Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Crockpot2001]

In another thread in the OT section, a cafe member details her craptacular experience in an Incheon hospital. The post-op care was largely absent or impersonal as she told of her experience. Since she was here alone as a teacher she had no family to assist in bathing or feeding, a normal part of K-hospitalization.

What agencies are out there to to provide non-profit or no-cost assistance to native English speakers? I'm talking about getting stuff like magazines, laptop access, tampons, snack food, clothes, games, conversation, and dignity.

If nothing it out there besides the embassies, I'll take the initiative to start it myself.

Crockpot

[Scamps]

As far as I know nothing exists like this. Not for free anyway. I think you'd need to hire a personal assistant. But if you want to start a volunteer group for sick foreigners I'd be the first member to sign up to volunteer. It's a great idea!
Last year I got very sick myself. It was the first time I've ever been sick and I just hid it (I wasn't working at the time) and didn't tell anyone. I was just waiting to get better on my own. Eventually I couldn't take it anymore and went to the hospital to find out what was wrong..they didn't help me get well so I went to the US. I was also scared of being hospitalized in Korea. I'm a quiet person and I don't have any friends that I can really rely on. So I can totally sympathize with others in this situation.

[interestedinhanguk]

I'd be very surprised if there were groups doing it for no-cost/no-profit for people in our situation. Refugees, 3d workers etc, maybe. But we can pay for care.

That being said, I'd like to know what options exist. If it could be so much as getting on here to post "Hey guys, I need help, I'm at Hospital X" it'd be great.

[Crockpot2001]

I prpose a city by city network with one or two contacts who have a standardized ready kit with at least the following items.

Toothbrush / toothpaste
Tampons/pads
soap
hand sanitizer
washcloth
socks
eyemask
earplugs

What else????

I also think I might be able to tap into the American Womens Org. here in Seoul for some added horsepower.

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

I was that poster in the OT section.

I'd be happy to volunteer in such an organization. How do we go about starting this?

Also, I can't stress this enough: get a smart phone. It was my only connection to my family back home. Nobody would have known where I was. It also killed a lot of time.

Also, to add to that list:

A towel
your phone and/or phone charger
lip balm
deodorant
lotion (you can get really dry. I noticed that some families brought humidifiers to their patients, but lotion would have sufficed)
slippers for walking around the floor (you are forced to for exercise)

[Crockpot2001]

[Crockpot2001]

[Scamps]

Perhaps you can contact the Seoul Global Center to help get the word out there that help is available. Or contact some English magazines like Seoul, 10 and Groove and the English newspapers.

[interestedinhanguk]

You can call home for a reasonable rate from any phone.

Save the number 1566-0044 in your phone. When you want to call home, call the number, at for the recording to start, and type in your home number (for the US 1-area code-555-5555). You may have to wait a moment, but then it will connect you. You only pay the local rate for here in Korea. I don't know how it works (I assume it's similar to a VOIP). There was a thread a while ago on it. I use it whenever Skype's not handy and I want to call home.

[princess]

The million dollar question of the day is "where in Korea can us lowly foreigners get a smart phone"? My phone will be useless in a few more days because no one in my neighborhood will recharge my prepaid phone...that's 2 wasted phones since October...most trouble I've ever had in Korea with a phone, or rather the first time I've had trouble with 2 different phones in 3 months.....guess I'll have to run to Itaewon next week and get a monthly plan now that my visa is renewed through 2012. I'm just lazy to make the trek to Itaewon...

[Lastrova]

Dignity? That is in short supply in many, many Asian hospitals. They'll talk about your condition in open to all and sundry, have you laying there with your privates hanging out, push you, prod you, examine you with the greatest of ease. Just like an insect.

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

Screw dignity. They could have gawked at my naked body all they liked if they'd just bathed me. I was feverish and drenched in sweat, blood, and, at some point, vomit. When I asked for new pajamas, they brought me a folded set and expected me to put them on myself. One of the nurses actually tossed them onto my abdomen! I had to ask them to unhook my IV so that I could change my shirt. They didn't think of it. Yes, I'm stronger for it, but, quite frankly, I'd have rather been babied a little.

[sojusucks]

I visited a friend in one of those 6 people in a hospital room situations. Is that what we're talking about?

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

I ended up springing for a 2-person room, but we're discussing the fact that there is no real after-care in hospital post surgery. I had a dry mouth for 2 days that I wasn't allowed to drink water (they refused to give me ice chips and didn't think to wet my mouth, even though I asked for water repeatedly and said my mouth was dry), and wasn't bathed once in the 5 days I was in the hospital bed. I was forced to clean myself with toilet paper and hand soap, and couldn't bend to clean everything. I was a mess.

[sojusucks]

In your situations did anyone there speak English? When I visited my friend, twice, a couple of the nurses spoke some English and one of the doctors spoke English. That made a big difference.

Did anyone from your school visit you and help you in any way?