Hello and welcome back. Lol. Probably nobody reads this, but I feel it's worth it, even if just for me. How nice to be in a place you like, with a daily routine you like, a life full of good people, good occupations, happy at home, happy at work, etc. Thank you, God!
Looking forward to Christmas vacation at the end of December, but enjoying the meantime.
I had my first visit to a doctor in Russia. It was bound to happen sooner or later. I've lived here (not in a row, but all together) a total of 14 months. I felt ok, but after having a headache all day on Friday, I decided to go check it out just in case. I have good insurance and it was free to me anyway, plus a new experience to blog about, lol. A Russian recommended I go, saying that because it hurt behind my eye, that means some wind could have blown on me strongly and affected my nerves. I have never heard of this, and was pretty sure it was just lack of drinking water and not enough sleep. Russians also say you shouldn't read lying down; it's bad for you eyes. Sometimes I doubt where the line is for them between medical knowledge and superstition. But eh, what do I know? I'm no doctor. So I signed up for an appointment at the poliklinika.
After signing in, they told me which room I would visit and sent me back. No forms to fill out? Nope. No waiting in the waiting room and then they call your name? No. Ok. I found the room. The door was closed. I knocked. No answer. I opened the door. Oh, gosh. There were some people in there - I guess someone was seeing the doctor. Sorry! I shut the door. I looked around and asked a bystander, what's done here? He asked which doctor I was seeing and said he was in line for her too. Have a seat. Oh, ok. Russians love to stand in lines.
When it was my turn, I went in. There was a lady sitting at a computer looking at the screen. "I'm listening." Uh, .... I looked at her name tag. It was the doctor. "Oh, it's you. Hello." She made eye contact and smiled. Then we chatted. She was very frank and cold. "What's wrong with you?" "Nothing, I just, had some questions..." After our conversation, she examined me and gave me a perscription for my throat, which appartently there was something wrong with. No linguistic barriers; luckily I could say and understand everything I needed to. :) All in all, a pretty successful visit. Mostly similar to what I'm used to in the US.
Last weekend I went with Pasha to this exhibit they were advertising in the metro - "MYSTERIOUS INDIA." He suggested it, but it just so happens I love Indian culture. While we were there, we visited another exhibit on the next floor - "SAMURAI, THE ART OF WAR." They were both so cool! I can say I went to Japan, India, and back to Russia in one day :) They both had art and artifacts of all kinds. The samurai thing was mostly about the costumes and the swords; India had a lot about Hinduism. They both had live demonstrations - Samurai about how people fought with those swords (using bamboo swords for demonstration purposes, of course) and it was impressive. Some center where they study martial arts in Moscow had a small group of people come and show us how it's done. The most impressive part was when they screamed really loud as they attacked. It was also somewhat funny when one guy put on a face-mask helmet and the other one bopped him on the head. He just stood there. It was like slapstick. Then, in India, they had dances! Beautifully dressed and made-up dancers performed various traditional dances. It was extremely gorgeous and entertaining. Of course, I love that stuff.
Here are some more pictures from work. Last week I let them do finger painting - turned my back for 10 seconds and one child had understood it to be face painting. It was hilarious. Go, avatar!
Love,
Beth
Looking forward to Christmas vacation at the end of December, but enjoying the meantime.
I had my first visit to a doctor in Russia. It was bound to happen sooner or later. I've lived here (not in a row, but all together) a total of 14 months. I felt ok, but after having a headache all day on Friday, I decided to go check it out just in case. I have good insurance and it was free to me anyway, plus a new experience to blog about, lol. A Russian recommended I go, saying that because it hurt behind my eye, that means some wind could have blown on me strongly and affected my nerves. I have never heard of this, and was pretty sure it was just lack of drinking water and not enough sleep. Russians also say you shouldn't read lying down; it's bad for you eyes. Sometimes I doubt where the line is for them between medical knowledge and superstition. But eh, what do I know? I'm no doctor. So I signed up for an appointment at the poliklinika.
After signing in, they told me which room I would visit and sent me back. No forms to fill out? Nope. No waiting in the waiting room and then they call your name? No. Ok. I found the room. The door was closed. I knocked. No answer. I opened the door. Oh, gosh. There were some people in there - I guess someone was seeing the doctor. Sorry! I shut the door. I looked around and asked a bystander, what's done here? He asked which doctor I was seeing and said he was in line for her too. Have a seat. Oh, ok. Russians love to stand in lines.
When it was my turn, I went in. There was a lady sitting at a computer looking at the screen. "I'm listening." Uh, .... I looked at her name tag. It was the doctor. "Oh, it's you. Hello." She made eye contact and smiled. Then we chatted. She was very frank and cold. "What's wrong with you?" "Nothing, I just, had some questions..." After our conversation, she examined me and gave me a perscription for my throat, which appartently there was something wrong with. No linguistic barriers; luckily I could say and understand everything I needed to. :) All in all, a pretty successful visit. Mostly similar to what I'm used to in the US.
Last weekend I went with Pasha to this exhibit they were advertising in the metro - "MYSTERIOUS INDIA." He suggested it, but it just so happens I love Indian culture. While we were there, we visited another exhibit on the next floor - "SAMURAI, THE ART OF WAR." They were both so cool! I can say I went to Japan, India, and back to Russia in one day :) They both had art and artifacts of all kinds. The samurai thing was mostly about the costumes and the swords; India had a lot about Hinduism. They both had live demonstrations - Samurai about how people fought with those swords (using bamboo swords for demonstration purposes, of course) and it was impressive. Some center where they study martial arts in Moscow had a small group of people come and show us how it's done. The most impressive part was when they screamed really loud as they attacked. It was also somewhat funny when one guy put on a face-mask helmet and the other one bopped him on the head. He just stood there. It was like slapstick. Then, in India, they had dances! Beautifully dressed and made-up dancers performed various traditional dances. It was extremely gorgeous and entertaining. Of course, I love that stuff.
Here are some more pictures from work. Last week I let them do finger painting - turned my back for 10 seconds and one child had understood it to be face painting. It was hilarious. Go, avatar!
Love,
Beth
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| After we washed him :) |
Hey! Don't worry--There are some people reading the blog. Good to hear things are going well. Any thing going on in your neighborhood since the elections?
ReplyDeleteHi Kristin, actually I listened to my roommates' comments and reactions, but no, basically the result was totally predicable and nothing new here. Good question!
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