Lately my "cultural" experiences happen from just living, in other words, not intentional. You´d think that there wouldn´t be room for too many since my days consist of 90% studying. Well... life has a way of suprising you. This week, it was a trip to the ER, my trip to the ER.
Before you freak out, I am fine; but here`s the story. On Monday night while I was studying in the grad study room with Veronique, I started feeling weird; my stomach felt funny, I was a little nauseous, light headed. Similar to a migrane without a headache. So I stopped studying, layed down, slept a little, awoke a couple times to other grad students popping in and out. However, the resting didn`t change how I felt.I thought about just going home, but one of the grad student`s boyfriend is a MD resident, and so they told me to wait so he could check on me. Well, I figured it was a weird migrane (usually I get the headache first) or food poisoning, although the food I ate that day was normal, and all I needed was to go home and sleep and wait it out (beign my dad`s tried and true expert medical advice). I took the check up from the doc; but when they suggested the hospital, I said no.
However, I did accept their offer to give me a ride home which I gladly chose over riding my bike. As we were walking out to the car, I suddenly got very light headed and then nauseous. All in all, I vomitted and fainted. So, needless to say, they again insisted on taking me to the hospital, and I had no energy to try to argue, even though I felt it was unnecessary.
To the emergency room I go. With the res doc, I got speedy admittance. They did a blood test, diagnosed me with gastroenteritis (the most ambigious all inclusive stomach issue ever), gave me an IV, wrote me a prescription for an antibiotic, and after about 3 hours sent me home.
The cultural part: First and foremost the hospitality and giving of the people here, ONCE AGAIN. 4 others brought me to the hospital, the resident doctor and girlfriend hang out for the waiting and checking up on me until 2 hours later they knew I was ok, the other student waited the whole tiem until I was released to give Vero and I a ride home (even though we said we could get a taxi), and Veronique keep me company in the ER. Everyone but Veronique are mere acquaintences from school. Vero is super stressed with finishing her thesis, but made the time for me. Again, so humbling.
Cultural part 2: Obviously the hospital visit. The hospital I went to was great. I hear it depends on which one you go to, but this one was great. I waited around for awhile more, probably more than the US, but I can`t say I`m an expert about US ERs either. The other thing that struck me was the cost: 250 pesos total (3 hours in the ER, blood work, IV), aka under $25 US. That was for me without insurance, when most here are covered by insurance. No wonder they don`t think twice about going to the hospital.My stomach is still on the mend, but I`m getting better, plus I got a trip to the ER out of the deal.
Post-post: My other "cultural" experience is my living situation. Whether or not it`s cultural, (a lot has to do with the particular circumstances going on or just the challenges of life in community), there are still differences. It`s been a challenging lately, challenging not only in the details of the situation, but also knowing how to respond with my various roles and all that I represent. And all that just from living with a family. "Culture" anyone?
Sunday, May 18, 2008
School Update
With my stolen laptop, I lost the document with the calendar of my self-designated plan of action for my BGSU papers. As a result, I needed to remake it and reflect on where I am in the process. Well, more or less, I need to write a paper a week for the rest of the time I am here ( at the moment 5 papers, 6 - 7 weeks). Needless to say, that freaked me out. It`s also frustrating as that means my previous plans aren`t cutting it, but I still needed to let go of some things to create more time. The only thing left to cut was my class work here.
So a week and a half ago, I talked to all of my teachers about the need for me to do less for class, my asking for their help as I don`t like to and don`t know how to not give my all, and then either told them the ways I thought I could do less and asked for their permission to do that, or if they had a better idea. I also acknolwedged that it would affect my grade, which is fine.
All of them have been very supportive. It looks different for each class, but it will definitely help.
This has all been, hopefully, a step in my "perfection management"; you all know my tendency to do everything to 110% of my ability, sometimes for others, but often just for myself. "Slacking off" in classes and writing less than perfect papers is imperative, whether I want to or not. However, I as I wrestle with the negative side of this perfection, I am proud of the fact that I have accepted, albeit out of necessity, a plan to do a less than perfect job.
So a week and a half ago, I talked to all of my teachers about the need for me to do less for class, my asking for their help as I don`t like to and don`t know how to not give my all, and then either told them the ways I thought I could do less and asked for their permission to do that, or if they had a better idea. I also acknolwedged that it would affect my grade, which is fine.
All of them have been very supportive. It looks different for each class, but it will definitely help.
This has all been, hopefully, a step in my "perfection management"; you all know my tendency to do everything to 110% of my ability, sometimes for others, but often just for myself. "Slacking off" in classes and writing less than perfect papers is imperative, whether I want to or not. However, I as I wrestle with the negative side of this perfection, I am proud of the fact that I have accepted, albeit out of necessity, a plan to do a less than perfect job.
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