Adventures at the hospital

So, a couple of days ago I hurt my back playing badminton. To cut the long story short, I didn't go the stretching exercises and ended up in a looooot of pain.

After convincing myself (and my friend who was telling me to go to the emergency room) I made up my mind that I will be just fine.

I wasn't just fine... The pain got worse that night, and even much worse the next day. I tried to put some medicine my friends gave me (you know, that thingie that you put on your skin and it makes it warmer?), tried to sleep on a special mattress, but nothing really helped, so I decided to go to the doctor  on the third day.

In the list of hospitals in Oldenburg, I thought that Pius hospital would be the best choice, because they had a department of Orthopaedics, which I feared would be the place I would end up...

So, that fine morning, I woke up and left home at 10 am.

Pius hospital was in the centre of the city, so I rushed there. Little did I know that the hospital also had a private clinic with the same name. Lol. I spent 20 minutes in that clinic only to find out that was not what I was looking for. Awesome start, right?

then I went to the actual hospital, where the information lady kindly told me to find the emergency room on the second floor to the right... Of course, I got lost, so I had to ask a nurse where the emergency room was. She agreed to take me there, and in 10 minutes I ended up being on the ground floor to the left, where nobody really spoke English. After 15 minutes of miming, I realised that it's just not gonna work, but luckily they found someone who spoke English. I explained to them what my problem was "Поскользнулся, упал. Очнулся - гипс":D

The lady told me that they don't have a necessary doctor for my "special" case and that I had to go to another hospital (Evangelical hospital. I knew about that one, but I just really didn't like its name. That's how shallow I am), and that she can call a cab for me, which will take me there for free.

I thought, well, at least I will have a free ride.

In about 20 minutes the taxi driver came. It was a tall (well, duh, everyone's like a giant here...) middle-aged man who spoke perfect English (unlike the doctors and nurses at the hospital). In a lot of pain, I sat in the car and reached the 3d hospital that day :)

The information-lady told me: first floor, go to the right, then left, then left again, then straight, then left and right at the corner... And I stood there, puzzled: What?!

But luckily, I made it to the emergency room.

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear - Emergency Room. EMERGENCY!! Right? Could you explain to me why did I have to wait for a doctor for two and a half hours? 2,5 hours of just sitting there and staring at the wall!!

The first hour wasn't that bad. It hurt a lot, but nothing a former professional athlete couldn't handle.

After I realised that the help is not coming any time soon, I started browsing my iPod to see if there's something interesting there. Luckily I found poems of Paruyr Sevak, my most favourite writer. For some reason I thought that it would be a good idea to read one or two of his poems, you know, to kill the time. It was a bad idea. I ended up reading for 50 minutes and sobbing like a 3-year-old. Why? And please don't tell me that I got all emotional again... It was my first time at the Emergency Room, all by myself, with people who don't speak my language (not even my second or third languages) in a room full of old and strange people... reading Sevak!! I don't want to copy/paste the entire poem, but just to make it clear what I was reading...

...

Ինձ հետ լինի, թե առանց ինձ, իմ բալի՛կս, կմեծանաս, 
Իմ օգնությամբ, թե առանց ինձ, դու երբևէ կհասկանաս, 
Թե ոնց պիտի ապրել կյանքում, թե ոնց պիտի նայել կյանքին, 
Թե աշխարհում ինչն է էժան, թե աշխարհում ինչն է անգին: 
Ինքս էլ խրատ կարդացողին ո՛չ հարգում եմ, ո՛չ հանդուրժում, 
Տափակ թե սուր քարոզներից ինքս էլ եմ միշտ, տղա՛ս, խորշում: 
...

Որոնց կյանքը հեշտ է անցնում – ասես կյա՜նք չէ, այլ խճուղի` 
Անխոչընդո՜տ և անարգելք, քանոնի պես հա՜րթ ու ուղիղ. 
Դպրոց, հետո ինչ-որ մի ԲՈՒՀ, մի ազդեցիկ զանգահարող,– 
Եվ տաք տեղն է ապահովված... 
Այդպես ապրել դու չե՜ս կարող: 
Չէի ուզի, որ քո կյանքը հարթ խճուղու նման լիներ: 
Դու մի՛ անցիր ասֆալտ ճամփով, գերադասի՛ր ճամփա շինել: 

Տառապանքից չեն մեռնում, չէ՛, այլ ավելի են պնդանում,– 
Ապաքինված սիրտը հետո գալիք ցավը հեշտ է տանում: 
Ա՜խ, մի՛ նվա: Հայրդ երբեք չի հանդուրժում նվացողին... 
Շատ ավելի լավ է, տղա՛ս, դառն արցունքով աչքըդ ցողիր 
Ու քո ճամփան շարունակիր: Թո՛ղ որ լինի նա քարքարոտ, 
Բայց քո հոգում եթե լինի բարո՛ւ, լավի՛, սիրո՛ կարոտ, 
Դու չե՜ս հոգնի, դու կքայլես. կբարձրանաս դու սարն ի վեր: 
Դրա համար ոգի է պետք, դրա համար պետք չեն թևեր: 
...

Մի՛ տրտնջա: Դու հիշո՞ւմ ես. «Ձախորդ օրեր... կուգան-կերթան»... 
Մի՛ տրտնջա: Եթե լավից ետ ես ընկել` ինքդ հասիր... 
Մի՛ տրտնջա, բայց և կյանքը գրքի նման դու մի՛ կարդա, 
Գրքի նման` քեզնից հեռու, ինչ-որ օտար մարդկանց մասին... 
...

So yeah...

The after 40 more minutes (which completed the 2,5 hours of waiting) a handsome doctor approached the waiting room and asked for "Frau Samvelyan" - screwing up my last name so that no one in the world would guess that's me.

After 20 minutes of examination, he said that my back is fine, just hurt some muscles, and prescribed me some medicine. I was finally free to go.

When I went to the drug store to see if my insurance covers my medicine, I found out that I had to pay it all by myself. I said "fine..." After all, how expansive could a couple of painkillers be?

150 Euros for a @#%&*# painkiller.

I told the salesperson that "I can't afford being healthy right now!"

I started asking her a bunch of questions regarding insurance in general. I told her that at the hospital they told me that they would send me the bill and that I should send the bill to the insurance company, blah, blah, blah... and she said that "that might be a problem" I don't know why she said it. How did she know?

You see, I am used to health-care being free of charge. But I remembered when I was in the states, the doctor appointments were extremely expansive, so thought occurred in my head that I will have to pay 5000 Euro for this stupid 20 minute examination.

"So what, I am just not gonna travel. I won't buy a phone... Maybe I will ask my parents to send me a couple of thousands of Euros... I will have to eat plain rice..."

I don't know why I was thinking all that. I guess I was just tired...

I walked home for 40 minutes, which were by faaar the worst minutes I've had in Oldenburg.

Then I came to my room and wrote an overly-dramatic email to EMMIR asking "How the ^$#@ does this insurance work?"

And then, you know what I did? I actually sat down and read the entire information regarding the insurance we have. It took me more than an hour. You know what I realised? Had I read this earlier, my whole day wouldn't have been such a crap (except for the 2,5 hours at the "Emergency" room).

I read that that's how the insurance of that company works: they just reimburse you after you pay it yourself. So I shouldn't have panicked.

By the end of the day (well, by 7 o'clock, because after that it didn't get pretty (but that's a whole other story)) I learnt that things like this make me a stronger person. I survived this day, although it was very hard going through that alone.

So my tip for the future students abroad would be a) read every information on anything beforehand; and b) don't go to hospitals alone. I would add 3) don't read Sevak, but that's just really a matter of choice.

Hannover

Taking advantage of the Semesterticket, Brunna and I decided to spend Saturday in Hannover.

Woken up since 5 am but still very enthusiastic about the trip, we took the train and talked the whole way there. After Brunna was done with some of the passport issues, we started walking around and explore one of the most beautiful cities in Germany.

To be honest, I was impressed by how wonderfully welcoming the city was. It was far different from Oldenburg in various aspects, including human interaction.

My experience told me that people in bigger cities are more reserved and would hardly be friendly towards total strangers on the streets, while in smaller cities people are more welcoming. This idea of mine crashed and burnt today. 

Brunna and I were walking round the city, with awkward cameras shooting every corner of every street we have been too, when people passing by were smiling to us, or the ones on the bicycles were not speeding like there's no tomorrow... 

The city was very multicultural and you would hear different languages everywhere you went. Brunna and I agreed that it was the first time we didn't feel excluded from the society.

Hannover is clean. One of the things I love about Germans is that they take care about the cleanness and the overall environment of the city. 

The architecture is insanely beautiful. No camera can show it.

I have always liked Gothic churches. They live me breathless. The mosaics, the sound of the organ, the fact that they are very tall... Sometimes they make me want to believe that God exists...

We walked the whole day, but luckily, most of the attractions are situated in the Centre of the city, so we didn't have to take the bus. We just took the map of the City and just walked... and walked... and walked... from one attraction to another, from one church to another... and, even the fact that my feet hurt like hell (my "Brusovism" hit me again, and I decided to put on some heels and go to another city...) it was really worth it.

Of course, one day is not enough to explore the entire city, so we plan to visit Hannover soon.

 

The model of the city (Rathaus)

I couldn't resist taking a picture of the bride who just got married at the City Hall.

I noticed that Germans don't know how to write Armenia correctly. What's that "B" doing in the beginning? 

It was a tough choice: Segafredo or Starbucks: have warm memories from both of the places...

Getting over culture shock

I have realised what my problem was. I felt that during the past 16 days Oldenburg didn't seem to welcome me with widespread arms (so poetic...). People didn't seem nice on the streets, in class everyone had quite a competitive attitude towards each other, everything surrounding me seemed so disgustingly perfect: perfect shaped apples and grapes, perfectly clean streets and buses that arrive at the exact time they are supposed to (like, for example, 12:51). One time (and I admit it wasn't the wisest thing to do) I even threw my chewing gum out on the street to feel at home (I would never do that in Yerevan, but at that particular moment I felt like I should really do it, and you know what, it really helped).

People on the streets looked awfully unfamiliar. Most of the Germans are extremely tall, like twice my height or something. Sometimes it would irritate me, or make me feel intimidated. I felt like a small person in a big country. I felt lost.

Riding a bicycle was another thing I hated. Although I was very much excited about the fact that I would ride a bike to school, it turned out to be pretty lame. Since I wasn't very experienced, I was always the last person to reach the final destination, often times getting lost on the streets or simply not being fast enough.

I knew that riding a bike was supposed to make me feel free, feel the wind, and bullshit like that, but I didn't feel it. I was scared of accidents with cars, other bikes and people. I sincerely hated the bicycle.

Of course, I always knew that these were signs of culture shock, and it's not my first time experiencing it. And I also knew that I should just write about it and wait till it's gone.

And finally, 16 days later it happened. I have reached the stage of adjusting (more or less) to the new culture. I just woke up one morning and there it was: adjustment.

Of course not!! On the 15th day I realised that I will not be able to enjoy my time if I don't work on it. So I just woke up, and decided: tonight I am gonna overcome the culture shock.

1. With people it was easy. A small incident happened when some guy asked me out, and all my flatmates gathered in my room to check out the guy. Turned out he was married (seriously how stupid a guy can be to ask someone out with wedding pictures all over his Facebook page. Sometimes I just don't get people) and after that it just sort of happened that I simply started to laugh at what they were laughing, or talk about what they were talking, or cook a meal together. I turned out pretty fun.

2. I hated my room. It was too white. Reminded me of a mental house, which was kind of depressing in the mornings. So, despite the fact that I hadn't received my scholarship, I decided to go to IKEA for some shopping. The white wall that irritated me now has a beautiful sticker on it with beautiful pink flowers, the shoes that were chaotically put near my bed are on the bottom shelf, and the stuff like headphones, napkins, pens, scissors and what not, are now in 6 different-size pink boxes for which I payed only 5,99 Euro. I cleaned up my room, re-organized my closet. 0,99-Euro candles filled my room with vanilla smell. Joanna and Brunna kindly helped me put the sticker on the wall.










3. Exercise. I am not there yet, only because the regular badminton trainings haven't started yet. I bet that would be an interesting opportunity to make some of those tall Germans sweat (just kidding...).

4. German classes are also very important part. See, from what I have observed for the past 17 days was that Germans appreciate foreigners trying to speak the language even with a thin accent and obvious grammar mistakes. That for sure prefer it to the smooth English. So, I started attending German classes. I already knew some, so for me they are more like "Oh, I actually new this word..." type of classes. Still, very fun.

Today even riding that old bicycle to class seemed really rewarding. I was more confident, and for the first time I really enjoyed it.

Now, I have reached another staged: feeling really comfortable in the new environment, which can also  have its side effects. For example, now I see "Armenians" all over Oldenburg. I stare at people I for some reason I start thinking that they may have Armenian roots or that they are also exchange students at Carl von Ossietzky University (where I study, btw). That's a different type of madness I am going through, haha.

To complete the ritual of overcoming culture shock, I made some really strong coffee for myself (yes, it's 23:40 right now), put the song "Born in Armenia" by HT Hayko (I don't understand how it happened that I started liking Armenian rap. Maybe its the air of Oldenburg) and started dancing. And even though I had 50-page reading assignment and a Power Point presentation based on that, I still sat down and wrote this.

Of course, I am not completely over my culture shock. It will be back in about a month or so (speaking from experience), and I will have to go through it again. But that's the life of an exchange student. I just gotta suck it up.

Lina's Wedding

I always loved weddings, so finding out that one of my close friends Evelina is getting married made me pretty happy.

She has been going out with my neighbour Arman for a while now, so I was pretty much waiting to hear the exciting news any time.

I remember last year, when we were at the Water World, eating Pizza and talking about life, we were wondering about how our lives will turn out to be in a year, two or ten...

In all of the scenarios, we were part of each other's lives.

Sadly, I didn't have the opportunity to participate in her wedding, because I moved to Germany and simply couldn't be there, which means that my chances of becoming a bridesmaid, at least in one of friend's wedding are close to zero.

I was pretty bombed. I really wanted to be there by her side on the happiest day of her life: go shopping for the wedding dress, pick the flowers, buy her the wedding gift...

Anyways, I could still hear the music of her wedding. My parents called me on Skype and said "Can you hear this? It's the "Տարան-տարան-տարան" music of Evelina. It's her wedding right now"

They even took pictures from the balcony and sent them to me. Even though I didn't see a close shot, I am sure the wedding dress looks perfect on her. 

Dear Lina, I am extremely happy for you two. Really. Wishing you the joy and happiness you both deserve.

I'm not an alcoholic, I just really miss home...

You all have been to Calumet, right? I have too. And in fact, I have spent some of the happiest moments there. 

Calumet is the place where I tried one of my favourite shots: the Doudou shots.

Originated from Lebanon (at least that's what I know) Doudou was one of the cocktails that made me go nuts a little, and tonight I decided to make Doudou shots myself and for my friends at Johann-Justus-Weg (JJW). 

It was easy: lemon juice, hot chilli sous, olives and vodka. Well, we tried something German instead of vodka this time... And you know, it turned out pretty well...

5 shots (in a row) later I'm blogging. Of course I am. Every time I have a doudou shot, I feel like I should blog right away...

I promise, I am not an alcoholic, I just really miss home...

Բաց նամակ Զեմմային

Զեմ ջան,

Արդեն մի շաբաթ ա ամեն օր քո մասին եմ մտածում: Հիմա էլ մտածում եմ ոնց գրեմ, որ մարդիկ սխալ չհասկանան...  :D :D

Զեմ, 2010 թվին, որ իմացա, որ միասին ենք Ամերիկա գնալու, անկեղծ եմ ասում, նեղվել էի: Մտածում էի, որ մենք իրար հետ լեզու չենք գտնի, կկռվենք: Չէ որ էդքան տարբեր ենք...

Little did I know...

Նույնիսկ Ամերիկայում սկզբի ժամանակները ղադրդ չէի հասկանում: Ինձ թվում էր, հա լավ, Զեմման ա էլի: Ես չէի գիտակցում, որ ամբողջ էդ մի տարվա մեջ ամենալավ բանը են էր, որ ես մենակ չէի:

Ոչինչ, փոքր էի:

Ասենք, Զեմ, հիմա որ նայում եմ մեր նկարնեին (իսկ մենք ունենք 251 նկար միասին), հասկանում եմ, որ քո հետ էնքան բանի միջով ենք անցել, սկսած Լոնդոնից, Մայամիով, Universal Pictures-ով...

Հիշում եմ, որ Վաշինգթոնում առաջին անգամ որ Դենիսին տեսանք, էրկուսիս մոտ ինչ դեմքի արտահայտություն էր...

Կամ էս գյոզալ օրը... Maroon 5-ի համերգին: Հիշում ես, որ հաջորդ օրը պատմեցիր, որ շշից ջուր էս խմել... դե հասկացար... Մի ծիծաղ, մի ուրախություն :D

Էլի մի քանի նկար, հիշելու համար... Լավ ժամանակներ էին, չէ?

Halloween...

 Lady Gaga-ի համերգին... Ամենահամեստ նկարը :D Մնացածները իրենց մեջ պարունակում են տարօրինակ տղաների ու աղջիկների... :D

Universal Studios. Ինչ էի մտածում, որ էս գլխարկը հագա?

Դե էս շարքը էլ չասեմ... 

Ու հետ գալու ճանապարհին... 

Մեր exchange-ը շատ լավն էր, ու որ ստեղ էի գալիս, ինձ թվում էր նույն ձևի է լինելու, բայց հաստատ չէ... 

Էս քանի օրը գնացել էի շոփինգի, ու հետո եմ հասկացել, որ առել եմ նենց բաներ, որ Ամերիկայում միասին էինք առնում: Չէ?

Հիշում ես, որ conditioner էի առել, որ մի ամսից ավել schampoo-ի տեղ օգտագործում էի? :D :D

Ու ոնց մենք երկուսով ես սպիտակ խոզանակիկը թողեցինք այնտեղ, հետ եկանք... 

Դե լավ, հիմա ինչ մի երկարացրեցի... Լավ կլինի, ոչինչ... (ինքս ասեցի, ինքս ինձ պատասխանեցի...)

Մի օր Օլդենբուրգում

Արդեն 10 օր է ինչ Օլդենբուրգում եմ, չնայած թվում է, թե ամիսներ առաջ եմ եկել:

Սկզբում չէի հարմարվում, բայց հիմա արդեն համակերպվել եմ: Ճիշտ եմ ասում, միգուցե շատերի համար Գերմանիան հրաշալի երկիր է, բայց ես այդքան էլ դրանում համոզված չեմ: Անջիգյար են:

Բայց լավ, եկեք ինձ կերակրող ձեռքը չկծեմ:

Իրականում այսօր այն քիչ օրերից էր, երբ ինձ շատ լավ եմ զգում: Համալսարանը շատ լավն է, գոհ եմ, բայց համալսարանից հետո երբ տուն եմ գալիս, սկսում եմ Հայաստանը կարոտել: Միգուցե նրանից է, որ դեռ այդքան էլ ծանրաբեռնված չեմ ու հիմնականում երեկոյան ազատ եմ (բոլորովին չեմ հերքում դա), կամ էլ մշակութային շոկ եմ ապրում, որի նշաններից մեկն էլ մելանխոլիան է:

Բնավորությունս է փոխվում: Եթե առաջ թռվռան էի, հիմա ինքնամփոփ եմ ու հազվադեպ եմ ժպտում: Անկեղծ ասած, չեմ հիշում մի դեպք, որ այստեղ ծիծաղեմ: Միային թեթև ժպտում եմ:

Բայց ոչինչ, կանցնի: Շուտով կսկսեմ Գերմաներենի դասերի հաճախել ու կվերհիշեմ մոռացածս:

Այսօր մենակ փողոցով քայլում էի: Վերջապես ժամանակ գտա մի քիչ լուսանկարեմ: Մի քիչ էլ թիթիզություն արեցի, ասեցի նկարներից վրա 60-ականների էֆեկտ դնեմ:

Ինչպես հասկացաք, շատ անձրևոտ քաղաք է:

Ավտոբուսից:

Ամենուրեք իրենք կան: Մտածում եմ, հանկարծ վրան չկանգնեմ: Պատկերացնում եք ինչ զզվելի կլինի?

Անձրև: Մեր սովորական եղանակը: Շուտով սկսելու ենք բորբոսնել:

Արևային անձևին շատ հաճելի է պաղպաղակ ուտել

Միշտ ուզում էի այս կոշիկներից ունենալ: Շատ հարմար են:

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"Խնդրում եմ բացատրեք սա", մաս 1

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Բան չունեմ ասելու, ես ինձ խոհանոցում զգում եմ այնպես, ինչպես նորածին ջայլամը քայլել սովորելուց, բայց համաձայնվեք, որ նկարներից երևում է, որ դեռ անհույս չեմ: