After we got over the fact that our summer vacation would not be a vacation at all, we enjoyed working with elementary school students. It was a nice change to work with sweet and innocent elementary school children who still want to hold hands and hug.
For two of the English camps, we got to stay at 가ㅑ산 (Gayasan - Gaya Mountain) at a hotel huddled in the mountains. The thick green trees and valley with a rushing river were refreshing. We swam in the river a little and enjoyed not being in the city.
Despite the beauty of the place and the impressively high English level of the students, we were extremely frustrated. Our co-teachers for the camp, not the co-teachers we normally work with, were standoffish and unwelcoming, just another experience to teach us how to be empathetic to foreigners and minorities in our own country.
An emergency room adventure also filled our “vacation.” Friday night at the hotel, I decided to take a bath for the first time since we have been in Korea. Yes, we have a bathtub in our apartment, but I think I could only fit a quarter of my body in it ;) The shower head was one in which you had to hold down the handle the entire time in order for water to come out. After an awkward bath in which I couldn’t fit my legs, I went to bed.
Splitting pain in my ear woke me up the next morning. We still had half a day of camp left, so I popped some Ibuprofen and continued on with my day. The entire day I continued this routine, Ibuprofen, wait four hours, Ibuprofen, wait four hours. I convinced my self that it had to be something very minor, not worth going to the doctor.
The next day, I continued the routine, unable to function properly without the pain killers. It was the day of the baseball game and I wasn’t going to miss it. We had been planning it for a month. Although it had gotten to the point where my outer and inner ear was swollen, bruising, throbbing in pain, and blocked from all hearing, I chose baseball over health. I took some more Ibuprofen and attempted to listen to everything with my right ear only. I made it through the night with no one other than Seth knowing.
The pounding and ringing that night was so bad that I woke up for 40 minutes trying to alleviate it. The next morning we got ready for church, I popped some more Ibuprofen, and we headed out. After some persuasion, Seth finally convinced me that I should go to the doctor because we would be in the isolated mountains all week at English camp. Our hope was that I could simply go to the doctor’s office that is on the same street as our church, get medicine, and go to church a little later. We were mistaken.
After repeatedly pointing at my ear in an exaggerated manner, saying ouch, ouch, and making signs like ballooning, we got the message across to the receptionist across that I needed someone to look at my ear. She made and x sign with her hands, indicating that we couldn’t see a doctor there. She then wrote down the name and address of a Catholic hospital downtown. Since we have been in Korea six months and frequently use public transportation, we assumed that we could manage using the subway and the bus: wrong again! Stepping up towards the exit of the subway station, we heard pounding rain and witnessed people skirting under protection of the station soaking from head to toe. When we left for church, there had been no rain; we were unprepared for this torrential downpour. From this experience, we learned to always be prepared for rain in Korea, especially during Typhoon season.
Seth braved the rained and dashed out to find the bus station. He came back five minute later not a dry spot on his body creating a puddle around where he stood. We wandered around the underground subway mall searching for an umbrella and an ATM. After acquiring both, we sprinted into the rain and hailed a Taxi, Seth dripping all over the leather seats. Thankfully, the driver just chuckled. We showed him the address, sat back, and took a deep breath. Attempting not to get our Bibles wet, I deposited them on the ledge behind the rear window, making a mental note to pick them back up before we left. When we reached the hospital, comforted by the fact that it was big and looked clean, we dashed inside, escaping the typhoon.
We pantomimed once again and got the security guard to direct us to somewhere I could see a doctor. Turning a whitewashed corner, immediately, we knew where we were: the ER. We saw bloody, yelling, moaning, patients scattered about the room with no curtains for privacy. Doctors and nurses bustled in and out like working ants. Since only the doctors at the hospital could speak English (normally there is a translator, but we were there on a Sunday morning), we found someone wearing a white coat, and told him about my ear. He gently directed us to the reception area to fill out paper work.
Nervous and overwhelmed, we endeavored to translate the Korean form into English but with little success and increasing frustration. After calling at least five different people and interrupting numerous members of our church, we got a hold of our Korean friend 민히 Minhee. I told her what was wrong and she spoke to the receptionist. Apparently, she told him that I couldn’t hear. Obligingly, he filled out all of our paper work. We were then shuffled back into the ER and asked multiple medical questions by a different doctor. Thankfully, I was then guided up to a private room where a doctor inspected my ear (without cleaning or changing the tools) and confirmed that I had a severe ear infection. Feeling relieved, we got my medication and headed for a taxi. At that moment I realized I didn’t have our Bibles . . . nor did I have my transportation card. What a colossal fail to end a horrible day.
In addition to all of our other adventures, we finally did 노래방 (noraebang – Karaoke) 노래 means song 방 means room. This is a very popular pastime in Korea. Each party rents its own private room and spends hours singing and drinking. Koreans are very proud of 노래방, and they should be. It’s great fun.
By the end of summer vacation, I was relieved to be back at my regular school teaching the fall semester. It was uplifting to have my students tell me that the missed me and were happy to see me. Although, I enjoyed working with the elementary aged children, I still prefer middle school students, who are energetic, moody, goofy, and a little sarcastic.
Now, September is here! My 25th birthday approaches. Gladly, Shayla will be visiting us soon. She should arrive on my birthday. Then we will have a week to spend with her. During her stay, Korea has 추석 (chuseok - Korean Thanksgiving).
Until next time,
애나 상생님 Anna-Teacher
