T-I-T

Nu, a consultant from MediaKids arrived today to take our passports to the Labor Department to finalize our work permits (which, no, we still have not received). Then, at a last minute's notice, just after lunch, he was informed that a new rule was in place - and we had to have our blood drawn (such as for HIV, Syphilis, Hepatitis, etc.). So Jacqueline, Howard and I went with Nu to the private hospital just down the road from the school. Whoa! Was this a Thai experience or what! First off, we all felt as if we were on an airplane or on a cruise or something. the uniforms were so inappropriate, for lack of a better word. The nurses looked like they were flight attendants, with short skirts that had slits up the thigh, white heels with bows, light blue blazers and nicely tied up hair in buns with decorative hair pieces. The receptionists looked like bar girls, in gold (yes, gold!) dresses with gold, crinchy belts in big bows around their waists, gold/ tan heels with bows, and fully done faces and hair. No scrubs in this hospital!

Secondly, after Nu spoke with the hospital, it was decided that they would sign off on the bloodwork, but not actually do it! In other words, the hospital (or someone) pockets the money (paid for by MediaKids) and we get our fake signed and cleared bloodwork papers done for our work permits. We each individually saw the doctor for about 1 minute, in which she asked us if we had any known diseases or allergies. That was it! So, the hospital gets to save money on the labwork and utensils (or whatever else the bloodtests would entail), get the money, and we get our papers signed and cleared .... T-I-T

We arrived back at school about 1.5 hours later, each having missed a class. Well, at this point, all my classes within each level are all over the place. Some are 2 weeks behind, others are so far ahead, that I can't keep up with what to do with them next! Ah, well, so we were forewarned at orientation. Just another day in Thailand!