Swine 'flu - only bad some of the time.

Because, thanks to the huge spread of the disease our hagwon is closed! Well, Thursday 'til Friday anyway. Or at least I get the time off, as Sarah messed up by signing a revised version of our contract and owed me two days off. Regardless, I've had the past two days off, which has been great, save for the fact I've got bronchitis and no money. Still, two days off! Whoo hoo! I've sat at home, relaxed, read, hung out at the pc bang with the kids and seen Amy, a nice relaxing time and something that was much needed, work was starting to make me foam at the mouth and claw at the walls.



I like the fact that I have time off for once, as the Korean attitude to work is to take no time off until you die, then you can relax, which for them is fine but I'll take my breaks now thanks, while I can do something with them. My boss obviously hired me as a western teacher (read, we take holidays) so shouldn't try to fleece us with 6 days off a year. Now I'm fine to go by most of the rules and regs around here, but a girl wants a break once in a while goddammit. Also, I've obviously come to Korea to check out the place, instead of just working here - I could work and not sight see in England, that's not what it's about. Sarah cornered me in her office the other day to tell me that she thinks I ought to stop going away at the weekend, as I'm obviously having too much fun. Too much fun? I've actually calmed down a lot since I've been here and I kind of resent that from her. I was once told by a coworker that Korean's order of priority (and obviously this isn't all Koreans, but listen), is 1)work 2)family 3)friends and that while I was here I should take that into account. What's the point of earning money if you're just going to sit on it and not go away? Or have fun with your family and friends? I feel sorry for the kids, they barely ever get a holiday and when they do it's a often just a weekend away on the east coast. When I think back to my fondest memories of childhood, it's generally going on holiday with the folks, even if Dad didn't really do much but sleep and drink and mum sunbathed topless, much to my mortification. Can't say I blame them though, they worked hard, why not rest and give yourself a pat on the back?

Anyway, I digress. Swine 'flu in Korea is tackled much like anything in Korea - with far too much over-enthusiasm. Children are being plucked out of school at a great rate of knots and the kids are being covered in swine 'flu masks, which they tend to where on an 'if I remember' basis and often are worn for about 20 percent of class time. Hand sanitiser is everywhere and ajummas walk around looking even more scared of westerners than usual, if that's possible. Even before the dreaded disease had hit over here, when John came to visit the Koreans were walking around making cross signs over their breasts and looking at him like he may grow a pig's head and infect them at any point. In fact, Sarah banned him from coming to our school, as it 'looked bad on us' and actually asked me to send him away for a week, you know, to Busan or something. I politely informed her that he was only here for a week and a half and therefore would be going nowhere, before bottling it and lying by telling her that I would send him to the other side of the country. She's also been really annoyed at me recently for not heading to the doctors to get my 'cold' checked out. Ok, so it's bronchitis and I should have been, but still. She even sat me down to tell me that I was now on my own in Korea so had to take responsibility for myself. Hmmm. Feeling like I'm definitely ready for a couple of days away from her!


So, although I find being grateful to a global pandemic a bit of a strange phenomenon, in this instance, swine 'flu (Sincheon 'flu as it's called here), I salute you. Now stop killing people, please.