I first read about Mike White in a popular ESL forum. He was the 14-yr old American who died at a jjimjilbang (sauna) in Daegu City. They said he’d drowned, but when I looked at his picture, I asked how?
Last Thursday night, I read the transcript of his mom’s interview. She is still looking for answers to her son’s unexpected death. I only felt frustration on the part where she was at the hospital hoping the medical attendants would do more than they were doing. There are always two sides to a story. We don’t know what really happened but my faith and sympathies are with the grieving mother.
Earlier this year, another foreigner here died because of the multiple burns he suffered in a big fire in downtown Seoul. He was an English teacher named Bill Kapoun. Reading about his story and how much support (emotional and financial) his family received from other expats in Korea made me feel a little sad. I envied the “solidarity” that the western expats here have.
Koreans still have a hard time accepting foreigners. My daughter has Korean boyfriend. The boyfriend’s mother told him if you will live in Korea marry a Korean if you live outside of Korea marry a foreigner.
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How unacceptable. Dead or alive, the police should have been more active on the scene and case before it got this cold…
I agree with you, though, because if the medical team had been more attentive and caring, he probably would have a better chance of being alive today. Of course, who knows if he would have lived even then.
Lastly, are the workers at the sauna SO BUSY that they can’t wait 45 seconds to see if him being face down in the water was a game or not?!
Thanks for giving the heads up about this, Betchay.
caucasian expats will always have that solidarity simple because of how they are grouped as one here in korea. in addition, there is a sort of “bond.” unfortunately, other expats don’t.