Merit Badges
Today I had a new cultural experience: I went to the doctor in French.
Back in my language school days, a friend in my class said that we should have merit badges for difficult things we accomplish in our second language. For instance, I should have have gotten one when I had to call a mechanic for the first time I had car trouble (at an airport in Switzerland!). He wanted one for buying tires for his car, when he forgot the word “tire” in French. He said he felt pretty stupid saying “those four round things under the car” but they eventually understood and he got his tires! Unfortunately, he didn’t get a merit badge for it. I was completely supportive of his idea, because there are always tricky, almost impossible things (buying a car, finding an apartment) that constitute a whole new level in language acquisition, and we ought to get something out of it!
So, today was my day for a new challenge. My workout club recently decided to require medical forms with approval from our doctors. Even though I’ve been going for months and haven’t keeled over once, I needed to find a doctor quick to get my form. I dreaded this, though. I felt like it was a hassle to find a doctor; it was money that I didn’t need to spend; I don’t know all the medical terms and body parts in French, etc. The forms were due at the gym by the end of November, so I waited until practically the last minute and went today. (I already have a merit badge in procrastination, ha ha!)
I’ve been to two doctors in France in the past couple of years, but both of them spoke English, which made everything easier for me. For today’s appointment, I researched doctors who speak English, and made my appointment with one of them. However, when I went in, he started speaking French, and I answered him in French, and the conversation just continued from there. I managed to give a complete family history and answer many of his questions as he put together a file for me. He complimented me on my good French and my accent, which really made my day, while he took my blood pressure and did other general tests.
Back in my language school days, a friend in my class said that we should have merit badges for difficult things we accomplish in our second language. For instance, I should have have gotten one when I had to call a mechanic for the first time I had car trouble (at an airport in Switzerland!). He wanted one for buying tires for his car, when he forgot the word “tire” in French. He said he felt pretty stupid saying “those four round things under the car” but they eventually understood and he got his tires! Unfortunately, he didn’t get a merit badge for it. I was completely supportive of his idea, because there are always tricky, almost impossible things (buying a car, finding an apartment) that constitute a whole new level in language acquisition, and we ought to get something out of it!
So, today was my day for a new challenge. My workout club recently decided to require medical forms with approval from our doctors. Even though I’ve been going for months and haven’t keeled over once, I needed to find a doctor quick to get my form. I dreaded this, though. I felt like it was a hassle to find a doctor; it was money that I didn’t need to spend; I don’t know all the medical terms and body parts in French, etc. The forms were due at the gym by the end of November, so I waited until practically the last minute and went today. (I already have a merit badge in procrastination, ha ha!)
I’ve been to two doctors in France in the past couple of years, but both of them spoke English, which made everything easier for me. For today’s appointment, I researched doctors who speak English, and made my appointment with one of them. However, when I went in, he started speaking French, and I answered him in French, and the conversation just continued from there. I managed to give a complete family history and answer many of his questions as he put together a file for me. He complimented me on my good French and my accent, which really made my day, while he took my blood pressure and did other general tests.
As I walked out, I thought, “Why did I dread that so much? It wasn’t that bad at all!” It wasn’t my intention to do it all in French, but I’m glad it worked out that way. Now I know that it’s truly possible, and I really liked the doctor, so next time will be even easier