weekofchaos

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For some reason I was really apprehensive about this week. It was going to be a busy week with the end of the Spring term; I had classes in the evening, workshops in the afternoon and I also agreed to train new instructors in the mornings.

I started to feel the effects of the week on Wednesday, but I was determined to finish the week. It was raining on Thursday and the day started off crappy. Bad things always happen when it rains. I got an email from my trainee that morning saying that her and her boyfriend had to go back for another medical exam because they found some spots on his lung x-ray. And I started to think about what they might be going through. I left my house early that morning because I knew there would be traffic, but I ended up waiting in the rain for 25 minutes for the bus and ended up getting to work right on time. When I arrived, I noticed that my trainee was there and ok so I was relieved. I did however notice that my co-trainer was not there. Thinking nothing of it and just assuming she was behind because of traffic I started to my session. About 45 minutes into training, another trainer comes in to let me know she never showed. We tried to call her but she wouldn’t answer her phone. By this time of the week, a lot of people started to get sick. And her trainers expressed that she was feeling under the weather earlier in the week. I wasn’t sure what happened to her.

The next day I got to work and as I was waiting for my session to start, a trainee comes up to me looking for his recruiter. I couldn’t find him so I asked the trainee if I could help him with something and he said, “My dad’s dead. I don’t know what to do.” I was shocked and didn’t know what to do either, so I had him talk to my manager. I was thinking what the heck. I went on to my training session and then class. After work on Friday I figured I made it through the week and we went out to dinner and drinks with the coworkers.

I got up this morning to go to work. My students told me they would not be coming but I had to go regardless. Right before class my manager came up to me and told me that the trainees were quarantined in the hotel because of possibly cases of H1N1. I didn’t think too much of it. At 2:30 I went to my class and waited for about thirty minutes for my students to come but no one showed. Suddenly I heard my boss outside so I went to the door and saw my manger, along with the branch manager and head of admin walking towards me. They told me that it was confirmed that one trainee had tested positive for H1N1 virus and that my class would be cancelled. Since I was working in close quarters with the trainee, I would have to stay home and would not be able to teach for the next week. So my friend and I came back to my place and have been here ever since. We waited patiently all day to hear from someone to inform us what we should do in the mean time. We found online that a second person in the group had tested positive as well. A few hours later, I got an email from my manager saying that the Center for Disease Control requested our address and number. Then I got a call saying that the CDC would be calling tomorrow and testing us because the number was now up to 6 and likely to grow. And the chances that we could be carriers were heightened. So now we wait and see.

I have been taking care of myself so I’m not too worried. I’ve been washing my hands a lot. So I think I’ll be fine. But I’ll keep you posted! Freakin Korea.

Peace and Love.

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Comments

[Rick Vaughn]

H1N1
Hi Susan, Just a note to say hi and stay healthy, I hope you're OK! -Rick

[Pear Kimchee]

same here
hey suz, i was told to stay home for a week i got back from korea because the board of education of my city was worried that i might be a carrier for the virus since i left the country. hope this week you have to stay home is paid! just relax, and try to catch up on stuff at home. i posted an insane amount of photos and blogged when i was stuck at home for a week. hang in there!