Yesterday was a rough one…emotionally.
Yesterday was the first time I experienced a real sense of culture shock.
It doesn’t help that Carson has a cold and therefore is extremely grumpy, irritable and not sleeping well. It also doesn’t help that Jeff and I finally got our “Cultural Training” about how to live in Germany. During the training we were told that culture shock is like a roller coaster with highs and lows. Yesterday was definitely my low.
One of the things on my “To Do” List was to find a pediatrician for Carson. I was provided with the name, phone number and location of an English speaking pediatrician by two of our cultural specialists. Luckily for us, the doctor was less than a five minute walk away. As I wasn’t able to dial the German phone number (yes, I have since figured it out. Apparently one needs to drop a zero in the area code after dialing the country code.), we paid the good doctor a visit.
Talk about a failure! After waiting for half an hour, the receptionist didn’t speak any English*. Thankfully a mother of one of the patients waiting did. She helped translate. I was told that this particular pediatrician was not seeing new patients. When asked if there were any other English speaking pediatricians in the area, the receptionist just shrugged her shoulders. While I stayed composed, this wonderful mother, the same one who had helped me before, saw that I was upset and was able to provide me with the name, phone number and address of another English speaking pediatrician.
Defeated, Carson and I went home. After Instagram messaging with a friend from home, I got the courage to call the newly recommended pediatrician. Again, the receptionist didn’t speak English* but she tried. Success! Not only was this pediatrician taking new patients but I was able to set up Carson’s one year check up (the U6 as it’s known in Germany).
Most days are great. They are, for the most part, easy. Yesterday was not. I need to remind myself that while this has been an amazingly wonderful, once in a lifetime experience so far, I’ll have rough days too.
*Side note-I know I reside in Germany and German/Deutsch is the language spoken. With that being said, many people speak English. If they don’t speak English perfectly they say they only speak a little but in reality, they are mostly fluent and can carry a conversation. My German language instructor has told me that anyone under the age of 35 has probably had five or more years of English in school.
Delightful reading! Even though you wrote about an emotionally taxing day, you did a great job of pulling us into your cultural struggles. Such a great experience you are living. Miss you!
I am sorry that the difficulty has to happen at all, but I’m so glad that it was resolved quickly!!!! Also, how is Carson already almost a year old???!!!!
Anyway – we miss the three of you like, woah!!! I hope you’ve been having a lovely week so far! XOXO
Just found out that the new doctor may not be a believer in vaccines…uh oh! Luckily one of my friends at the gym gave me the name of the pediatrician she uses for her boys. I’ll see if I can make an appointment there.
We miss you too! So much! Looks like we will be visiting the Chi in July. Any chance you’d make the trip to see us?