{Okay back track – I’m sure we’re receiving mixed, misleading, or sometimes untruthful information.} I’m what the source is for saying that 14 people tested positive. We were told that everyone here that was tested is negative, although they may have tested positive for cold viruses, and a possible flu virus that is NOT H1N1. Also except for the first couple of people, the people being held in isolation at the hospital are largely negative. Of course we may not have the correct information here, I don’t know. It just seems the article is targeting teachers a little bit, when absolutly anyone on that flight could have brought it over. The information we’ve ben led to believe is that the point of origin was not on the ground in the US, but on a certain flight. Sparkling Chaos comments on this on his own quarantine blog. (oh dear, I just looked at his blog again and it looks like he’s come down with it).
Again, I’m just wondering what ramifications this going to have for teachers all over the country.
There have been helecopters circiling the building all day. I don’t know if it’s just because we’re close to Incheon and it’s airport or military base stuff, but this is the first day I’ve noticed them. It’s easy to notice stuff when all you have to do is look out the window and obsess about blogging.
So if all new teachers from the states need to be quarantined for seven days, does that mean tourists or folks visiting family members won’t be allowed in at all (presuming most people only go on vacation for a week or two at a time) ?
Clarification: A (somewhat) minor point that seems to be misconstrued in the media is that we all “stayed” together. We all stayed at the same hotel, but with no more than one other person in our room. It’s not like we were hanging out after hours, cooking together, or in any way “living” together for the training week.
Feelings of another Blogger in Quarantine.
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Ruby Ramblings 
I would highly recommend addressing your questions/concerns about the Korea Herald article to Matthew Lammers. He’s an editor there and very understanding of the expat situation in Korea, as he’s been in bad situations himself. Why don’t you ask if they would publish a statement or press release put out by all of you together?
Comment by Steve May 26, 2009 @ 4:40 am“minor point that seems to be misconstrued in the media is that we all “stayed” together.”
This is something I talk to my pre-service student teachders about all the time: you can’t use Korean cultural rules and concepts when teaching English language; you need to learn the culture of the language you are teaching . . .
The media hears ‘stayed together’ or were ‘in the same hotel’ and that is put through the Korean cultural filter to mean ‘everyone ate, slept, and did everything together in the same place’ . .
I don’t think that this ‘fact’ will be changed . . .
Take care,
Comment by Jason May 26, 2009 @ 4:56 amJ
Thanks for the advice, that’s a great idea. I know one of the folks talked to the Herald (sparkling korea), but obviously we can’t really organize to decide what we would say as a group. I’m fine with posting my opinions and observations on my own blog, but I really don’t want to get in a media situation where I would have to be representing the group.
Comment by therubycanary May 26, 2009 @ 5:08 amHey – hang in there Shanna. Just started picking up on this today from your blog. Sending good thoughts your way…
Comment by Jim Kloss May 26, 2009 @ 5:25 amOK now everything is clear: H1N1 is a virus that causes professional disease, among US English language teachers ONLY!
Comment by Milan May 26, 2009 @ 9:08 amYES! Actually one of the instructors referred to it as the H1N1ESL – Flu.
Comment by therubycanary May 26, 2009 @ 9:50 am