I’d love to hear your comments on this post, especially from expats and people outside the US.  (Though I welcome feedback from anyone here, too!)  What kind of experience do you have at the doctor’s office? 

From what I can tell, it seems a typical American experience to wait one heck of a long time to see your doctor.  Now, oddly, American etiquette related to time, in business anyway, is to show up on time, or a few minutes early, typically speaking.  How many times have we heard the phrase, “Time is Money”?  So, Americans value time, and we don’t like waiting.  I can tell you, here in New York City, everyone is in a hurry and hates waiting, so you can exaggerate that frustration 100 times.

In the past few weeks, as the year winds to a close, and I’m taking advantage of my insurance deductible being met (oh, the joy of the US healthcare system) by finally going to get my check-ups, I have had 4 appointments.  Apart from 1 or 2 of my doctors, it seems a one hour wait is commonplace.  Last week, at the dermatologist, I arrived on time for my 2pm appointment.  There was 1 other person in the waiting room who was seen 5 minutes after I arrived.  The doctor strolled through the waiting room at 2:30pm, smiled, then went back to her office.  At 2:4o, I was finally brought into an exam room, and waited ANOTHER 15 minutes to see the doctor.  With no other patients around, and nothing seemingly urgent happening, I was absolutely disgusted that it took 1 hour to be seen. 

Today, I went to another doctor for an 8am appointment.  Two other women were in the waiting room, and I was told to sign in, and that someone would check me in by calling my name.  After 30 minutes, there were 8 women in the room, some of whom had already been checked in before me.  I went to the desk twice within 45 minutes, reminding them I had an 8am appointment and that people who arrived after me were being checked in before me.  Finally at 8:55, I was checked in.  I was stunned at the incompetence of a doctor’s office that made me wait almost one hour just to check in!  The funny part was, once checked in, I was seen within minutes.

Ironically, the “factory” places, like where I went to get an x-ray, took care of me immediately. Oh, and my dentist!   It seems it’s only when I have an actual appointment for a medical doctor that I end up being forced to wait around as if I have nothing better to do with my day.

The worst part of this system is, if I were to arrive late, or not at all, I’d have to pay a fee for not canceling my appointment.  So the “time is money” phrase only applies to the doctor, because it appears that a patient’s time is worthless.

I’m sure there are many of you who have had similar and even more aggravating experiences – feel free to leave a comment!

And, for those of you in or from other countries, would love to hear your experiences – either within your own country, or if you’re now living in the US, your thoughts on waiting time at the doctor’s office.

With the holidays fast approacing, if you’re an expat and can’t afford to go home, you’re no doubt in search of ways to celebrate locally, or closer to where you live.

According to AsiaOne News, there will be a lot of expats in Beijing this year! Sometimes, if you can’t be with your loved ones at home, it’s a good idea to seek out local places offering, say, food you’re accustomed to on the holidays, or, you might even find other expats from your home country celebrating the holidays in the same place as you. Why not share the festivities together?

Click here to read more about plans in Beijing to welcome foreigners. Even if you’re not in or near Beijing, it might be a good idea to inquire, locally, about what events and dinners are being planned that you can participate in – ideal to avoid being alone!

I just saw a concerning article about expatriates and infidelity.  It makes an excellent point that if you are married and considering a move to a new country, you need to carefully consider all the changes the move will bring to your family.  The article also points out that marriages that are shaky before a move tend to fall apart after a move overseas.

Click here for the full article.  What are your thoughts on this?

One of the challenges that can occur after relocating is figuring out what activities are available, and how to go about finding them. Often times, though, it could be as simple as exploring a place you haven’t before, and then asking!

This past weekend, I had the delight of trying a tea house in Manhattan – Radiance Tea House and Books. Our host, Dan, was one of the friendliest people I have ever met. He seemed to either know all the clientele (indicating there are a lot of regulars) or else spoke to everyone like a cherished friend, certainly giving everyone the desire to return sometime soon.

The food was unbelievably good, as was the incredible selection of tea. So, I asked Dan if they

ever hold any workshops or classes, and, indeed they do! Now, I’ve heard of a wine-tasting, but tea-tastings are much less common. If you’ve never done one, I highly recommend it. What’s nice about the way Radiance Tea House offers them is that it’s in a class setting, so you’re more likely to meet other people, rather than going to a tea place and doing your own tasting.

The other activity they offer is a Tea Ceremony. This is another more unusual activity that you probably don’t come across on your average day. In fact, there are probably many activities around you, but if you’re intent on doing things that are familiar to you, you are most definitely missing out on opportunities to learn something new, and to meet new people.

What’s important for you to take away is that-

1. wherever in the world you are, when feeling bored, or unable to find new activities, you must make an effort to try new places – even if you have to take out a guide-book in a city you think you know pretty well.
2. If you find someplace you like, speak with the host, waiter, or owner and ask them if they give any classes – here it was about tea, but if you’re in a restaurant, it could be that they offer cooking class. (I’ve actually come across one such place in New York, Camaje, and it was a fantastic experience!) If you’re in a museum, perhaps it’s a unique tour, or a drawing class, etc.
3. Activities come in all “shapes, colors and sizes”. The more open you are to trying something you’ve never done before, the more likely you’ll find things to do.
4. The key is, seek out new things, and ask questions!
5. Check out my Personal Strategies Method eBook for more helpful ideas and strategies to find activities you love and more after moving.

CountryRep_2009_Complimentary_Report

Switzerland tops list of 2009 country reputation report conducted by the Reputation Institute.  Russia is at the bottom of  the list. Open the report to learn the factors that went into the rankings, and all the scores. This could be helpful for you if you’re trying to decide between several locations for an expat opportunity.