Sick Notes

Fall is here...what a difference...

I can't speak on behalf of everyone (across the Western and African world) when I comment on the small differences I notice here in Korea, the small subtle differences that I enjoy so much.

One of the smallest differences with possibly the greatest impact on my life here is the squat toilet pictured below. It was a few months before I discovered normal toilets in the gym of my school. I'm a pretty open guy with a very tiny ego but I can't bring myself to ask one of the male teachers at school how to use this toilet. It's a workout, a balancing trick and forget about taking a newspaper with you! But that's a different story which I won't discuss further! Bottom line - I've found a toilet (at school) and now the only trick is sneaking past the girls playing badminton on my to the toilet!


You work it out!

The little difference I've enjoyed lately is the sick notes and excuse notes I get from students. Growing up in Durban and not being the most athletic young man, and not being the most actively involved student, I was happy when my mom was willing to write me a sick note to get me out of PE (physical education)...'Please excuse JC from swimming practise, he has a cold...' This was quite normal and relatively authoritative. For swimming practise, ear ache was the always great, indisputable and no 'actual' physical symptoms required!

A massive difference here, something I may have commented on before, is the total lack of sports in schools. My school, Pyeongtaek Girls High, is renown for hockey, it was a great AstroTurf and schools from all over come to train at our school, likewise we have a great team. Other than that though, there are no sports and if you're not on the hockey team you get 2 hours of badminton a month! Moreover, the girls are at school study from 7:30am until 11:00pm everyday including Saturdays. So there is no time for exercise. So, for me, a stark contrast there. I running two evening classes this semester - Creative Writing and Public Speaking - and on occasion a student won't make the class and write a little note themselves! I do like that, I would have loved to write my own sick notes! A subtle difference but one that I enjoy. Here are two such notes.