IT'S SO EASY TO BE IN LOVE

It was a long day. I went to Suncheon to go to the hospital there in hopes of discovering the non-existent English speaking doctor. I got to Suncheon and took a taxi to the hospital. It was a big hospital with lots of people there. I don't know what I expected, but that wasn't it. My trips to the doctors here have been in and out in about 20 minutes. Not today.

I go in the front door and see the front desk and there is one place that says, "Foreigners Only". Hey, that's me! I go there and this woman who speaks next to no English greets me. Why is there a "Foreigners Only" Desk when it's looked after by someone who only speaks Korean? Through the odd word and signs we get me signed in and another woman (a hospital helper I suppose) comes and takes me to the waiting room. She speaks no English. However, she carries around a piece of paper with some key phrases on it written in English and Korean so she can talk to me. One of the questions was, "Describe your symptoms"? She didn't ask me that, but the whole thing is absurd. If you have to read from a paper to translate "describe your symptoms" then I don't think you understand English and what's the point of asking that and having me answer. (That was a rhetorical question). Very strange. She did use one phrase that made sense and that was, "I want to take your blood pressure". Yes, statements make sense. Asking questions from a translation sheet is dumb.

It seemed none of the nurses (and there were a lot in this packed room) spoke English. They called a nurse from another area of the hospital who spoke passable English. I carry my presciptions around with me from the States so I can show them. She sort of understood what my problems were, but I don't think she understood that I didn't want tests or anything. I just had questions to confirm whether some medications I was told weren't available here in Korea, were available here. She said something about having to see multiple doctors. It seems that an Internist (or GP) doesn't exist. I went to wait for the Endocrinologist (in case you didn't know that's a diabetes doctor). Fine, you have to start somewhere. She told me that there were a few in front of me and it would be about 10 minutes.

An hour later I'm called in. The doctor had a good and trustworthy face so I got a good feeling from him. I asked him if he spoke English and he said both "no" and "a little". He wasn't too bad to communicate with and since the drug I was most interested in was my Lantus (Insulin) he knew what I was talking about. Yes, they have it here. The other 2 idiots I saw here in Gwangyang know nothing. I hate people who give answers without knowing. He was prepared to write 3 prescriptions for the areas he covers. That's fair. He told me I had to go to the cardiovascular section next. I said thank you and went out. I was told by a nurse to sit and wait some more. I saw the English speaker floating by and I went and got her. I asked her what the story was. She said they wanted to blood work and an EKG. I didn't want that, and I don't need that. I told her I had to be at work in Gwangyang in 5 minutes. (I had called Kelly and told her where I was and that I'd be late. She asked me what time I'd be there and of course I couldn't answer her because I'm sitting in a waiting room just waiting). She then said do you just want prescriptions and I said, "yes". She then took me back to the Endocrinologist to write me more prescriptions. I thought that was nice.

This doctor was very nice. He looked up the drug names I gave him while I sat and looked over his shoulder to offer assistance. He didn't mind. When his hospital search didn't bring them up, he went on the Internet to find the generic name for them so he could look for what they're called in Korea. The dosage sizes here are strange and not the same in North America. He said that the dosage sizes in Korea are smaller. I'm not sure that's true but I can't say for sure. You just have to take more pills to get the needed amount. (And more pills mean more money).

I think his database only showed things stocked in the hospital pharmacy because he said some drugs couldn't be found and I had already gotten those in Korea. We stumbled through with my help and got all my prescriptions. I was then escorted to the pay counter where they asked me for money. I said, "where is my prescription"? Needless to say there was a failure in communication and I was starting to get agitated. However, it seems you pay first and then they give you your prescription. So I paid my $13, got my prescription, and left. (Yes, you read that right. $13 for a doctor visit).

I think I'll have blood work done next month to see how I'm doing. I'll get Dr. Buzbee to fax me my last list of tests and results so they can do the same here. If some of the numbers aren't as good as they were before, I'll get my drugs from a Canadian mail-order pharmacy to replace the alternative drugs I'm getting. The only one I was worried about was the Lantus because it can't be shipped here because it takes too long and it has to stay cold. Now that I know for sure they have it, I feel better.

I then went to the city center to buy the used phone I didn't buy on Saturday. I wanted the phone number taken off my crummy phone and put on the new used one. They couldn't do that because the account isn't in my name. It's in Kelly's name. The store lady wanted me to call her. Now she speaks absolutely no English and she's trying to tell me to call her. She makes the sign for a phone call and points to some Korean she's written down. It finally dawns on me what she might be saying so I take out Kelly's business card and compare her Korean name to what the woman wrote. AHA! So I called and there was no answer so no phone for me today.

I then went to look for the McDonalds because I hadn't eaten today and it's 4:30. I know there's one and I couldn't find it. I broke down and bought 2 slices of pizza from some shop. I had two bites and threw them out. They were greasy and awful. And I couldn't find the Dunkin Donuts either. I had to get to school so I couldn't wander around for long. I missed the bus by 5 minutes so I had to wait an hour. I was quite late to school. I phoned Kelly from the bus station and told her the situation and said I should be there around 7:15. She said that my 6PM students were there and what was she to do. I said nothing. After all, what did she want me to do? (I really wanted to say that to her, but I held my tongue). So we got off the phone. I'm on the bus and at 7:15 on the nose my phone rings and it's her asking if I'm here yet. Stupid question. If I was there, she would see me. I told her I was within 15 minutes of the bus station (which is about a 30 second walk from the school). I got there at 7:30, finished that class, and then my 8PM student was a no-show. Isn't that ironic, don't you think?

I had a late class at 9:25. These kids are around 15. There are 3 girls and 1 guy in the class. The guy wasn't there. We didn't touch the book, just talked. I like classes like that. I think they get so much more out of it than just reading something in a book and answering questions. Conversation is real life. They're forced to speak English so I can understand them. At the end of the class I said I like this much better than the book and I enjoyed speaking with them. They said they liked this much better. And how many times do I get asked if I've seen Justin Timberlake. He's quite popular among the young ladies here it seems. They asked me who I've seen and when I opened with Paul McCartney (who they never heard of) there was no way I was going to mention anyone they knew. I told them I had taught English in Israel 25 years ago and they asked me how old I was. I said 26. They took a moment to digest that and then one girl said, "liar". I love an honest answer. I asked them how old they thought I was. The first girl thought and then said, "40". I said, "I love you". The 2nd girl also said, "40", so I told her, "I love you too". The 3rd girl made it unanimous, so she got an "I love you too" also. I then told them 50 and they seemed genuinely surprised I was that old and told me I looked much younger. They are either great actresses or sincere. I'll go with sincere. So I love them.

This cold won't die. And I think I'm really losing weight. When I was shaving this morning I thought my face looked thinner. Now I never notice anything so for me to notice that might mean something. I meant to find a scale at the hospital and weigh myself, but I forgot. I'm eating Pringles at the moment and I must say, they are one of the worst all-time potato chips. But they're the only American brand in the supermarket and they aren't expensive. Maybe it's because they're made in Belgium and imported to Singapore and distributed from the Philippines according to the can. What it adds up to is one lousy potato chip.

Who loves Ian and Sylvia singing "Four Strong Winds"? I do. I'm so glad I found it on Limewire to download. What ever happened to Ian and Sylvia? They split up (both personally and professionally) in the 70's but remained friends and did a reunion concert in 1986. That was their last concert together. Sylvia Tyson still performs as a solo artist and is a member of the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. Ian Tyson's last album was released in 2002 and he is a recipient of the "Order of Canada" and still does concerts. He just appeared in Toronto on March 20th and 21st at Hugh's Room. He'll be on the road again in Alberta (where he lives) in July. Who said that life doesn't imitate music? (Boy, this is one informative blog).


Four strong winds that blow lonely, Seven seas that run high,
All these things that don't change, Come what may.
But our good times are all gone,
And I'm bound for moving on.
I'll look for you if I'm ever back this way.
Think I'll go out to Alberta,
Weather's good there in the fall.
Got some friends that I can go to working for,
Still I wish you'd change your mind
If I asked you one more time,
But we've been through that a hundred times or more.

If I get there before the snow flies,
And if things are going good,
You could meet me if I send you down the fare.
But if you wait until it's winter,
It will be no good
'Cause that wind sure can blow way out there.