Being Sick in Korea is Brutal

Being sick in Korea is actually one of the highlights of this endeavor.  Why?  Because whatever I normally got sick with back home seems to be amplified here.  I heard about this before coming and I will never forget that first morning when I woke up with the most severe sore throat and sinus infection I’ve ever had.  The pain was so sharp and intense I honestly couldn’t believe it.

Well, here I am, sick again.  I could feel it coming – doing too many things and for some reason the battery just wasn’t recharging.  This time though, I was a little more prepared.  I had anticipated getting sick since it happens about once a year, so I purchased a neti pot online about a month ago.  Since all my colds start in my sinuses, discovering the neti pot a couple years ago has really changed the whole healing process.  It basically cleanses your sinuses with salt water.  Salt water is still one of the best healing remedies.  Like when you go in the ocean and you have a cut.  It always heals faster.

My neti pot and salt

I brought it to work with me because getting time off for being sick is a tricky thing.  If you do call in, you’ll need a doctor’s note or it may be difficult to justify your absence.  Going to the doctor here for being sick is essentially the same process everywhere.  Prescription for antibiotics and a shot in the butt.  If you want to avoid that, it’s probably just easier to go to work.  So that’s what I did…with my neti pot.  I can’t wait to see the looks on my coteacher’s faces if they walk into the bathroom and see me using this thing.  Should make coming to school while I’m sick a bit more bearable.