I am calling from the CDC.

If you have had the chance to be out of the country recently and returned, you probably would have received a phone call from none other than the CDC. I have a theory that you will probably only be called if you have been to a country that has recorded high cases of the H1N1 influenza.

My experience goes a little something like this. A few days after I came back from Sydney, I was manouvering my overflowing trolley to the cashier at Costco and my phone rang. Not the best timing but I had been ignoring several calls from numbers I don't recognise and figured that this person was persistent... could be important.

Caller: Yoboseyo. <Followed by a string of Korean words that I did not understand>

Me: Hangukmal murumnida

Caller: I am calling from the CDC. (Me: CDC??? Center for Disease Control? Uh oh!) You have recently returned from Australia? (Me: Ooooh, nice sounding young man with good command of English)

Me: Yes.

Caller: Do you have any flu symptoms?

Me: No.

Caller: Are you sure?

Me: No cough or cold or runny nose.

Caller: Please monitor for the next week. If you have any flu symptoms please go to the nearest public health centre.

Me: Ok.

Caller: Goodbye.

Me: <Turns to M> **E! You are not going to believe who called me! CDC!!