Doctor’s Visit

Today I went to the doctor to get a blood test done.

About a month or so ago we had a health check up here at school. I got the results back just about two weeks ago. Everything was as expected, except for the black dot next to my white blood cell count.

It was fairly high. A lot higher than last year. I was wondering if I had been sick or if I had allergies, but I don’t remember.

So, I decided to go to the doctor and have another blood test just to make sure.

I talked to the doctor, through a translator, and they decided that for today, we would just do another blood test. I will have to go back on Thursday to get the results and if they are high, they will consider further treatment.

Well I was not nervous about getting my blood taken. I just don’t like watching the needle go in and it is really the only thing that I hate. I even turned my head to watch her fill up the vials of blood.

Everything was going smoothly until I went out into the lobby and was sitting down. I was applying pressure to the area on my arm and then I started to feel funny. I felt like I was light-headed and then I felt cold, so I laid down. I felt like I was going to throw up and then I started to lose my hearing. My body was getting ready to pass out. Thankfully my translator called the nurse and she came back out and was making sure that I was okay. I could hear them but not very well. After about 5 minutes of laying there, I started to feel really hot and I started to sweat. I felt okay enough to sit up but my hearing wasn’t fully restored. After about 10 minutes I could hear normally.

This was really scary for me. I have never felt like this before. Praise Jesus that I had a translator with me because I wouldn’t have known what to do. I’m sure that everyone else who was in the lobby was looking at me like I was the crazy foreigner.

I go back on Thursday. I will write an update about the results.

This just goes to prove that everything in my life is an adventure.

 

Mannequin

Yesterday I was out shopping with my friend Danielle.

We were going to go see a movie but then we found out that we were at the wrong theatre and you know, the usual misunderstanding when living in a foreign country.

We found that there was a Subway sandwich shop near the theatre. I was so happy and it was my first time eating Subway here in Japan. It was the most delicious sandwich that I have had since moving here. But, I would have liked some mustard. :[

Anyway… since we missed our movie, we were just walking around. We went into one of the malls and were looking a few shops. Danielle found a ring that she really liked and I found a hat that I really liked.

I was admiring this hat from a distance. I saw that it was on a mannequin and I was going to go see how much it cost. I went out to grab the hat and THEN the mannequin MOVED!!

It was NOT a mannequin.

It was a lady who was sitting perfectly waiting for her daughter.

I jumped and almost screamed. I then started laughing hysterically because I couldn’t believe what had just happened. I think I scared the poor lady as well. I tried to explain to her that her hat was really cute and I really liked it. But, I think that I just ended up looking like the stupid foreigner.

OH well.

Something always crazy has to happen to me.

Haircut

After living in Japan for 14 months, I decided that it is time that I should get my hair cut here IN Japan instead of Australia or America.

I had one of my Japanese friends call and make the appointment for me.

I walk into the salon and everyone says hello. I also sensed some anxiety since I am obviously a foreigner and they assume that I don’t know Japanese, which is correct.

A lady comes out and hands me this black bag. She says a bunch of stuff in Japanese and I just stare at her with this blank look on my face. I took my wallet out and motioned to put it into the bag. She was really excited that I understood somehow what to do. I think looked confused as to what to do with my actual bag. She took it and put it behind the counter and then motioned for me to sit down.

Apparently they don’t want you lugging your bag around so you just take out your wallet and cell phone. Smart idea.

So I’m sitting in the chair and my stylist comes over and has me fill out some paper and then asks me to move to the corner where there is a mirror and a chair. I move over and he tells me.. “consultation”. I wanted to die laughing. They want you to understand what you want done and how much it is going to cost. Trying to explain to him that I wanted my dead ends cut off was quite hilarious. Just picture me pointing to my hair and making a dead face and then scissor motions. HILARIOUS.

Well he washes my hair… AWESOME. It was like 20 minutes of hair washing.

Then I move to the chair and he asks me if a head massage is okay. Uh YES!! So he sprays my head with some cooling spray and then massages my head. Awesome.

He goes about cutting my hair and normally in America, this is when you would be talking away… haha. Well since I speak like no Japanese and he spoke very little English, I just sat in the chair.

He decides to dry my hair and then tells me he will cut my bangs afterwards. Smart, so they don’t shrink up. THEN… he pulls out the curling brush. White people hair here in Japan means play time for Japanese hair stylists. I seriously was feeling like a Barbie who was getting her hair done. It was so curly and poofy. A little outrageous. My friends always told me that this would happen, but for some reason… I didn’t believe them.

After it is all done with, he gave me my point card, since you can’t go anywhere here in Japan without getting a point card, and then walked me down the stairs and outside.

Over all… great experience. I guess if I would have gotten my hair dyed or permed, I would have gotten a cup of tea. Maybe next time.

Rice

Today my friend Danielle and I decided that we wanted to go out to eat for lunch.

This is not out of ordinary because Danielle and I love to go out for lunch.

Today we decided that we would go to Big Boy.

We had never been to this Big Boy so it was an adventure trying to figure out how to get into the parking lot. I mean, what isn’t an adventure here?!

So we get seating and we are looking at the menu. I notice something on the menu. You had the choice of soup/salad with either bread or this mysterious thing.

I look up and I am super excited!

This is the conversation that took place:

“Is that COTTAGE CHEESE?!”- Me
“Mallory, we are in Japan. That is rice.”- Danielle
“Oh. Duh. Sorry I got really excited for a second.”-Me

How in the world do I mistake RICE for cottage cheese?

It is time for me to be in America nommin (eating) some delicious cottage cheese.

Just a funny moment I thought I would share.

がいこくじん

Whenever I travel to a foreign country, I normally try to adapt to the culture.

Today was NOT that day.

It is October 1st and 71 degrees.

Oh and there is NO wind. :/ So all of that means that I will be sweating.

If you know me, you know that I am one of the warmest people to walk on the planet. I am usually ALWAYS hot. ugh.

Well today I ventured out to the post office. We all know how that experience went the first time.

Today I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt. NO one else was wearing this. They all of course were wearing pants, long sleeve shirts, arm covers, hats and so on. AKA none of their skin was showing.

Since I was going to the post office I was carrying not one but TWO ginormous packages.

I cannot tell you how many people stared at me.

Once I got to the post office it was another round of stares and charades. I had to try to communicate to the girl that the two packages would be paid for separately.

Finally after spending uh… too much money, I left. Then I decided that I should treat myself to some Starbucks.

Let me tell you, I know how to order my Starbucks in Japanese. I am a pro at this now.

Once I left Starbucks I had my beverage in my hand. Here in Japan people don’t walk around and drink food or eat food. So, once again I am getting stared at. I am carrying my drink in my hand and wearing shorts and a short sleeve shirt.

So I’m walking, walking, walking, sweating, walking, sweating and then I come to a group of children that are maybe 3 years old. They all of course are so precious and I make the weird faces at them and say “Konichiwa”. They are staring. The teachers are staring.

To sum this adventure up we will use 3 s’s.

1. Sweating

2. Starbucks

3. Staring

This is my life in Japan.

Literacy!!!!

Well… kinda.

Today as I was pouring out the rest of my milk I looked at my milk carton.

I worked at trying to figure out what the symbols were.

After about 2 or 3 minutes I figured out that my milk said:

Oishi gunnu.

In English that means Yummy Milk.

I did a little victory dance in my kitchen. It was such an exciting time in my life. I was finally making a step towards becoming literate.

I know now what it is like to read for the first time.

It was one of the most exciting times in the past few weeks.

Ok… well that is all for the weekend.

Chiropractor

On Monday I adventured out to the chiropractor to see if he could do something to help my back.

He said (in japanese of course) that he could give me a 30 minute massage. I thought that this would be okay. I didn’t know how well it would help but I was willing to try anything.

While I was getting my massage, he seemed to be massaging my butt a lot. I thought that this was quite weird.

As I was laying there I was thinking: What has been the strangest thing that this man has encountered while giving someone a massage?

Then…

I farted.

Holy embarrassment.

I acted like nothing happened. Thankfully we don’t speak the same language, so that made things a lot easier.

Part of me thinks: “now I can never go back there because they will know who I am”. Then the other part of me thinks: “oh this prolly happens all the time.”

Oh well… life goes on.

What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you at a doctor’s office?