Korean Job Discussion Forums

nicam · Joined: 14 Jun 2008

then you may go out.

That's what my coteacher told me this morning (in addition to asking 20 stupid questions, which are so obviously not out of concern for my health) when I called her from the hospital. Then she tells me I have to bring her a receipt. Is any of this standard? I commute an hour to school each way, and the bus ride is windy enough to make a well person puke from motion sickness. WTF?

Also, I was having really scary symptoms that were identical to ovarian cyst symptoms, which turned out to be an adverse reaction to birth control, so of course the doctor gave me an ultrasound, which is all that it says on the receipt. I can't wait to see their reaction to this. It would be one thing if they understood English, and I could explain to them that I am not pregnant, etc., etc., but they don't. Haha, they are just going to see that I had an ultrasound.

I know you should choose your battles wisely in Korea, and I don't want to cause any bad blood, but I don't want to have to show them my personal health records or have to commute an hour to school when I'm sick in order to be dismissed and then commute an hour back home. That's gay.

What would you all do?

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

Just bring them a note from the doctor and try to avoid being sick in the future.

oldfatfarang · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: On the road to somewhere.

There's no medical privacy here - not like in the West. I'd just give the school a receipt from the hospital - with an appointment card stapled to it.
But, they may still call the hospital and ask why you were there.

If you call and tell them you have a medical emergency (manners), and then go straight to the hospital - there should be no problem (if you show your appt card later).

Mostly, they're not being nosey - they're responsible for you (family etc), and so need to know where you are during working hours.

cruisemonkey · Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 8:42 pm Post subject:

nicam,

Read your contract. You don't have to go to the school and you don't have to show them a reciept. In fact, you don't have to give them a doctor's medical report unless you are absent for seven or more calendar days.

gregoriomills · Joined: 02 Mar 2009 Location: Busan, Korea

ChinaBoy · Joined: 17 Feb 2007

Vomit into a plastic bag next time and bring it to your coteacher. Problem solved.

nomad-ish · Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:18 pm Post subject:

what i do now is send a text saying that i'm sick, with what, and that i need to rest so no visitors please and i'll be turning off my cell phone to sleep. i used to call in, but i'd get probing questions into my condition which is just plain insulting. if i'm sick, i'm sick, i don't need to explain to you, it's provided for in my contract. this probably has caused some rift between my handler and i, but i'm not overly concerned with that.

harlowethrombey · Joined: 17 Mar 2009 Location: Seoul

I got a new office with a coach. When I'm feeling sickly I plop down on it, pull my blanket up and put on 'The Office' on my computer.

I could call in from home, but, for some reason, just showing up at school when sick/deathly hungover seems to garner respect here. I dunno.

The only day I'm taking off is to pick up my friend at the airport (and we have mid-terms that day anyway).

Of course this is just me. If you're really sick you should stay at home/go to the hospital and dont feel guilty about it.

Give your hospital receipt to a female co-teacher you trust and explain to her that you are not preggers. Maybe she can communicate this, and you idea to keep the whole thing from becoming a rumor.

Good luck with it.

Goku · Joined: 10 Dec 2008

Probably the hardest thing to get used to in Korea.

Being sick in Korea means you should be on your death bed.

Most people don't take up all their sick days and if they do, it's looked upon as lazy and irresponsible.

Obviously you are sick OP. But the Korean expectation is that you come to school and then THEY decide if you are sick, not self-diagnosed.

GL though OP. Hope they can understand your position. Doesn't make much sense to travel out 1 hour and take 1 hour back.

Ramen · Joined: 15 Apr 2008

K-teachers at my PS call in sick all the time. They even call in when their kids or parents get sick. But when FTs call in sick, they think you're either lying or hung-over from last night's dope party.

nomad-ish · Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:51 pm Post subject:

Fishead soup · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Location: Korea

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

yingwenlaoshi · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Location: ... location, location!

Kea Joenee · Joined: 09 Jan 2009

first off, OP, don't say "that's gay" when you mean stupid or unfair. What if people used a slur like the n-word to describe situations they don't like.

Anyway, they won't fire you over this. Just don't show up. Call at least, say you're sick, then hang up. You're going to get a spectrum of work situations. My old gig was so so nice, a real rarity. They just sent me home early on the only sick day I took.

On the other hand, my new boss is a self-appointed physician who also demands not just a visit receipt but the doctor's diagnosis right in the contract.