Today on Weird Wednesday I’m bringing up my students.
I’ve observed many foreign things when it comes to what my students wear, eat, act like, and mention in everyday topics. Even just yesterday I had one of my 5-year olds throw up out of the blue on our way to his next class. The desk teacher (they’re pretty awesome ladies who do not mind doing all the dirty work) came up behind the student and started hitting his back repeatedly…hard (meanwhile I was running to get a trashcan…I guess they don’t do that here?) I’m used to a gentler approach of rubbing the rather sick individual’s back, and maybe applying a cool cloth to the back of their neck. Ok, well whatever works.
I’ve also noticed quite a few kids running around with tissue up their noses. It wasn’t until I started working mostly kindi classes that I realized why.
You know how back in the States they tell you that for a bloody nose you should pinch below the bridge of your nose and lean forward? Well here you just shove a tissue up the nose and keep changing them out until it stops bleeding. It’s quite awkward to observe as a teacher…watching your student pull tissue out and push tissue back up as far as it will go. eeeeekkk.
This is my 6-year old student June. He gave me a classic example of what I’m trying to describe to you the other day. He had this tissue up his nose for 2 hours. Maybe more.
The second strange observance was brought to my attention just yesterday by my five-year old student Chloe. For Koreans, warmth is the cure-all for sickness. Sore throat? Warm tea. Fever? Multiple layers of clothing…AND a sticky hot pad taped to you head. Why? I don’t know. I was also told that these ‘sticky pads’ can come in cold packs as well…I just have yet to see one.
What do you do when you get sick? I’d love to hear of your ‘weird’ practices. :)
Looking for more Weird Wednesday posts? Check them out here.