This past Tuesday I was summoned to go get checked by official French doctors to make sure I was healthy enough to work in France for seven months. I had received my letter indicating my appointments a few weeks ago, so I could warn my teachers that I would not be making it to class. There were three appointments listed:
Pour l'examen radiologique:
Le: mardi 09 novembre 2010
A: 09H30
CHU NANCY BRABOIS
CONSULTATION EXTERNE SERVICE RADIOLOGIQUE
RUE DU MORVAN
54500 VANDOEUVRE LES NANCY
Pour l'examen clinique general:
Le: mardi 09 novembre 2010
A: 13H00
CENTRE MEDECINE PREVENTIVE (HPF)
2 RUE DOYEN PARISOT
54500 VANDOEUVRE LES NANCY
Convocation pour l'attestation par L'OFFII de l'accomplissement des formalites:
Le: mardi 09 novembre 2010
A: 14H00
DELEGATION OFII NANCY
RESIDENCE ANTARES
81/83 RUE SAINT GEORGES
54000 NANCY
Many appointments for one day, all in different places, no indication of distance between the three OR how we were to possibly have a visit with the doctor and make it to the final appointment in time... hmm... SO THIS IS WHAT IT'S REALLY LIKE TO LIVE IN FRANCE!
Luckily I wasn't completely alone trudging through this process and it turns out most of the other assistants from my orientation group were also scheduled for the same day. This made the experience quite enjoyable, as we hadn't seen much of each other since orientation and could catch up on Fall break travels, exchange lesson plans, and complain about all those nuances that make living in France so special.
The first appointment was to get our chest x-rays. The hospital was a 20 minute tram ride away from the train station, out into the outskirts of Nancy. After receiving a number, we sat down to wait to be called (like at the deli counter in the supermarket!). Once called, you had to provide your passport and appointment letter, to prove you were legitimate. They made copies and handed back a full page of stickers: my official medical bar code, name, birth date and other fun secrets about my identity.
Then they told us to go down to the basement and wait for our appointment with the radiologist. This part was actually quite quick (once the nurse came and explained what we would do)- go into a little dressing room that has two doors. One for you to enter from the outside and the other door to go into the x-ray room. Take off your top- EVERYTHING- they even had a nice little picture (in English-GASP) showing everything that should be taken off. The nurse calls your name, you walk out (yes, topless, I mean no gown. Ya wanna get paid in France? Take off your top like you're a Moulin Rouge dancer), she pushes you up to the x-ray machine, puts your hands behind your back and snap. Picture of your chest. You go back to your little dressing room, put your clothes back on and become a normal person once again, only to have to wait another hour before she comes out with your x-ray.
Once receiving our x-rays, we were free to make our way to the next appointment, which was a good 20-30 minute walk away from the first. There we were, about ten American teaching assistants walking through parking lots and suburban streets with our big x-ray envelopes under our arms trying to find the next office. We still had some time before the next appointment, so we did like any good French person would and sat down for lunch and coffee. The weather has been quite horrible lately- windy, rainy, cloudy- so wandering outside isn't too exciting and a nice, hot cafe is always enjoyable.
The next appointment was to meet with the actual doctor. I had heard many horror stories about this one- some kid had to do 40 squats, others had their blood drawn, oh no! What was going to happen to me?! But it was actually quite easy. A nurse took our forms (again, those stickers are EVERYWHERE) and we were reunited with our original work papers, which had been sent to France way back in the Spring. (Creepy to think how many people had seen my personal information...) The nurse collected our x-rays and forms, then we were left to wait (again) until called for the first part of this check up. Our nurse was quite nice and chatty, we had our eyes checked, our weight and height taken and then she calculated our Body Mass Index (in some French way) to tell us either, "yes, you are healthy", or "no, you need to stop eating those baguettes and cheese!" Luckily for me, my eye sight was quite perfect (even with having to say the letters in French!) and my, my am I tall (are your parents tall? well of course, then the children are tall!) and in the end it turns out by French standards I am good and healthy. No further poking or prodding needed.
Alas, we had to wait yet again for the actual doctor to come back from lunch and see us one at a time to give us the official stamp of health and paper that we would take with us to our final appointment. But this is when it became clear how much of a joke these appointments truly were: Sitting down with the doctor, he asked me the usual questions- are you pregnant, are your shots up to date, have you been hospitalized, etc. And then, once he's satisfied with my answers, he took my blood pressure and listened to my heart. I was wearing a fairly thick sweater and thought I might have to take it off, but when I offered, he responded: "Oh no, don't bother, this is all just for administrative purposes anyway..." HAHA So even the doctor thinks this is a joke.
Finally, we were ready to go back into downtown Nancy. So 15 minute walk to catch the tram, 20 minute tram ride, we were already a good hour late for this appointment. But clearly it didn't matter in the least. We arrived in the office of OFII (Office Francais de l'Immigration et de l'Integration), gave them all of our official papers: passport, proof of residence, passport sized picture, doctors forms. They collected it, made our file, taped a card in my passport and said, "Okay, That's it." Hmm. All that for...??? Where are the bells and whistles and cheers congratulating me that yes, I am finally officially allowed to live and work in France for seven months? Oh well, at least I got to experience the process. And thank you that after all that I can travel to and from France. And thank you for wasting an entire day. MERCI MERCI MERCI (Perks- I did get to keep my chest x-rays and the page of my identity stickers!)
To celebrate my newly gained French semi-citizenship status, I took the train to visit fellow Pendu-Pitt-Alum, Peter, in Metz. We had a great time catching up and had a little jam session that night, singing and playing guitar. I was also reunited with my violin, which Peter was nice enough to bring over for me from the States. (Now I have to motivate myself to play it! Or to find lessons!) Thursday was (Armistice Day) Veterans' Day, which in France is a Jour Feriere, or national holiday, so no school (once again!). Meaning I worked two days the past week, seeing each of my classes only once. Yes, these kids are getting the most of my English speaking abilities and are really gaining a better understanding of the English language because they see me so much!
A bientot! Until next time!
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