Dentists and disorganisation.

11:48
I thought this would be an important post to make, since people may wonder about the experience or what happens when you need to see a dentist in France. I do. That is why I am sat here in the waiting room of a dentist's surgery.

First off, I want to mention how little information I have. Whether that is my own fault, or other peoples fault, I don't know. I was told: go to France. I'm in France. Do I have insurance? I don't think so. All I have is an EHIC.
When I woke up this morning, I did not know what time my appointment was, as it was booked for me by my employers. Nor did I know how I was to get there, what I would need to do, how much it may cost. Nothing. I've tried looking on the internet but I can't find much up to date information on this. Sat here in the waiting room, all I can assume is that it's going to end up costing me loads of money which for one reason or another I won't be able to claim back.

So I'm sat in the waiting room, despite my appointment being at 11:45. Its 11:53. Guess its not just England where you're always late to go in. There's no receptionist here, or any such thing. Just 6 chairs in a small room with a door going into... A surgery? Or a corridor? I'm not really sure. I've waited here and a woman (dental nurse? Receptionist? Somebody...) Came to ask me if I had 'une carte'. Ah. A card. Urm. My EHIC card? So I handed her that, guessing that's what she wanted...

She kind of looked at it as if it wasn't what she expected, but then also told me to sit down because other people were still going to be first. It was quite rude actually. Being that she wanted things from me, and it was time for my appointment, I wouldn't say that it was wrong of me to assume that I would be going in. Nope. Okay then.

12:15
So I was called in and on the other side of the door it was just a dentists surgery with a desk in the corner which would have been the reception if they had one. The lady from earlier was a dental nurse but also did anything you'd expect a receptionist to do. They both spoke very good english, especially the dentist himself. I wasn't sure if he was English or French, but I didn't look at his name so I wasn't sure.

Essentially, he didn't do any permanent work- just put a dressing on it to stop the exposure (part of my tooth has been missing for the past year, but recently its been hurting). And he's prescribed some antibiotics and some kind of mouthwash. The appointment itself cost 30€, and the prescription stuff was just over 6€, but I paid by card (an English one) so god knows how much it actually cost.

Now I am on my way back to the campsite. He's said that I should go back to a dentist when I'm in England, but if anything is up before then, I should go back. Given I'm only back in England for just over a week, without a registered dentist at my mother's, its going to be interesting trying to fit it in. I'd rather do it before Japan though because, by the sounds of it, its just a temporary fix, and I don't want to have to work this out in Japan.

So that was my super exciting visit to the dentist. It wasn't as horrific as my visits to the dentist normally are, but I guess that's because they weren't doing anything permanent.

Awkward times

Friday 21:00

So I just came back from sitting at work. I have a day off today, but there's not really so much to do, especially when its raining and you're trying not to spend all the money you have.

I like to sit at work because its the best and only chance I have of socialising, either with my colleagues or with people as they come in and out of the bar. But today I was basically asked not to hang around if I'm not working. I feel a bit awkward now. And a bit pissed off. Its OK for me to sit in the corner and use the internet, though. But that's not what I actually want to do when I'm sat there. I'm waiting. I'm waiting for some form of human interaction. Conversation. Something.

Apparently, that's not allowed, and while I can sort of understand why, I don't think that my employers realise that I'm super lonely. There's no one at home. My new housemate is also working. I don't know anyone here. I barely know anyone in the entire country. I don't have anywhere else to go where I can attempt to see people.

I also wish I was told things like this before I actually did them. If there are rules, it'd be nice to know before I make a dick of myself. How did I find out I can't drink on the other side of the bar? I ordered a drink. (I still don't understand why my colleagues can drink, though). And I don't find out I shouldn't be hanging around the bar until I've hung around the bar quite a lot. Its pretty awkward and embarrassing. So instead of moving and continuing to use the internet, I went straight home. I'll watch some anime, on my own, and go to sleep.

Oh.

Il arrive le Mardi

13:49
Anonymous French male shall arrive on Tuesday! I shall have to stop getting dressed in the kitchen, and playing Girugamesh at full volume. I shall have to do the washing up far more often than I have been (which is still more often than usual) and I shall have to ensure my underwear remains in my bedroom at all times.

However, I'm kind of looking forward to meeting someone new, despite the struggle with French I will have to face even in my down time chez moi.

In other news, I wanted to dye my hair during the 4 hour break I get around lunch time, but I realised I don't have gloves with my bleach because I used it for the colour last time I dyed my hair. I also don't have a brush for my directions. I'm not filled with hope that Les Eyzies can provide me with what I need, but I hope it can as the thought of not doing it for another week drives me into the pits of despair. So, because of crazy shop opening times, I will be heading out at around 2:45pm to scout out whether I can gather what I need to dye my hair this evening instead. The 'supermarket' here opens from 8:30 until 12:30, and then from 15:00 until 19:00. Its a bit odd.

I've definitely come quite unprepared for living here - I kind of assumed I'd be able to buy things here to save on weight allowance on the plane, but it has resulted in me not having a full-size bathroom towel for two weeks, having to buy tea towels, suncream, contact lens solution and other things that probably would have been cheaper at home. I find myself coming short every so often - like now, when I want to dye my hair and I don't have the right equipment, despite having brought the dye from England.

It could be worse. I could have forgotten pyjamas. Or bras like at MCM expo D: ...

All in all, I'm settling in well and as always, the only setback is my own stupidity >:D

21:43

So Les Eyzies was nearly as useless as I thought it would be. The supermarket was fruitless, so I went to the chemist. I couldn't see anything. I have to Google translate the word for 'gloves' to ask if they had any plastic gloves to dye my hair with. The lady at the desk told me they only had big boxes. Oh god. My heart sunk a little. How big? 50 gloves. A box of 50 gloves. I asked how much it was, knowing that no matter the price, I would have to buy them... My hair wouldn't last until the next time I have a day off, especially with new people who are actually my age arriving in the next few days. 13€60... It could be worse... But that would literally be daylight robbery. I paid just over £10 for latex gloves. At least they will last me a little while... I still have 46 left.

I'm waiting for my hair colour to set in now before I wash it out. But I had to get Mickey round to clear the three resident beasts from hell out of my shower first (the ones with eight legs).

Time to wash my hair out. That's all from me for today!

Thanks for reading!