Going to the Doctor in Japan...My Annual....

Part of the adventure of living in Japan is partaking in the daily activities that we take for granted all the time. I still get a thrill getting behind the wheel of my car and going to work in the morning (I must say the ease of my little town sure beats morning traffic on 40). Just today, I went to a grand opening weekend of a grocery store. It was really exciting to see all the new foods that are available and to see all the patrons stirring about excited for the sales and the new selections (there was a gigantic fish- the length of an endcap refrigerator section that they were carving samples off...could you imagine getting a food sample of sashimi while hitting Kroger or Schnuks?). I would say daily I do something, which as normal as it may seem to me now, is no where near to the lifestyle I was living just a year ago, and I barely bat an eye at the differences anymore. I have gotten so accustomed to my lifestyle and the obscurities of Japan, that I, a person who loves to saturate herself in the beauty of the quirkiness of the world, find myself driving along passing roadside shrines and ricefields barely even thinking much of them. I do constantly have "Hell, Yea! I'm in Japan" moments, striking me; making me dance and sing praise of gratitude of my good fortune. I am completely appreciating the opportnity and path that my life has given me. I still love noting the asthetic beauty of everything, and I am constantly in awe of the grandeour of my experience, but I think that initial feeling that was at once so overwhelming , that nostalgic feeling of good god, where am i? has started to wear away....This thought had me feeling that I was good and settled, wondering if without the aid of visiting guests, would I ever have that fuzzy, wierd, first time experience again?.....That was , Until I made my annual trip to the gynecologist....

Caution: The following contains details of a FEMALE'S ANNUAL doctor visit...it is not intended for those who are easily disturbed by the discussion of the female cycle...so if you have no fear and don't mind knowing too much about my personal life....read on....it is detailed....

After weeks of telling eachother we should go together, my friend and I decided we would do it, we would go for our annual gyno visit. We decided on the local clinic in Joetsu due to the convience of hours on Saturday and walk-ins welcome policy.

We got out of my car, our nerves stirring, because to be honest even in the States a visit to the gyno is not the most comfortable situation, no matter how much you like the doctor, you are fully aware that they are going to be scraping, poking, and prodding at your most delicate areas. Dictionaries in tow (both electronic and print) we entered through the sliding doors into the empty waiting room. We called for a nurse, answered a few questions about the condition of our mankos*, and sat in the waiting room. We waited for seriously eons. We paid the takai 200 yen for a water, and watched pregnant women come and go, all while getting curious looks from the women, as if they were just discovering, yes Westerners also have vaginas. *manko is a horribly crude Japanese word for well, you know, a woman's vaginal area

Finally a nurse came out and called..."Kyari SaburettoSama!" (which is my name by the way)

I walked over to the door a little confused because my friend and I had made a request to go together, both for language skills and mental support, and the nurse had only called my name. So I asked, "Sumimasen, Gomennasai, Watashi no tomodachi wa TiffanySan. ishoni ikitai, onegaishimasu. Nihongo sukoshi wakarimasu. Daijoubu desuka?" Which in horrible japanese says " Excuse me, I'm sorry, Tiffany is my friend. We would like to go together please. I only understand a little Japanese, Is that ok?" The nurse said "Daijobu." So we got to go together.

When you enter the doctors office, it is quite different than that of the states. First they made my friend and I switch seats (who knows why) The area I was in was two small cubicle-like spaces connected together. A hallway runs through the back of the office, of which the nurses run around through. We sat and had our consultation with the doctor. Then we were pointed and told to go through the door.

As I passed through the door I realized I was not in the States.

There was no table to lay on. No stirrups for your feet. There was just a big pink chair!

The doctor told me to take off my pants and sit on the chair. I did as I was told.

It is never more than obvious that Japan is the land of electronics than the first time you experience an electronic gyno chair. The best part of the experience was the name...Space Natul...

So I sat upon the SPACE NATUL, resting my thighs on the I assume, thigh rests. There was an announcement telling me about the lift off, then it moves, spreading my legs apart as it lifts and tilts to the proper position. There is a click of a light when you finally are in position. There is a curtain that seperates you and your lower half, so you never see the doctor during the examination, I personally found this horrible. As you decent there is another announcement and then you go in for your landing. All in all, the experience was pleasant, but totemo omoshiroiyo!