Hello Gentle Readers. Everybody has one and half of us will be or are one. Mums are important. Tomorrow my mum will turn 83 and Lena's mum will turn 60. In honour of our mothers and mothers everywhere, here are some words of wisdom about these very special ladies.
#wednesdaythought #mum
Welcome to my Blog. My name is Neil and I have been living in Buckinghan, UK since the 11th September 2020. I lived in the Armenia, Latvia and China. I am a teacher of Geography, Global Perspectives and English. I am married to Lena who is my soulmate and best friend.We also have a little boy, Robert. As you can tell from the Blog's name I am Scottish although I was born in London. My Blog will be for sharing my thoughts on anything that takes my fancy. Please feel free to comment.
Wednesday, 28 March 2018
Monday, 26 March 2018
One in the eye....for the laowai.
Well hello there Gentle reader. Sorry I have not been on for a while. My phone broke and I guess I just have not had the time.
Today Lena and I visited the Nanfang Hospital for foreigners in Guangzhou and what an experience it was.
Now we went there for Lena. Last week she fell off her scooter and hurt her knee. We hoped it would get better but after a week it was still sore and we hoped that she could get an x-ray. She also had a sore and blurry eye and she wanted to see an eye doctor. She also needed to see another doctor so we asked if we could do all 3 in one visit.
We arrived at the hospital about 2 and at 3 we were met by our very own translator who arranged for us to see all the doctors and did all the talking on our behalf.
We were seen by the eye doctor but a spot with the other doctor came up and we had to quickly run through to another room. After we were seen we returned to the eye doctor who it seemed to me was a bit pissed off that she had to wait for us.
She asked Lena some very personal questions took her blood pressure and then finally examiner her eye. As we thought, Lena had a nasty dose of conjunctivitis and the doctor then gave us a prescription.
Job done you might think. As we were walking with the translator to the pharmacy she told us that the eye doctor had given Lena a prescription for blood pressure tablets. Now her BP was elevated but not by much and only because she was nervous about seeing the doctor.
We had to go back to the eye doctor to get this removed.
How dare she prescribe medicine like this without doing proper tests. In Latvia and the UK this would not be done.
When we got the prescription we discovered that the eye doctor had given us 3 different types of eye drops. There was 5 of one type, 3 of another and 2 of the 3rd. WTF?
She then had the nerve to tell Lena who has been wearing contact lenses for 9 years and using eye drops for years that she should be taught how to use the eye drops. We objected politely but the doctor got very stroppy. Lena got very angry because the eye doctor had another male patient in with her and she felt that the doctor was trying to humiliate us.
Lena was so angry that in the end we left without seeing about her knee.
In the end we had little choice but to take the medicine. We spoke to a doctor friend of ours and he told us this is totally unacceptable and that the hospital were trying to take advantage of the Laowai's.
Laowai is a rather offensive term that Chinese people use to describe foreigners.
We have been in China for over 7 months and this was the first time I felt this angry at "the system". Colleagues have said that in China its best not to get sick. After todays events I can see why. We both feel that medical professionals have taken advantage of our lack of Chinese to sell overpriced meficine.
Dont be sick in China. It may cost you more than money.
#china #laowai #doctors #nanfanghospital #rippedoff
Today Lena and I visited the Nanfang Hospital for foreigners in Guangzhou and what an experience it was.
Now we went there for Lena. Last week she fell off her scooter and hurt her knee. We hoped it would get better but after a week it was still sore and we hoped that she could get an x-ray. She also had a sore and blurry eye and she wanted to see an eye doctor. She also needed to see another doctor so we asked if we could do all 3 in one visit.
We arrived at the hospital about 2 and at 3 we were met by our very own translator who arranged for us to see all the doctors and did all the talking on our behalf.
We were seen by the eye doctor but a spot with the other doctor came up and we had to quickly run through to another room. After we were seen we returned to the eye doctor who it seemed to me was a bit pissed off that she had to wait for us.
She asked Lena some very personal questions took her blood pressure and then finally examiner her eye. As we thought, Lena had a nasty dose of conjunctivitis and the doctor then gave us a prescription.
Job done you might think. As we were walking with the translator to the pharmacy she told us that the eye doctor had given Lena a prescription for blood pressure tablets. Now her BP was elevated but not by much and only because she was nervous about seeing the doctor.
We had to go back to the eye doctor to get this removed.
How dare she prescribe medicine like this without doing proper tests. In Latvia and the UK this would not be done.
When we got the prescription we discovered that the eye doctor had given us 3 different types of eye drops. There was 5 of one type, 3 of another and 2 of the 3rd. WTF?
Any one for eye-drops? |
She then had the nerve to tell Lena who has been wearing contact lenses for 9 years and using eye drops for years that she should be taught how to use the eye drops. We objected politely but the doctor got very stroppy. Lena got very angry because the eye doctor had another male patient in with her and she felt that the doctor was trying to humiliate us.
Lena was so angry that in the end we left without seeing about her knee.
In the end we had little choice but to take the medicine. We spoke to a doctor friend of ours and he told us this is totally unacceptable and that the hospital were trying to take advantage of the Laowai's.
Laowai is a rather offensive term that Chinese people use to describe foreigners.
We have been in China for over 7 months and this was the first time I felt this angry at "the system". Colleagues have said that in China its best not to get sick. After todays events I can see why. We both feel that medical professionals have taken advantage of our lack of Chinese to sell overpriced meficine.
Dont be sick in China. It may cost you more than money.
#china #laowai #doctors #nanfanghospital #rippedoff
Monday, 19 March 2018
Today in History: March 19th
Hello again Gentle Readers. Its time once again to Head off into the Sunset of time while the dust of history causes us to squint.
1649: The House of Commons of Great Britain bans the upper House of Lords claiming that, "it is useless and dangerous."
Politicians....go figure.
1848: Wlld west legend and lawman Wyatt Earp is born.
1895: The Lumiere brothers record the first moving pictures on their cinematograph machine.
1932: The Sydney Harbour Bridge is opened.
1955: Actor and Singer Bruce Willis is born.
1962: Bob Dylan releases his first self titled album.
#bobdylan #brucewillis #sydneyharbourbridge #lumierebrothers #houseoflords #wyattearp #march19 #todayinhistory
1649: The House of Commons of Great Britain bans the upper House of Lords claiming that, "it is useless and dangerous."
Politicians....go figure.
1848: Wlld west legend and lawman Wyatt Earp is born.
1895: The Lumiere brothers record the first moving pictures on their cinematograph machine.
1932: The Sydney Harbour Bridge is opened.
1955: Actor and Singer Bruce Willis is born.
1962: Bob Dylan releases his first self titled album.
#bobdylan #brucewillis #sydneyharbourbridge #lumierebrothers #houseoflords #wyattearp #march19 #todayinhistory
Sunday, 18 March 2018
Today in History 18th March
Hello Gentle Readers its time once again to fasten the Space Helmet of time securely as you step from the capsule of history into the blackness of eternity.
37: The Roman Senate proclaims Caligula as Emporer.
1834: The 6 Tolpuddle Martyrs are sent to Australia as punishment for trying to start a trade union.
1850: Wells and Fargo found the American Express company.
1965: Soviet Cosmonaut Alexey Leonov performs the first Space walk when he leaves Voshkod 2 for 12 minutes.
2017: Rock n Roll icon Chuck Berry dies.
#todayinhistory #18march #caligula #tolpuddlemartyrs #americanexpress #spacewalk #chuckberry
37: The Roman Senate proclaims Caligula as Emporer.
1834: The 6 Tolpuddle Martyrs are sent to Australia as punishment for trying to start a trade union.
1850: Wells and Fargo found the American Express company.
1965: Soviet Cosmonaut Alexey Leonov performs the first Space walk when he leaves Voshkod 2 for 12 minutes.
2017: Rock n Roll icon Chuck Berry dies.
#todayinhistory #18march #caligula #tolpuddlemartyrs #americanexpress #spacewalk #chuckberry
Saturday, 17 March 2018
Making Friends with Baopals
Bao Pals logo |
Hello there Gentle shoppers. Welcome to the wonderful world of Chinese Internet Shopping.
I am sure that many of you out there are aware of Tao Bao which is the Chinese Amazon or E-bay.
Tao Bao logo |
Yes, it may be a little more expensive because Bao Pals take a commission for every sale.
I have never really been a fan of internet shopping but its hard to think of any big purchase we have made in China that we didnt buy from Tao Bao. Our oven, our clothes steamer, picture frames, Robert's Christmas presents and the Star Wars and Harry Potter DVD's are just some of the things we have bought.
Robert and his Robot |
Our Bao Pals deliveries usually come to Hive Boxes like these. |
Todays packages included a new pair of glasses for Lena and storage boxes. In the Hive boxes just now are some bags for protecting our clothes in our suitcases.
The latest deliveri |
Its Super convenient and great value.and as long as we are in China it will be the main way we shop. Supermarkets.....who needs them.
#baopals #taobao #hiveboxes
Thursday, 15 March 2018
Hello Peru: Top 10 fun filled facts about....
Hola lectores amables.
For the last few weeks, someone who lives in Peru has been looking at the blog everyday. Whoever you are, thanks for looking. I would love to know who you are so please leave a comment.
Anyway, in honour of their regular visits, here are my top 10 fun facts.
1. On New Years Eve in Peru it is traditional to give Yellow underwear as a gift.
2. In 1973, the Peruvian government banned Prisoners from having Chili sauce as it increased their sexual desires.
3. Peru is the worlds largest Cocaine producer with over 200,000 people employed.
4. The Cerro Blanco sand dune is the tallest in the world at nearly 1200 metres.
5. The ancient Peruvians used corn as currency.
6. The Nazca Lines are in Peru.
7. In the 1800s Peru was yhe worlds leading exporter of bird poop.
8. There are some parts of Peru tjat have not seen rainfall for 400 years.
9. With a 1.5 mile wide tidal wave, Peru is truly a surfers paradise.
10. The National Dance of Peru is supposed to mimic the mating ritual of birds.
#peru #top10
For the last few weeks, someone who lives in Peru has been looking at the blog everyday. Whoever you are, thanks for looking. I would love to know who you are so please leave a comment.
Anyway, in honour of their regular visits, here are my top 10 fun facts.
1. On New Years Eve in Peru it is traditional to give Yellow underwear as a gift.
2. In 1973, the Peruvian government banned Prisoners from having Chili sauce as it increased their sexual desires.
3. Peru is the worlds largest Cocaine producer with over 200,000 people employed.
4. The Cerro Blanco sand dune is the tallest in the world at nearly 1200 metres.
5. The ancient Peruvians used corn as currency.
6. The Nazca Lines are in Peru.
7. In the 1800s Peru was yhe worlds leading exporter of bird poop.
8. There are some parts of Peru tjat have not seen rainfall for 400 years.
9. With a 1.5 mile wide tidal wave, Peru is truly a surfers paradise.
10. The National Dance of Peru is supposed to mimic the mating ritual of birds.
#peru #top10
Wednesday, 14 March 2018
RIP Stephen Hawking: A Wednesday thought special.
Its a sad day Gentle Readers. The emminent scientist Stephen Hawking died today aged 76 years old.
This in itself is amazing considering he was told when he was 22 that he only had a few months to live.
So today, you will get two sets of the Wednesday thought and both by physicists.
#stephenhawking #wednesdaythought
This in itself is amazing considering he was told when he was 22 that he only had a few months to live.
So today, you will get two sets of the Wednesday thought and both by physicists.
Wednesday Thought: Albert Einstein
Hello there Gentle Readers. Its Einsteins birthday so here is some of his wisdom.
#wednesdaythought #einstein
Today in History March 14th
Hello again Gentle Readers, its TIME once again to think RELATIVELY while we pass through SPACE in our own CONTINUUM as we go out with MARILYN MONROE.
1836: Mrs Beeton the author of the seminal work on household management is born.
1879: Nobel Laureate and Physicist Albert Einstien is born.
1883: Karl Marx dies.
1885: The Gilbert and Sullivan operetta "The Mikado" premiers in London.
1933: Oscar winning British actor Sir Michael Caine is born.
#14march #todayinhistory #mikado #mrsbeeton #alberteinstein #michaelcaine #karlmarx
1836: Mrs Beeton the author of the seminal work on household management is born.
1879: Nobel Laureate and Physicist Albert Einstien is born.
1883: Karl Marx dies.
1885: The Gilbert and Sullivan operetta "The Mikado" premiers in London.
1933: Oscar winning British actor Sir Michael Caine is born.
#14march #todayinhistory #mikado #mrsbeeton #alberteinstein #michaelcaine #karlmarx
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