Take Cover

Teaching has be one of the worst jobs to have while you're sick. And being anywhere other than home while you're sick has to be the worst place to be. This is the second time here in Korea that I have caught some sort of stomach viral thingy. Only this time, is was coupled with an intense outbreak of hives. Blotchy red all over, burning up, and bent over the toilet..............I cried and I don't care who knows it. Last time I just kinda waited the whole stomach thing out, but this time I had to go to the doctor. I called in sick to work and made my way over to the clinic. My principal wanted me to try to come into work this afternoon after a doctor's visit, but since I could barely make it to the doctor's office I decided her idea just wasn't such a good one. I was also informed by a coworker that taking 1/2 a day here, counts the same as taking the whole day, so..........why not actually take the whole day? My thoughts exactly. I downed a bunch of Gatorade, took a handful of pills, and fell in and out of sleep watching movies the rest of the day. That was most certainly the low for this month, maybe for the past 3 months or so. I really hope this is the last of this kind of thing I have to deal with while I'm here. But there have been some other highlights:

First, the Cherry Blossom Festival. I ended up going to this alone because there was a miscommunication between a coworker and I, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. Spending a beautiful Saturday afternoon roaming under a canopy of pink flowers with food and music wasn't too bad. I was reminded of the tree my parents have by the deck in the backyard that blooms these beautiful dark pink flowers every spring and I like to sit under.
Second, was the Demilitarized Zone, or the DMZ. This is a strip of land that runs across the Korean Peninsula serving as a buffer area between North and South Korea. No human has been in the area in over 50 years, making it one of the most well preserved areas of temperate land in the world. Though the two sides have signed a cease fire treaty, they are still at war and the border is heavily guarded and patrolled. For a few moments, however, I was in North Korea, surrounded by military officers (the good guys) and under close surveillance by the bad guys. I didn't get a stamp in my passport though, which is a little disappointing. Though I was never really nervous, it was all a bit intimidating and the closest thing I'll ever get to the "front lines".

Top: good guy protecting us; Bottom: bad guy spying on us.
I now need to plan a few other things to look forward to. I'm trying to have something to look forward to every weekend. It definitely helps.