They Locked Me Up!

I arrived in this beautiful country of Korea at 4:15pm on Saturday, April 9. It was the fastest deplaning I've ever experienced. After reaching the gate, I sorta took my time getting my carryon and backpack, but by the time I got things gathered, the whole section (like 10 people/48 seats) was empty. 

After connecting to airport WiFi and "phoning home", I made my way to the health checkpoint before customs. I completed the health questionnaire in the plane, so it was a matter of passing them my passport, negative COVID test report, and health questionnaire. Since I had symptoms such as a headache in the past 14 days prior to landing, I reported that on my form. This raised a red flag and additional questioning. I was given a lanyard for around my neck and told to step to the side to be questioned by a quarantine official. With Google, we were able to communicate enough for the official to fill out a bunch of additional forms. Was moved to another location where they gave me more forms to fill out and a goofy-looking special mask. The next 30-40 minutes was basically me trying to remember my passport number, finding my Korean address, and filling out my name and stuff a half dozen times. Then signing away my right to be free for two weeks.

After completing the forms, a man in a hazmat suit (aka Mr. Hazmat) came and got me. We went to his desk and he stepped me through setting up the self-quarantine app on my phone. I was told I would need to go to a test facility nearby to get a PCR test. I would have to stay at the facility until the result was published (up to 8hrs). Mr. Hazmat escorted me through the vacant COVID quarantine customs line. A customs official came over, started up the system and asked me to put my fingers on the fingerprint scann... Oh wait, don't actually ... (for those wondering, their immigration system runs on IE on like Windows 7) Since I had a visa approval already, this process was basically logging in a system that I actually had arrived in the country. 

According to the signs, the testing and containment center we were heading towards didn't have wifi. I didn't have a Korean SIM card and hadn't gotten my data eSim yet. To get the eSim, passport verification was required, but they took my passport after being pulled for questioning. My passport was returned to me after clearing customs. Mr. Hazmat wasn't wasting any time walking through the airport to baggage claim and then outdoors. So I was trying to scan my passport, hold my remaining declaration forms, push my carryon, and run behind Mr. Hazmat. I was unsuccessful. We got my heavy bags and continued on towards fresh air. We didn't hardly get time to enjoy the awesome water feature that dropped streams of water from a gantry at precisely the right time to spell words as the water fell to the trough below. Now, I was trying to keep up with Mr. Hazmat while lugging 2 heavy bags + a carryon, holding my declaration forms, and attempting to still scan that silly passport. Didn't happen. Got through the final checkpoint before walking past my driver holding a sign with my name. 

He was expecting me so of course he came over and exchange some confused looks and Korean words with Mr. Hazmat. I'm assuming it was Mr. Hazmat's authority and words that caused the driver to walk away in defeat. Finally we met the fresh outdoor Korean air. (Well at least me and the hazmat suit did.) We were now waiting for the quarantine bus. What a great time to scan passport and get eSim since I still had WiFi. First I need to update my HR contact in Korea. Now she wants to talk to Mr. Hazmat... No eSim for me.

As HR lady talked to Mr. Hazmat, a nice yellow bus with "COVID 19 Transport" and flashing yellow lights pulled up. Mr. Hazmat's twin hopped out (Thing 2?) and loaded my bags. I was shoo'd on board and thankfully was able to get my phone back before the bus left. Wait, I still have wifi for a second can I get the verification? Awesome... Passport verified! Wait, now I need a headshot... OK Cheese! Ugh, facial recognition doesn't work masked up. Maybe I can take my mask off for a second to get the picture... and... out of wifi range now. Oh well. I just enjoyed the daytime ride around the airport to the Testing and Containment center.

Me with the goofy mask in quarantine transit

We got to the testing/quarantine center and my bags were unloaded and Mr. Hazmat-3 was there to meet me. He walked me and my 3 rolling bags around the back of the building where we entered the back door. I struggled to keep up as I tripped over all my luggage and the doorways. He directed me into an elevator and he said go to floor 4. Boy, I was quite out of breath due to that thick mask so tried my best to regain it quickly as the elevator went up so as to not make them think I actually had COVID. Doors opened and Ms. Hazmat greeted me. She had me run after her as she darted through doorways into a long white hallway full of completely sealed doors. The walls in this whole facility were white plastic with all the cracks caulked and sealed. 

(This was taken on wide-angle lens. The room was smaller than it appears.)

After getting to a room, she took my ear temp, showed me where the bed sheets were, then showed me some instructions in English. Things like, you will be given a COVID test, if it’s positive, you’ll go to hospital, if negative, you go back to the airport, try not to drink or take off your mask, there could be others with COVID in the facility, so outer room door is locked, inner door should be shut, etc. I told her I agreed so she left. Around 6:41p I get a call on my room phone. A man with decent English says he has information about my processing. I have two options. Option 1: when I get the result, I can be taken to airport right away. Probably about 1:00a. Or, I can stay the night and go to the airport tomorrow morning at 6:30a. I said I would need internet connection to schedule taxi, he said they just take you to Terminal 1. I said, Ok I’ll spend the night. At 6:46p a person comes in, mumbles something, leaves something in the tiny room between the doors, closes my inner door and leaves. 6:50p another man comes in and takes the nasal sample for my COVID test; left nostril only. On his way out, he tells me to enjoy my dinner and gestures to the bag the last guy left. 6:53p I start eating. First bite is spicy beef. There was a little of everything in that box. Some Rice, what seemed like chicken or pork Katsu, kimchi, fried egg and more rice, some spicy beef and noodles, and finally some (cabbage) salad. Everything was good.

Dinner at COVID Testing & Containment Facility

8:00p I fall asleep (with my mask pulled slightly below my nose because it was making it impossible to breath through my nose) 11:52p I get a call on my room phone from HR saying my test result came back negative and the driver is still waiting at the airport. She said to get ready to go ASAP. 11:58p I get a call from someone saying my door would be opened by someone and that I should leave. As I'm talking, there's a knock. I give the person my passport. They look it over and say "follow me". I scramble to follow them down the hallway where there are 4 other people already waiting for elevator. We’re given thick green gloves and pack in the elevator. I guess we've all tested negative, so no worries. Once down I drag my luggage outside where it gets loaded in back of a truck.

The bus is waiting for us and takes us to Terminal 1. Right before leaving the room, I somehow got WiFi for a short second so maybe I had it the whole time. That short connection was enough to blow my phone up. lol Sat 12:12a we got to the airport. The security had to check everyone’s passports and put a orange dot sticker on our sleeves. (those stickers were all over the ground since they didn't stick very well.) The terminal was practically empty. The driver met me there and insisted on dragging a luggage piece for me. He finally got permission to take me to Daejeon, but first I needed to get a SIM card. I found a CU open in the airport and got a 15 day card. We loaded up my luggage in the back of his fake pickup and we were on our way. I took some notes of my first impressions of the Korean highway system. Their interstate signs look exactly like US ones. 

We stopped at a fuel station and he filled up while I installed my SIM card. It didn't work because I had to activate it somehow. It was dark and I didn't want to translate the directions, so I just enjoyed the remaining drive. We got passed by what looked like a BMW i8, but it was very loud and rumbly... Not Prius like. No idea what it was. Around 3:00a we got to my self-isolation hotel room. We unloaded luggage and the driver called the number on the front desk sign. They talked and hung up. He told me to go to room 1013. We fist bumped or something and I went up to my room. The fire extinguisher was stuck in my room door, so I kicked it out of the way and made myself at home. The door doesn't lock and even had some trouble getting the thing latched. The bathroom was immediately to your left with some closet space on the right. Bathroom has sink directly in front of you with a high mirror, toilet to the right - parallel to the sink - and shower to the left - glass door swings in. Continuing into the apartment is the window wall directly in front of you as you walk into the apartment and it extends the entire width of the unit. Turning to the right after hitting the windows would put you facing the kitchen with a small open bed room to your right. The kitchen has a stove, wash machine, microwave, electric kettle, sink, pull out table, and built in fridge/freezer. Bed was very hard, but had pillows and a duvet. If you turned to the left after walking in and reaching the windows, you would see a small table directly to your left with a bunch of snacks and supplies HR brought for me.

It was so fun to see what she thought an American might want. Beyond that table was another bed over to the left and a futon couch and a coffee table to the right, against the windows. On the far wall was a TV with a desk and chair to the left of that. HR also had a monitor there for me to use for work during my isolation. The unit was pretty nice aside from the black burn marks on the floor - presumably from someone smoking. I tried setting up/registering my SIM card, but it didn't work and I was tired. I stayed up for way too long, so I went to bed. (or did I go to a duvet covered board?)