Fluids Needed

Pee.

Blood.

They're the top requirements needed to stay in Korea.   Please pee in a cup and roll up your sleeve so that we may collect some of your fluids to test if you are a good and decent human being and have not done any bad deeds while living in Asia and traveling around.

Ok. I can pee in a cup.  Easy enough.  I don't mind needles.  Go ahead and stab me.

But I do mind having to do it all twice.  It's a bit of a fail, a slight inconvience and creates alarming panic in my Co-Teacher that is bewildering and not too enjoyable.

"Meagan! We must go! We have 10mins to get to the hospital to redo your medicial or else...."

"Or else what?!"

Oh dear!

But we made it.  I peed.  I read an eye chart.  I was weighed.  I had my chest measured (still small).  I listened for the beeps.  I had my blood pressure checked.  I did it all for a second time.

Why?  Because I was given the Korean medical the first time I went to the hospital.  Umm... Do I look Korean to you?!  Fools!

I will allow that it was a manic time - foreigners and Koreans were streaming in to have their fluids checked to be declared fit to teach another year.  But... really!!?!  How!!! did you mistake me for a Korean?!  When you spoke to me in Korean did I respond with ease and skill?  Did my small frame and height confuse you?  No, I think not!  Fools.

But what really made it all frustrating was that the foreigner test was the exact same as the Korean test except that foreigners get tested for HIV and drugs.

Why don't the Koreans get tested for that as well?  Aren't they also human and capable of doing all the same things.  No!  No, because they are Koreans and Koreans do not do drugs!! and they do not get HIV.   Those are Western things and therefore only Westerns can get them.

Or so that's how it was explained to me in the chaos of my second medical.

Despite the mess, I proved fit to stay and teach another year.  No funny business here ^^