Medical Exam

Finished my medical exam for the Seoul School Department. Wowie! We all go into this room, and they try to explain the drill, what a game of telephone! The medical personel tell the SMOE personel and then the SMOE personel would translate to English. Women were told to wear cotton t-shirts and no metal in the chest area, later they decided to just put us in special robes and walk us out to the x-ray bus--like cattle. It was smile for the camera and then get shoved off the bus and thrown into the classroom to change again and thrown onto the elevator to collect our urine cups and four six vials. Two vials for urine, four for blood.
 Of course we have all been fasting since the previous night and were told we couldn't even drink water... for some stupid reason. So urine samples were difficult to collect. I was held prisoner for a bit until finally desperation took control of my body and I was able to squeeze out just enough.
Then off to get my height, weight, chest measurement (why?), eye sight, color sight, and hearing checked. Then pulse and blood pressure--which were surprisingly normal after all this. The onto my favorite part, the blood test! I knew I was in trouble when the lady started beating my arm and looking puzzled, I think she said something in the effect of "Where are your veins?" and instead of trying another source for blood she digs the needle in and she rolls the needle. No blood is coming of course. I think I cursed. I know I bit my lip and nearly passed out. She did have the courtesy to pull the needle out and say sorry, then she wanted to inflict torture upon the other arm. Luckily, she only beat my left arm for a bit before giving up and inflicting torture on my hand--she at least got blood eventually from my hand. By this time I am nearly hyperventalating because I am so scared I cannot look away from the needle and it hurts and well I just want to pass out! But Mr. Cattle Driver makes me move and walk, luckily I got mad at him for pushing me across the room or else I may have collasped on the floor. Now I think I will sympathize with cattle next time I need to help with branding or vaccinations LOL.

Welcome to South Korea

Well this is my first day in South Korea. I am staying in a guest house/ hostel thing in Incheon, on the same island as the airport. Some where between Bangkok and Vietnam I realized that I was sick and getting a cold. Bummer. Today I am feeling a bit better, but I am cranky and weak, and cannot quit sneezing! I tried to plan a nice trip to the islands or into the city, but nothing sounded all that great. So I know I must be sick. Since today is foggy and wet I think I am just going to stay here at the guesthouse and be lazy. Get much needed r and r.

Incheon is gearing up for the Olympic games. I was told that there are huge building projects all over the city, including the World's Largest Tower due to be completed in 2013. The island on which the airport is located used to be mountains and trees ten years ago, but then the airport came in and the games were planned, so mountains were flattened and trees were ripped out. Now it is a bunch of mud and construction with high rises going up every where. The owner of the guest house is glad to have the opprotunity for more business, but is sad to have the mountains destroyed.

I have forgotten to write about so many things. I might have to post a whole bunch of blogs about them. Before I forget it is time for SMALL WORLD Post lol.

Firstly, when in Ayutthaya we had walked to that elephant camp. One of the men who worked with the elephants was from Santa Barbara... I didn't get a name, but he is a psychologist there. Secondly, while in Kanchanaburi, I saw a Thai man wearing a Boise Broncos t-shirt. I couldn't catch him to take a picture or to talk with him. And on the plane to Incheon I sat next to a Korean man who did his post-doc at Seattle and had traveled several times to Washington State University and Boise State, so was quite familiar with Pullman/ Moscow and Boise.

Ok well time out now. I am tired of writing and have people staring at me.