 2008
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| Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 2:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Adventurer wrote: |
| Robot_Teacher wrote: |
| You mean to tell me it's still cold and flu season? Well it's not in NA. What's the deal with Korea? |
Well, Koreans aren't superhumans, and it's absolutely normal to have a cold for about 5-7 days. Anyway, one reason I got sick is because the change in weather abruptly messed things up, and I teach kids, and some of them were sick. Obviously, I got sick from superhuman Korean children. So what am I supposed to do? I understand the hagwon owner would be worried about his business, but he should take my word for it, that I had no possible way of getting the swine flu except from a Korean since I wasn't around foreigners when I got my cold except for my co-worker who didn't leave town and didn't hang out with foreigners except me and another friend who stayed put as well. |
If you get sick when there is a change in the weather it is usually from spicy food or eating fruit out of season.
There is an easy cure- put your finger on your belly button and move 1 1/2 inches to the right and down 1 inch. ( liver side near appendix) feel around for the tender spot by pushing in. When you find the tender spot put one hand over your mouth and cough while jiggling the tender spot with two fingers.
About 15 minutes later your cold and flu symptoms will become less as you freed up your ileocecal valve that was causing your sickness. You might need to reapeat 3 or 4 times a day. Stay away from fruit and spices on weather changing days. |
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kiwiliz
Joined: 20 Apr 2006
Location: New Zealand
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| Posted: Wed May 27, 2009 6:29 pm Post subject: |
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If Kimchi protects Koreans from H1N1 and SARS etc...why is it ineffective against colds?
Just about every teacher at my home school has had long lasting colds and sniffles. |
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