Some things are not right here.

Today has been a very emotionally up and down day. 

I started classes today, and boy do I need to up my study skills.  But I think I will write about that tomorrow after I’ve attended my last new class.

What I want to talk about today are a couple things I’ve noticed that aren’t right here. 

Today, I went back to the hospital for a checkup.  I got out of class around 2:45, and I booked it back to my dorm and called a taxi so that I could make it to the hospital before 4pm (because that’s when I was told that everything closes). I made it around 3:30 pm and went up to see my doctor.  Lo and behold, I found out that he went home at 1pm.  So I asked around in English (as I am unsure of how to navigate using completely Czech, and because Anna didn’t go back with me today) and was directed to a doctor that could speak English. 

He told me that I was too late for an examination, and I asked him when I should come back.  He told me to just come in to his office, and I thought that I had gotten lucky and he would just do the check up because I knew it wouldn’t take long.  I feel 100% better, and have been very faithful about taking my medicine. 

So, sitting in the examination chair, he turned on the overhead light, and looked at my throat.  Then he touched my neck to see if the lymph nodes were still swollen.  That took him about 30 seconds max.  I asked about my lab results, and was ignored, so I stayed quiet and remained patient.  He wrote out paperwork, then told me I needed to come back next Monday at 8am for the results since I was too late today.  The whole process took a total of 3 minutes.  Puzzled that he still saw me for a mini examination, I didn’t question it and returned downstairs to my foreign services newly engaged lovely lady. 

She informed me that my balance of 600 Koruna had been used to cover the cost of the lab and that I needed to pay an additional 500 Koruna for today’s visit.  At this, I became a little upset, because I am now running low on money and couldn’t afford the run around I felt like I was getting.  She sighed and said that I probably just shouldn’t have even come in today because I didn’t have an official appointment.  She then informed me that the doctor upstairs had charged me another 600 Koruna for his services today.  My eyes became huge, and visibly I know I looked upset.

 I asked her “For WHAT? All he did was touch my neck and ignore my questions!!”
She looked at me sadly and said that he filled out a report on it saying he did the work and that here, doctors charged whatever they wanted.  I became incredulous and on the verge of tears.  I knew I didn’t have that money left in my account and explained that to her.  She told me to phone home to America and find the money, and then find some more before I came back for my REAL appointment on Monday.

I was so flustered, I couldn’t even tell the taxi driver my address to get back home. I think he saw my distress, so in his best English he asked if I knew of any shops or hotels that were close. I tried to pronounce the name of pubs or anything near where I lived, but it wasn’t enough.  We ended up driving around until I started to recognize the surroundings.  I had only brought 500 Koruna with me, and his meter was getting close, so I told him to just stop, as I wouldn’t be able to pay him more than that.  I wandered around walking until I found my way back home 20 minutes later. 

Another foreigner story:

I met a medical student from Sudan recently, and we engaged in English conversation about our thoughts on Charles’ University.  He was not a fan.  So I asked him to explain.  This is close to what he said:

They take advantage of foreigners here.  He had been in school for 9 months, and had decided not to learn the Czech language.  They have English textbooks, but they are outdated, but it is not a requirement to study medicine here in Prague if you cannot speak Czech.  So most foreigners don’t, as they just want to study medicine.  The professors teach to the Czech students through Czech writing, and then allow the foreigners to cheat all semester in order to stay caught up. So my Sudanese friend did just that. He did what he needed to do to survive foreign classes.  However, he and many others didn’t know the final exam was oral, so the cheating was to no avail – except to get the students off the backs of the professors. He failed his first semester, as do a lot of foreigners.  He has been here for 9 months, and refuses to give up, as he has already paid so much money to be here.  It seems that in regular instances, the professors really detest foreigners. And if the university is going to take so much money from sooooo many foreigners, then that is not right. 

It’s a tough life here sometimes for foreigners.  I feel very taken advantage of after visiting the hospital, and next time I go, I will see if Anna is free so that I don’t have that problem again.  I understand that we are here visiting and studying in another culture, however, if they want our money, then the services we get need to be the same and worth what we pay.  Period. 

Best,

Cass