waiting in the doctor's office

Here we are . . . doing the most common experience known to Americans . . . waiting in the doctor’s office. Now missionaries are really good at waiting . . . and waiting . . . and waiting. This is not a genetic pre-dispostion or anything like that. No it’s just the simple experience that comes from waiting for everything, and I mean everything.

Now waiting in the doctor’s office in air-conditioned America is far more pleasant and interesting than say . . . waiting in a Russian bank all day . . . or an airport in Russia (or anywhere for that matter) for several days . . . or waiting in a Macedonian police station. OK, maybe it’s not more interesting, but it certainly is more comfortable. Better yet, this particular doctor’s office has unsecured wireless internet access which I am helping myself to, and writing this blog! I am sure I will pay for the priviledge at some point in this process.

But I digress. Waiting for top quality, high-tech, well trained, clean and sanitary medical service is a time honored American tradition. Somehow the waiting makes it seem even more valuable than it actually may be. So yes I am settling Heidi in at college, and yes we are racing around doing that, but we also are addressing the fact that we have not seen dentist, optometrists and physicians for the last two years and need check-ups in all these areas.

It was interesting the see that Heidi did not expect to wait for anything in America. I told her that generally this is true, but in a doctor’s office, all bets are off.