Swine Flu Mania

Swine flu has long faded from World headlines, but the hysteria is alive and well in Korea. The day after returning home from my two week vacation, I sat in bed expecting to begin work the next morning, a Friday. I received a call from my co teacher, however, informing me that because I had left the country my vice-principal was afraid I'd caught swine flu. I needed to stay home for the next week because "symptoms take seven days" to appear. An extra week's paid vacation?? Okay! See you next Friday...

Upon returning to school I discovered that all the students were having their temperatures checked daily. In addition, all field trips and festivals had been postponed or canceled. I was advised by my school to "just stay in your apartment" all weekend (Ha!) and to avoid Emart. I just smiled and nodded, as I find this the easiest response to anything ridiculous my school asks of me.

Face masks are back out in full force and today I noticed the addition of large machines in the hallways labeled "Hand Washing" in English. They are the size of small refrigerators but I'm pretty sure all they do is spray hand sanitizer. I didn't test them because I am fervently against hand sanitizer as a means of hygiene. I really resent how this epidemic is going to make people overdoes on anti-bacterials, leading to the evolution of antibody resistant super germs that are going to make me sick in the future.

And, no, that's not paranoia... that's just science.

UPDATE: I have also learned that there are in fact 6 steps to properly washing your hands. Who knew it could be so complicated? My hands have never actually been clean before today...

Also, the government has decided to abandon the quarantine policy. They finally realized its completely ineffectual. It was great while it lasted, but some of us worried it would make our schools try to prevent us from traveling so I'm glad they've reconsidered.

In other news...

A group of foreigner teachers are currently under quarantine in Seoul for Swine Flu. Schools all over Seoul are trying to limit foreigner to foreigner contact. Luckily mine hasn't succumbed to the hysteria yet. Check out the hilarious blog straight from the quarantine room... Hang in there guys! No worries, kimchi can cure anything!! (Watch this to see how...)

North Korea has decided that once you pop you just can't stop and is sending missiles out like fireworks. I also read an interesting article about how U.S. experts are trying to determine how long Kim Jong Il will live based on two month old photos released by the North Korean government. Right, because all the information released by that government is so reliable... Why is it that dictators never seem to die of natural causes until they've reached the ripe old age of 437?

On a more somber note, the former South Korean president committed suicide over the weekend amid accusations of bribery. From what I am told, he was popular with the people and the charges are somewhat overblown and part of a tradition of incoming administrations to heavily investigate former leaders in an attempt to gain support.

It has been an eventful week in Korea to be sure. I'm feeling pretty good right now as neither missiles or H1N1 have managed to do me in (for now...).