Well, I didn’t stay so calm initially. As my arm got worse, I just wanted to go HOME! And I stopped staying in airbnb’s and moved to hotel rooms because I didn’t want to have to interact with anybody. It was good that it wasn’t so easy because that gave me time to think more rationally. The fact is I wouldn’t have been treated as quickly at home.

As much as we all love the countries we live in even as expats, we panic as to the care and safety in comparison to that of our own home countries. I know that Korea is considered as one of the most technologically advanced countries as does Germany in the “first world,” but it doesn’t stop one from worrying on point.

Believe me, you did well in trying to keep cool, calm & collected and getting the care and help that you needed. Bravo my dear. 🙂

Thanks, Irene! I’m feeling better. No pain in my arm, just occasional pain in my neck.

I know! Your immediate instinct is to run home, isn’t it? Safety and familiarity!

If it’s not included in your regular health insurance, there are short-term policies available that will just cover while you’re traveling. And the same goes for travel insurance. Ours is an all-year policy because we travel a lot, but you can get a short-term one. I would never go without it! It would make me too nervous to take that risk. This was a quite minor situation: I was still mobile and the costs would not have bankrupted me. But what if it had been worse? And I’ve heard too many stories like yours!

As I discovered, sh*t happens. Being prepared to deal with it makes it easier.