This is not a photography post, but one to log my extraordinary experience. Unconventional, and it might not happen to anyone else again.
So, I decided that I should
write down all the occurrence that I can recall now before I forget.
This is about the
process of returning to Korea and KAIST, and 14-day Quarantine. a 10-hour trip took me 24 hours instead.
Since April, in the midst of the Covid-19 Pandemic, KAIST has
enforced a policy that all students returning from overseas should undergo
self-quarantine at Government Facility on their own expenditure, of which, unless
they have their own residence, they can quarantine in their residence. The first
email sent was in April when Korean government started implementing an organized
quarantine facility, and KAIST specifically mentioned that the facility costs
KRW 500,000 per day. We thought the cost was ridiculous, and we checked from reliable sources that the cost of government quarantine facility is KRW 100,000 per day. It seemed to be a tactic used to deter us from returning, of which our return is perceived to bring more
danger to the campus. (It was however, to note that the cases in Korea then
were due majority due to local transmission).
Recently, as announced
in mid-June, the prices for government quarantine facility has risen to the
highest of KRW 150,000 per day. We checked with Daejeon city government (thanks
to my labmate), that Daejeon city facility would not hike its price, which
means it would stay at KRW 100k per day. However, the university again blasted another
email to overseas students in June, stating that the price has been hiked to KRW 150k
per day (when in fact, it is not the case of Daejeon city facility). Another strategy to stop students coming back. All these bluffing strategies
are so ridiculous and annoying, and since April, I have lost quite a lot of my
trust toward the university, particularly ISSS.
Not to mention, thanks
to AirAsia, which cancelled my flight for at least 3 times (yeah I lost count)
until I gave up and chose to credit account (which is likely what they wanted - our money), I
have been delaying my return to Korea for so many months. In the end, I resorted
to Korean Air, choosing a date to go with a friend. Nevertheless, the friend could not get her student visa approved, and could not fly together. Thus, I was on my solo again.
So, 2 days before my
flight, I suddenly thought of the option to utilize the money needed to pay for
quarantine at government facility for living on outside housing. We checked
with the Daejeon city government again about the price (yes 100k), and also
called the Covid-19 Call Center to check on facility allocation. But somehow, they seem to indicate that
the allocation of facility is random, i.e. not definitely to Daejeon. This sounds
very unpromising. I forwarded my concerns to prof. Then as she was chatting
with another professor, about a foreign faculty member who entered Korea on Jul 1,
they found out that he was quarantined at Ramada Hotel Yongin. That definitely
sounds more like the highest price payment! And so made me terrified!! 2.1 million!!
However, on the next day, prof called
several authorities and people and confirmed that it was a difference in visa; the faculty had
a short-term visa and so he is quarantined in main government facility, but my visa is
long-term stay which is eligible to use local gov facility. That was a more promising information.
Anyhow, that is a hefty
price if the per day cost is at KRW 150k. I told prof about the possibility of
quarantine outside and reasoned with her about living outside for a semester or
two, and somehow got her agreement that I could do so if I want to, and it is my
choice. However, considering the future costs, I decided to stick to dorm life
and thus decided to proceed with government facility for quarantine.
Day before my flight,
ISSS manager, Ms ASY，text me on
kakaotalk to confirm my journey back to korea, and to make sure that I tell the
quarantine staff that I am going to government facility, not KAIST. She told me I could
call her on kakaotalk if I have problems at the airport or immigration. Okay,
let’s see.
And so, I took my
flight. Comfortable it is, but bould not sleep well in flight, thanks to those talkative girls from Czech Republic, who kept chatting away the
whole journey.
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| My travel buddy with me again |
When I got off the plane and proceeded to the quarantine check, I hit jackpot - I was found to have high body temperature (37.5C). I believe this was due to lack
of sleep, of which whenever it happens, my body feels heaty; it was a familiar feel. Nevertheless,
I was classified suspected as a carrier, and had to take the Covid-19 test at the
airport, and wait at the airport until the results are released. A country
friend, A, was testing with me, and was also having high temperature (38C), worse than me (yeah nothing to be glad about).
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| Waiting room for Covid-19 test (originally a departure gate) |
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| Swab test for nose and mouth taken through the cute tiny doors here |
But this was not all. On top of that, I had
to wait for the right time to call the Daejeon city office to secure a place
for quarantine. So I thought airport staff would know about the allocation for
long-term stayers. However, the guy, likely from military (which is assisting
in quarantine procedure at the airport), insist that only short-term stayers go to gov
facility; long-term stayers SHOULD quarantine at their own residence. Now I was
lost, where should I go?? I called prof to talk to him, and it seems like he
does not accept or understand (yes army only listen orders, how true). He directed
me to quarantine staff, but alas, they look blur and annoyed somehow (one young
lady saw the name tag that was given to be to put on when I took the Covid-19 test, and ordered me to take it off, saying “그거 빼!!” ?!?! Why did she use 반말
when
I am a customer/passenger, when she is not close to me??? HOW RUDE!!)
And guess what, they kept me standing there for 20 minutes for nothing, and
knowing I am waiting for test result, they just shooed me away. (Yes, typical
civil service attitude).
I was brought to a
row of cubicles which temporarily houses the passengers who are waiting for
result. I was given a breakfast box with burrito and salad. Yes, my second
breakfast. While eating and all these while, I was communicating with prof and
my family about the situations. I am so grateful for them for staying with me, so much
appreciated, felt that I was not alone there. The ISSS manager, on the other
hand, did not answer the call when I wanted to ask about the government
facility. Honestly, that was quite expected, and now it is proven. It was an hour
later when she finally response, and I linked her to talk to my prof. In the end, I got to call the Daejeon city office, and
confirmed the address for quarantine. [Later realize that, THE ADDRESS is ALL
THEY NEED! They don’t really care where you are gonna quarantine!! DUHHH!!]
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| Skyview Hotel Room #9 |
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| Deluxe Room with two chairs |
While waiting, I chatted a while with A, who was from Chungang university and in her 4th year of undergraduate. She has her own place in Seoul, which was the perfect quarantine option. I was so worn out, and tried to take a nap on the chair in the cubicle, but it was so hard to breathe because of the mask i was wearing, similar to N95 type. So, became more zombie-fied. Around noon, we were given tuna kimbap for lunch, which surprisingly tasted good – with large filling of tuna J. At around 1.50pm, the sleepy me, still trying to get a nap, sensed that the two (Aand another guy) who took the test with me, were moving away (they got their result), and I wondered why mine did not come. Apparently, noob me, did not turn on my data, which was somehow needed to receive text messages (weird system yah).
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| First real Korean food for months - my favorite tuna kimbap :) |
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| After 7 hours, finally out at the Arrival Hall. To continue my wait. |
So the test results… I TESTED NEGATIVE!!
Ahhh thankfully!! I quickly proceeded with the rest of the journey -- I mean I tried
to. Finally passing immigration! And finding my poor lonely luggage which had waited
for me for 7 hours. Nowadays the only way to go to Daejeon is to take a chartered bus
to Gwangmyeong station for KTX, by batches. But alas, all those waiting time again, and
reaching the exit to the bus, I saw the 3pm bus leaving us behind. TT another
hour to wait.
From airport onwards,
all of us were directed our ways like kindergarten kids, under the direction
and supervision of staff and police. That means it took way longer time. I got
on a 5.41pm train, reached Daejeon at 6.26pm. I tried asking to be sent to the
longer-period quarantine place (국제재산연수원 near KAIST) rather
than going all the way into the outskirts (심산동 청소년 수련원). But
somehow, they only allow me to proceed to the latter. So I had to proceed with the instructions.
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| Another pocket-draining. But I was finally gonna be on the train to Daejeon. |
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| As if a kindergarten excursion trip to Gwangmyeong Station |
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| Daejeon city quarantine staff at Daejeon Station |
Reaching the 수련원,
I met yet another obstacle, after the so many problems. I was shocked when the
quarantine facility leader said they do not accept anymore KAIST students. >.< They
questioned why I was there at the gov facility but not KAIST quarantine
facility. (DUHH It's not like I wish to be here! It's killing my savings!)
Now WHAT SHOULD I DO?? Of course, what else can I do, I had to called
prof, and let her talk to them. The leader told us that they do not accept
KAIST students because of problems, mainly because of food restrictions (no Korean
food, halal only) and language barrier (most of the communication here are in
Korean, spoken and written). But prof managed to persuade them to take me in,
since I could speak Korean and eat Korean food, and I was already very
exhausted from the whole day event. They did, thankfully, and would let me stay
one night there and transfer me to the other facility the next day. I was given
a room, it was big, although less furnished. A meal was left there, cold but
very much needed after 8 hours of not eating. Again, thankfully to my prof, I got
settled down after 24 hours of traveling. The staff were nice to call and ask what I
prefer as breakfast next day, either bread and fruit or bento. Chose the latter
(a way to impress them about my Korean-ness? Haha!)
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| Facility room at 심산동 청소년 수련원. Thankfully, there was a bed!! |
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| Simple and most important devices - Wifi modem and router |
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| Dinner was emptied |
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| No regret coming here. The air was fresh and cooling, the view was tranquil. |
But then, this was not over. I received a call the next day, with a Chinese teacher as a translator, and was asked to clarify to some questions. And again, they asked WHY I came here, WHY did not I go to KAIST facility, and since KAIST has facility, until WHEN will I stay here. AIGOOOOO!! I had to keep explaining that KAIST does not have quarantine facility anymore since April (and apparently, according to ISSS, there were 15 KAIST members quarantined/ing here, but why all these??). Besides that, I also provided the exact time of arrival, time of Covid-19 test, time of result, etc. Finally these are made clear. Hopefully, no more interviews. And by the way, breakfast and lunch, although had similar dishes, taste better than dinner last night. Hahaha!
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| Breakfast |
I proceeded to the
other facility at 2pm. It’s a twin room here with 2 beds, slightly
smaller but more comfortable to work and stay for the longer period. Dinner served
was much better! So I expect to have great meals looking forward. (but as I am
writing this now, I start to grow bored with the food XD)
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| My room - I will not see view this way until 2 weeks later |
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| Nice and cozy |
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| Dinner was great! |
So I thought it would
be a good sharing of my experience for the friends who are expecting to return
in the near future. Most of them would likely proceed with government facility, as a
rule enforced by KAIST. However, my case has uncovered that the city government
no longer accept KAIST students, which would make my experience invalid to what
they may face in future. Indeed, the students just received an email informing the
situation that government facility does not take students anymore. They said students,
but I’m quite sure it is specific to KAIST students; on the other hand, other
universities seem to have their own quarantine facility, except KAIST. Interestingly,
KAIST does not state any resolution to this, only ‘strongly discourage’
students to return.
Well, that makes me the
likely last KAIST student to use Daejeon government quarantine facility. I am
not sure if this is an honor, hahaha! But I can see that prof is really thankful
to have me back. Hopefully this is a good decision, even though it seems weird
that I return on a summer vacation. Anyhow, no vacation expected this summer,
gotta catch up with research work.
One thing though. The whole process partly distracted me from my usual homesickness.
Now I miss my family.
