D is for Daegu and Doctors

So, this post should have been for the week before Thanksgiving. I've had it half written in my head since then, anyway. Here goes....

The Saturday before Thanksgiving I had to go to Gumi to attend an English as a Foreign Language Teacher seminar. I won't talk about that much because it was fairly useless. What was neat, however, was that I got to see some of the scenery of Korea out the bus window. It's pretty nice in the mountains. There are lots of farms along the way and the cities are tucked here and there among the mountains. I wish I had some pictures, but the bus was going too fast to get some as we went. I would really like to go to Gumi, or the mountains around it, in summer and take a hike.

The reason that going to Gumi is important is that it allowed my fellow teacher, Nathasha, and I to make a detour to Daegu on the way back. We took the train from Gumi to Daegu. The train station is massive and there are all kinds of stores in it. I decided to be adventurous as we watied for our train and try a Korean hotdog because I hadn't had breakfast yet. I got it with 'cheese' on top. It was rather like a cross between balogne and a Slim Jim with butter goo on top. So, I recommend not trying one if you're a fan of edible food.

The train ride to Daegu was fun. Getting on and off was a new experience for me. I can't believe how many people were there, waiting and crowding in. In S. Korea it's your job to move through lines as quickly and efficiently as possible, whether it's at the convenience store, grocery store, doctor's office, or train station.  When we got on, some other ladies were in our seats, but luckily someone helped us get it figured out. The train was fast and it was interesting to watch people juggle reading papers and working on laptops while precariously perched in aisles.

In Daegu, I realized just how big a city it is and how easy it would be to get completely lost. Natasha and I were on a mission though, so we stopped and asked for directions to Costco. Yes, they have Costco here in Korea! It's amazing! It took a bit of finding (directions, a map, a taxi ride, an aimless wander, and a kind stranger) to find the store. The design of the building is very unlike any you'd find in America. The parking garage is built from the mainfloor up and the shopping is actually below ground. We had to ride escalator ramps (pics below) down several floors just to get into the store. It is pretty similar to the Costcos in the States. They even have Costco pizza, which I ate, yum! I found out here that Korea even recycles compost, isn't that cool! When we cleaned up from our meal, all wastes went it seperate shoots. I think this is something the US could do too.

Costco was a land of delights. They have cheese--real, unadulterated cheese! They also have bacon,  Nature Valley granola bars and other exotic American goodies. I was in heaven! I will be going back there after the New Year. I miss cheese. Hopefully, next time I will have more time to spend exploring Daegu. I hear that there are Indian restaurants there. I hope they are as delicious as the Madhuban in Boise, Idaho.

Over these couple weeks I also got to have some more up close and personal encounters with doctors here in Korea. I've learned that they don't like to give you what you ask for, they want you to take what they think is best, even if you've been taking the other medicine for years with no side effects. It's very frustrating! I started having migraines again here, due to lack of sleep and stress, and it was a month long process to convince the doctors that I just needed a refill of what my nuerologist in the States gave me. Thankfully, I now have that medicine and my migraines are improving greatly. Other interesting things about doctors here is that they like to think they know everything. That's a lot like the States, but here they don't listen to what you are saying before they tell you you're wrong...lol.

Overall, though, the doctors do try to help, the service is inexpensive and the medication is also inexpensive. I'm looking forward to finding a dentist here and getting my teeth taken care of. Also, I've heard that laser surgery for your eyes is cheap here, so I will look into that too. I think I might miss glasses if I do though. Oh, well, I can still wear sunglasses. =)

One of the little farm hills outside Gumi.

Gumi, poking out of the hills of South Korea

Costco, and pizza....  =)

Costco, the underground shopping area

I got in the way of this line of carts taking this shot....I think that was very un-Korean of me. I think these escalator ramps are kind of cool. the wheels on the carts are magnets and they stick to the steel ramp belt.