I recently decided to take a trip to a small clinic in Gwanghwamun. This is an area that is quite famous for its palaces and houses the U.S. Embassy. I had previously been aware of a small bump on the back of my neck and was unsure of what it was or where it came from. I noticed it several months ago and figured being in Korea now, it may be the perfect opportunity to explore this. I had been informed many times of the cheap costs of medical care here and decided to go for the consultation. The office was located on the fourth floor of a commercial building directly next to the famous Cheonggyecheon stream. The office was able to take me in about ten minutes after my walk-in. I came with a friend who had previously made an appointment and I had not. My consultation with the doctor lasted about ten minutes or so, with minimal communication problems in English. The doctor recommended that I have x-rays taken to ensure the bump was not attached to the bone. The x-rays were taken one room over and were completed in around ten minutes. The pictures were taken to the doctor where he analyzed them and initiated a procedure in the back of the office. I was ordered to change into a different set of clothes and to wait on a bench. The waiting time was approximately thirty minutes before they sent me to an operation room wearing a mask over my hair, a face mask, and coverings for my feet. I lied stomach-down on a bench and the operation began moments later. The room was cold, and there were around four people involved in the operation. The doctor in my consultation came in the room after about ten minutes of prep (numbing, disinfecting) to the area of concern. Although I was unable to see what the doctor was doing, I understood that he was removing the mass that had formed in my neck. After several minutes of removal, stitches were finally placed. The entire operation took around thirty minutes and I was removed from the room to talk with the doctor. He informed me that he would be sending samples of the mass to a lab to ensure it was not a serious concern. Upon leaving the clinic following the procedure, I was prescribed antibiotics for the next week. Over the next 2-3 weeks, I returned to the clinic bi-weekly and had the patch over my neck changed and cleaned. At the final appointment, the doctor notified me of the lab results and informed me that the mass was not a serious concern. I was sent away with a gel to apply daily to the scar, and had no major issues following the appointments. I am quite satisfied that I decided to take the leap to have this medical procedure done in South Korea. The price paid for the operation and the following appointments were substantially lower than what I expected walking into the clinic. If you have doubts, I would recommend going with a local friend and getting second opinions from several clinics.
With the Covid-19 emergence, courses have been restricted to primarily online lectures. As a result, I have tried to maintain a balance in staying inside as much as possible while also attempting to go outside when least crowded. Masks, hand sanitizer, and disinfecting sprays have become quite routine during my stay. I believe that it is important to remember that you can never be too careful during an epidemic.
I have had several recreational activities cancelled or postponed. However, I am more concerned with the health and safety of everyone around me and, therefore, do not mind these changes. I have actually had much more time to work on my Russian and Korean language abilities, as well as, practicing other small hobbies.
I will admit I am a bit concerned with my return to the United States in mid-June. However, it has little to do with my health and more to do with my father who is more at risk with the virus. My thoughts go to those who have already become victims of the virus, and I do hope it passes in a short time.
With springtime comes many exciting new things. Cherry blossoms, in particular, seemed to have come quite early this year but are, nonetheless, absolutely stunning in appearance. I have taken some time during the evenings to go on bike rides near the Han River and have been rewarded with the stunning night views of Seoul. Social distancing is quite important during these times, but it is good to remember to take time to do the things you love. Staying active is something I value, and, luckily, renting bikes here is quite painless and inexpensive. Staying active is what has kept me sane whilst staying primarily indoors.
Although the virus has been a hard hit, and still continues to be, I have been quite blessed with my trip thus far.
My name is Noelle, and this is my second blog post regarding studying abroad. In the past, I have travelled to Ghana with the school. This year, I am in South Korea for my final year of university. I am a Marketing major, soon to be starting class at Sung Kyun Kwan University (성균관대학교).
I chose the opportunity to study in South Korea because I travelled here three times in the past and really enjoyed the people and the country. Seeing as how this is my final year of university, I really hoped to spend it abroad. After much debate, I was able to finalize everything and book my flight to Incheon.
Previously, I have travelled here for weeks on end but never beyond a period of eight weeks. This time, I’ll be able to stay in Seoul for approximately four months. As a result, I hope to fully take advantage of my time here. I aim to improve my Korean immensely. I will be taking courses at the university and will take the time to use what I learn in daily conversation. I will also take the time to learn more about Asian history. I will be reading more into the history regarding Korea and its surrounding countries.
Before coming here, I was aware of many cultural differences. Etiquette in South Korea is much more important and common than it is in the United States. Bowing and honorific speech is important to take note of upon arriving. Dining etiquette is also major here. For example, it is important to lay the chopsticks down and never place them vertically in any dish. However, being a foreigner you will likely get a free pass. In subway cars, the seating for the elderly is likely never somewhere you want to chance sitting unless given permission to do so. More often than not, the right side of escalators are for standing and the left side are for walking. These are a few details I became aware of after a bit of research and simply trial and error.
This past May, I was fortunate enough to experience two weeks in Ghana. Pre-flight, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. I had previously traveled to South Korea, but nothing similar to Africa. Upon arrival in Ghana, after a connecting flight in Belgium, I was welcomed by incredibly friendly faces. The first night I stayed in Accra, which was incredible. I could not help but notice all of the hard-working men and women, who worked with children strapped to their backs. It was surprising to see many children take the role of a mature adult at such a young age. From the following day on, I met up with five other students and we took the two hour bus drive to a small village, Okurase. This village is home to around 3,000 individuals. Here, we stayed for around ten days, researching and financially planning out the expenditures on building a fish smoker. Previously, the school I studied for had created a catfish farm for the village. However, to increase the added value, we decided to build a smoker for the community. Seeing as around 70-80% of fresh fish is smoked in Ghana, due to unreliable electricity, or lack there of, a smoker seemed the best route. Regardless of the lack of money and material items, the residents here, children included, constantly greeted me warmly. Many of the children played with my hair and held my hand while walking through the village. Learning the names of the children in the villages, and them memorizing and shouting my name as I walked by is something I will likely never forget as they warmed my heart so much. On the tenth day, we were incredibly sad to leave, but were content with the completion of the fish smoker. Knowing after we visited the village, that we left the community with the opportunity to make a positive change was extremely humbling and gratifying. After the village, we visited a few other destinations such as: Mole National Reserve, Larabanga, and Cape Coast. All of these destinations were incredible, and we were able to learn so much about the country in the process. Our final stop Accra, even allowed us a visit to the U.S. Embassy to discuss what we had previously done in Okurase, and what Project Okurase wishes to do in the future. Academically, this trip has broadening my horizons tenfold. Previously, I have not had much real-world experience in terms of applying finance and marketing to specific projects. The goals of completing the smoker within the budget, achieving useful marketing information via surveys, and marketing the project’s future plans to raise awareness were challenging, but incredibly rewarding and educational. In fact, upon visiting the U.S. Embassy, the idea of returning to Ghana, not only within a year, but also after the completion of school, appears incredibly appealing. There is so much that can be done, and so many markets that can be reached in Africa, it seems a bit overwhelming. I believe it is important that many businesses start to slowly shift towards putting more resources into reaching these markets.
Advice:
I, for one, burn horribly. If you think your skin is somewhat similar to mine, wear long sleeves and long pants with thin material. Although the weather felt like a couple thousand degrees, and the sun was incredibly brutal, I am pretty sure the long sleeves and long pants/skirts I wore saved me from turning my skin into leather.
I also want to throw out there that no matter how prepared you think you may be, visiting a country like Ghana (which is drastically different from the United States), will no doubt have you losing weight through one end or the other. I experienced sickness for around five days and I am pretty sure it is the reason I ended up losing around seven pounds in the two week trip. Try to bring multivitamins and antibiotics (use only in case of severe sickness), they will help tremendously. Although the sickness is likely unavoidable, I’m sure you’ll find that the trip is worth the pain ten times over. I mean come on, elephants a hundred feet away in no confinement? It’s nothing like going to a zoo.
Do not forget the required documents for entering the country. You will need a Visa to enter. Although my Visa did not take long to receive, ensure you have all the necessary materials and do not forget to include a return shipping label (I made that mistake). Ensure your passport’s expiration date is not six months prior to the travel plans (unless you plan on living in Ghana for a very, very long time). As previously mentioned, you also are required to receive the Yellow Fever Vaccine. Plan ahead because, as of now, there is a worldwide shortage and it is a bit expensive. Once you receive the vaccine, you will also receive a yellow piece of paper. You must bring this paper and present it with your passport upon entering and sometimes exiting the country.
Malaria, if you don’t take the medicine, you will get it. If you take the medicine, there is a 99% chance you won’t get it. Talking bugs, there are a decent amount of bugs, nothing to be too afraid of. Maybe some crickets that are a bit larger than they should be, or a few ants that are frighteningly large, but overall I noticed nothing too scary (which actually says a lot, seeing as I am frightened by just about any horror movie, especially Ju-on). Also, it is pretty important that you take the medication a few days before the trip and at least a week after the trip, in accordance with your doctor’s instructions and the medication you are taking.
Do no drink the water. The locals do not drink the water. Use bottled water and packaged water to drink and brush your teeth. If you plan on lengthening the period you spend in the bathroom, or have plans you’re trying to avoid, drink the water. (Don’t actually, it’s a terrible idea. No amount of vaccines and medication will make the water safe to drink, or save you from whatever you may contract upon returning to your home country.)
Bring bug spray by the gallon. Here, there’s a bit more to be worried about than mosquitoes bothering you. In my experience, most of the bugs came out at night, but even with all of my skin covered, the bugs bit through the fabric (totally unfair, should not be a thing). You can actually soak your clothing in the DEET liquid, and it lasts for multiple washes, have not yet tried. At least make sure your ankles are covered, because for some odd reason they seem to love ankles (maybe this is what our high schools were warning us of when they cracked down on dress code). In conclusion, yes, bring bug spray and spray your ankles and probably the back of your neck.
One last thing I should mention: The people here, pretty much everyone, do this crazy, cool handshake I have yet to master. Something along the lines of a regular handshake turned into snapping the fingers. I probably embarrassed myself over fifty times trying to successfully do it but failing miserably. Note to self: check out YouTube tutorial later.
Note: Be prepared to be open to seeing things you may not usually feel comfortable seeing. As negative as it may sound, many are not usually exposed to poverty at such an extreme level. And also, the culture, is just completely different. Be aware, be conscientious, and be accepting of these differences.
Props to my friend, Mary, for taking this incredible picture at Mole National Reserve.Also here is a cute dog I saw in Kokrobite Beach. Note to self: Ghana has incredibly cute dogs.
Noelle's Notes 