It's all so very different here. I had a 2.55 appointment thirty minutes away, and a 5 PM family event, so I told my mom, "I'll probably be late." Then I thought a minute, and said, "Well, in Japan, I wouldn't get there by 5, but I don't know how it works in America."
I arrived early, there was no one else in the waiting room, and by 3.15 I was on my way to the pharmacy.
Can we say, "Culture shock?"
Also, apparently it's standard practice here to take the patient's vitals each time they visit (temperature, pulse, blood pressure, oxygen level, weight), unlike in Japan where the only thing that is standard is taking your temperature - under your arm - and while sitting in the lobby at the nurse's desk.
Then, I was asked what antibiotic has worked for me in the past. It felt too good to be true! I remember a colleague, after several doctor's visits in her town, traveling to ours, so she could attempt to get the antibiotic she really wanted and which would hopefully work for her.
I even had a choice of pharmacies-! It was the strangest experience for the doctor to ask me which pharmacy I wanted to use. I sat there stunned, first, that he was asking, and then, because I had to come up with an answer. Instead of being handed a printed Rx to carry as I walked to the pharmacy next door (as always is the case in Japan), I said, "Well, I passed a pharmacy on the way here. I don't know the address. It's across from such-and-such a grocery store." Thankfully he could put two and two together. (Afterward I realized that even my description was very Japanese, since I used no street names.)
If all of that were not different enough, the reading selection in the exam room included some John Piper books, and even Noel Piper's children's book. On the wall free for the taking were several one page articles the doctor had written about how to study the Bible, etc. There was a sign on the wall stating that if you'd like the doctor to pray with you, just ask.
To say I was in culture shock would be an understatement.
2 comments:
Even if I were just coming from Australia, that would be a big culture shock! What pharmacy I wanted? I got asked that in Japan, but not in Australia, you just go to whomever you want. Which antibiotic? Huh? As for an overtly Christian doctor's surgery. No, not really. But then I read recently that the US has one full-time Christian worker per 250 people. That has got to make a difference, somewhere!
I had an appointment the other day, but the doctor was still running 3/4 hr late. The difference is that I received profuse apologies. Australians are getting politer - at least the service industry is. I guess it is because they've received so much abuse from the non-polite public.
I think I would be in culture shock if my doctor had John Piper on the shelf. :-)
you should email me sometime! :-)
ericdiannaathotmaildotcom
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