Since arriving in Korea, a lot about my lifestyle changed, even the minute details that I wouldn’t usually notice. It’s an understatement to say that my body had been thrown into this whole new unfamiliar world without much preparation at all. With so many changes in my diet, my living space, and my environment, my health was bound to become harder to manage.
Initially, I hadn’t paid much attention to what I ate, I was just enthralled at the prospect of trying everything Seoul had to offer without any regulations. I ditched home cooked meals for fast food and snacks. Iced green tea lattes became my breakfasts, and sometimes I would have up to two per day instead of hydrating myself with water. Finding food that was acceptable for me to eat as a Muslim was also a huge challenge, so I leaned further and further towards snacks and junk food. Despite all these bad habits, I remained in good health for the majority of my first year here.
My first scare came October last year, when I suddenly fill sick for two weeks during my midterm period. It was unexpected since I rarely ever get sick, but what was more alarming was how long it took my body to recover. All throughout my life, I had never been sick for more than days at a time. Only then did I realize how much I have neglected my health since coming to Korea. I used to catch a cold once every two years or so, but after this incident, I had gotten sick every 3 months, the last time being late September of this year.
One thing that made my recovery even more difficult and lengthy was my lack of knowledge on the Korean Health system. While shivering away and wallowing in misery, I realized that I have not yet made use of the health insurance services, nor have I gone for a health check up, or researched what someone in my situation should do. Luckily (or unluckily), my continuous health scare taught me more about the Korean Health system, and I want to share some of this information to hopefully help you avoid or at least prepare for any health situation.
Did you know that as long as you pay the National Health Insurance fee regularly, you are eligible for a free health check up every 2 years?
For instance, if you were born on an even year like me (2002), your checkup can be done on even years, like the current one. If you were born on an odd year, your check up is done on odd years. So don’t miss this golden chance to undergo a couple of important tests for little to no fees! These tests include a general diagnosis and consultation (including height, weight, BMI, vision, hearing, and blood pressure measurements), as well as blood and kidney function tests, and chest X-ray among others…
The National Health Insurance website is a good start to finding the information you will need, but feel free to give their number a call too! They have an English line and are very very friendly!
I personally wasn’t aware of this next tip either, but your university may also offer free check ups and assessments in their health center. It might be harder to use this service if you cannot communicate in Korean, but it is free and usually more comfortable and efficient than going to a clinic or a hospital if the issue doesn’t call for it. Most universities in Korea have an established university hospital too, namely Konkuk University and Ewha Women’s University. Here at Sejong, we have a sports medicine center, but they also take patients for colds and other viral diseases. We also have a small health and counseling center for quick assessments and first aid.
