A Korean hospital

Here is what this Korean children's hospital looks like.
It is a university hospital and I think it is geared to lower income folks. I don't think the wealthy bring their children here. So, there are levels of care, I am sure in Korea.

Here is what I see.

The room where Nathan receives care is a ward room. There are six beds in the room. In America, mostly the parents sit in a chair by the bed. In Korea, the mothers are all in the beds with the children. Which my first reaction is "What the hell is going on?" It looks rather sloppy to me, but that is Korean culture of closeness.

I am beginning to see an alternative to American individualism, it is a sense of community found in Korea. Folks eat together, drink together, and families sleep together. There is a closeness between people.

All the children have IV's. It might just be the room. However, Children will ride the IV stands down the hall. Mom, Dad or a nurse will pull them out. Some will get slung really fast for a "whee effect"

Each bed has a refrigirator for the families to put food.

It is an interesting place, because I think private room would be best...I think Koreans may think communal room is better than the best.

More that I travel, the more that I understand that I am American. In Haiti, I learned that I am willing to trust the democratic process no matter what. In Haiti that is not an option or a desire. Here I am learning that I am part of the American melting pot, I love diversity. I love being influenced by my son's native culture. However, that culture does not see a great need to be open to an exchange to make such an encounter happen.

joy,
guido