A few months back I was given a notice in Korean that said I had to undergo a mandatory medical exam before the end of my contract. This is for all school employees and if I dont then the school will be fined.

I'd put it off for a long time and finally decided to go now that classes are over. I had to request early leave (we still have to sit in empty schools) and went to the local hospital. To my surprise they said because I've had lunch they cant do the test. I thought it was the normal blood/urine test but this seemed to be something more detailed.

There was also a lengthy questionnaire in Korean that I had to bring back for my co-teacher to help fill out. It was several pages and asked everything right down to how many times I brush my teeth.

Because fasting was involved I asked for a morning appointment and they asked me to come in at 7am because it could take up to three hours.

I went early and the place wasnt too crowded. They sent me to the 2nd floor where I was told to take off my clothes. I didnt understand what they wanted me to do and asked if I needed to take my shorts off. Eventually I figured out I just had to take my shirt off and wear the gown.

After taking blood samples I went to a xray room. He gave me some milk compound to drink and something like sherbet. When the granules were in my mouth he squirted water and they exploded like coke bubbles.

I didnt know the wall of the xray machine was a rotating table and I was supposed to hold on to the handles overhead as it started to tilt forward and then to each side, so I started sliding before I figured this out.

Then it went back to the upright position and had something like fist that would push into different parts of my chest.

Next I gave a urine sample, did an eye check, height/weight, blood pressure, and hearing. Then down to the ground floor for a dental check.

Finally a doctor reviewed my results and told me in a stern voice that I was overweight and needed to lose weight!

Their charts are for Korean people and I'm actually quite normal by western standards. I was also given a free toothbrush and sent on my way.