Medicinal Charades, Perma Cramps, and Kidlets

As some of you may know, for the past month or month and a half I have had a perma cramp in my left leg. I have concluded that this could have only been caused by running at the Y back at home and not stretching properly before or after the treadmill. I have been paying for this lack of basic athleticism rule number one, and today I told Cate about my leg pain.

She immediately took me to a physical therapist about two blocks from the school. When we went in, she gave my name and birthday to the receptionist, and I saw a doctor right away. He spoke to Cate for a few minutes as she described my situation, and I was then taken to the therapist upstairs. I wish I had my camera, because what he did to me was, I feel, authentically Korean.

First he asked me where it hurts (and by asked, I mean gestured). I showed him and he told me to lay down on this table. So I'm laying on my back as he instructs me to straighten my legs out. This is painful for me to do, so with some serious mind over matter-ness I obliged. He then strapped these astronomical looking moon boots/thigh high pants on me, plugged some things into a machine that were connected to my legs, and hit the start button. You know how it feels when you go to a doctor and they take your blood pressure? That's how it felt, but much harder and from my feet to my upper thighs. It felt strange at first, but after a while it started to feel like a really good massage; a lot of pressure that carried on for about 40 minutes.

After the medicinal moon pants were taken off me (by the way, on a normal Korean the moon pants would reach all the way up their leg), the doctor led me into another room where I had to lay on my stomach as he connected these cyclical suction cups to my leg. He told me I have a strained ham string. He then turned a machine on, and it felt like a million toothbrush bristles pushing into the places on my leg where it hurts the most. I can only assume that this means he was doing exactly the right thing, and it lasted for about 20 minutes or so. After it was all said and done, it cost (with medicine) $16,200W, which is about $15.00 American. Very cheap, and mind you this is without health insurance, which I will get once I go get a physical this week with Cate. I am supposed to see the physical therapist 3-5 times a week for the next 3-4 weeks, and Cate and I are trading off payment (she paid this time, I pay next time, etc.). I can't tell if my leg feels better yet, but it is only day one of physical therapy and I have confidence that the Korean doctors will un-strain my pained hamstring.

This entire week I have to be at school at 10 a.m. so that Cate can help me with my lesson plans, and to get familiarized with the curriculum. It is nothing like what I have done with student teaching. Obviously my students are much younger, and so I have to be energetic and jumping around a lot so that they can blow off some steam in my class. I teach two kindergarten classes (or is it three?), a couple first grade classes, a couple second and third grade classes, and two middle school classes. With the little ones, I am doing a lot of ABCs and number counting. They have to repeat after me, sing the alphabet song, recognize that A is apple (flashcards), etcetera. They wear me out, but the end of the day is when I get to relax a little more.

The middle school classes are my favorite because I get to read Time Magazine for Kids with them (one article a week), and this week the article is West Asia. I've been teaching them about the Western Wall, the Taj Mahal, and Dubai. It is a lot of fun for me because I don't have to explain to them as much what certain words mean. It is definitely more advanced than the younger classes. Starting next week I won't have to be at school until 2:30, which I am greatly looking forward to.

As for the rest of my week, it has filled up more quickly than I anticipated. Tonight I am going to poker night at a bar in Sunddong gong with some foreigners (a weekly ordeal), tomorrow night Diane organized a welcome dinner for Simon and I (Simon arrived here yesterday; Cambodian Canadian), Friday is movie night with more foreigners, Saturday my coworker Matt is taking me hiking, and Sunday I was invited to a basketball game (courtside) with Lena from Clarkston and her friend. I am so looking forward to meeting all these people. Michelle and I also decided we are going to join the Gyeongju Football Club so we can get our soccer skills on. It will be a true testament to how out of shape I am, I am sure.

So that's it for now. I am still trying to figure out how to upload videos, and Dan said I need to try uploading them to YouTube. When I get more time I will figure it out. Til then! :)