Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Robot_Teacher]

I'm noticing half my students are coughing today and the little 1st and 2nd graders sound really congested with phlem while the 4th and 5th graders have dry cough. I thought at first this morning they were cackling to each other to say, "Teacher, we're not interested in your blah blah blah blah on this cloudy blah blah blah day." But that simply is not the case as they are really sick.

I explained to the Korean teachers that it's uncommon for a cold and cough to be going around in June and explained we should cover our mouths and wash our hands with soap to reduce the spreading of germs. They explained that people are sick from going swimming in 85 degree weather. Yes, it's been 75 to 85 F recently. They got sick from swimming in the Summer? No way. It's germs. Just why these sorts of germs are present right now baffles me as it's unheard of in the Summer.

Are they sick in America and Europe right now? I would expect they are in Australia and New Zealand as it's Winter down under right now. I've never seen colds, coughs, and flu in the Summer so this is really new to me. I haven't noticed any adults coming down with it, yet.

What's the deal?

[Suwon4AGT]

I have to confess, it was me (the evil-doing foreigner) who brought this scourge upon the LOTM. I should have known that a trip to Osaka a couple of weeks ago was going to turn me into a vicious yet ignorant carrier of a Japanese-planned bio-attack.

So sorree...

[Rusty Shackleford]

Can't say I've noticed. The odd case of pink eye has sprung up, though. I'm crusading for the principal to turn the hot water on in the bathrooms.

[Tjames426]

From what I understood, Monday was a very high pollen day.

At least that was my experience. I could smell it in the air.

Perhaps it is a reaction to allergies?

[pentheus]

I know Koreans are meant to be immune from cancer and smine flu, let alone the common cold, by virtue of the kimchi they eat, or so some of my teachers would tell me, so maybe they've changed the ingredients!!

[Michelle]

[Misera]

hmm~ no one's sick with a cold/cough at my school (or at least nothing is going around). They're oddly healthy.. usually there's a cold or two flying around, but none of my students have been coughing or sneezing. I've also been oddly healthy despite being very allergic to pollen XD Aside from being tired b/c of it, I've had no sinus problems lately. A few weeks ago it was bad enough that I couldn't really breathe.. but now it's pretty good. I come from pollen filled Georgia though..

[Xuanzang]

My students have the cough or sniffles year round.

[billietea]

My elementary school is sick year round and I have to be extra cautious about my practices as I have no control over their hand washing, covering their sneezes/coughs, basic hygiene...students serve the lunch at my school and you wouldn't want to know...you just wouldn't want to know.

I could spent half of every class telling kids to get their fingers out of their nose and then sending them to the bathroom to wash their hands....when I did that at first they would come back with totally dry hands (meaning unwashed and trying to pull the wool over my eyes).

On my breaks I did an experiment as my classroom is directly outside the girls bathroom...and I, being a woman, could watch them come out without it looking suspicious. I only saw one kid wash their hands the entire day. That is over 70 kids going to the bathroom and not washing their hands.

So, when they are sneezing all over my flashcards and each other, picking their noses and coughing in my face as they talk to me - what do you think happens? Yup, I get sick too...and EPIK just reduced the number of sick days we can take...not too smart. I only took two sick days this year (when I could have easily taken 20) because the Koreans don't "do" sick days. It is better to go and work while sick than deal with their wrath, plus who wants to burn bridges when you might want another contract?

[digsydinner]

[Xuanzang]

[Robot_Teacher]

If you call in sick, the swine flu police might show up for quarantine operation H1N1 2009. Serious. China got the mayor of New Orleans in lock down for being around those who called in sick for flight arrival.