Robyn.Bowles.es

Samuel and I went to register for Childbirth Classes today. Today’s part of the process was relatively easy, but the fact that there is even a process involved has to tell you something.

I write this not so much that I think the details will be that entertaining to anyone else, but more to chronicle yet another example of how certain things in life outside of my “easy” Michigan life are a bit more, shall we say, challenging.

It all started about two weeks ago when I decided to call our Spanish insurance company to inquire about classes being offered in Torrejon where we are now living. Thankfully, they do have an English-speaking phone attendant. I got the address and phone number and was happy to hear that they do, indeed offer classes here.

Next step: call to learn how to register. For this I enlisted the help of my new Spanish friend, Eunice. I don’t do Spanish over the phone very well. Heck, I can’t even understand my British friends over the phone! So Eunice called and learned that classes are held for 90 minutes/week for 8 weeks, and start in the 28th week. Well, it is in week 28 that we will go to Morocco for five weeks. She asked if I could do them early and they said fine. They also said I would just need to come down to the office to register and bring with me a “volante” or prescription from my doctor.

Ok, no problem – I had an appointment scheduled a few days later.

So, after a 45 minute bus ride, 15 minutes in the Metro, a 15 minute walk and 4 Euros for the round-trip (times two), we arrived at the office. Before leaving I asked the doctor to provide me with this “volante” and I told her I plan to take classes early and in Torrejon where I now live. She looked at me with a very puzzled expression and stated that I do not need a volante – that this is very abnormal request. “You just show them your card and you can register. You do not need this because it is voluntary. You don’t have to do classes.”

I assured her that this is what had been said to my Spanish friend who heard it in Spanish and translated for me. No “lost in translation” problem there. She said that I should just go to register and if they continue to request a volante, then I could return and any of the doctors could write one for me.

I felt a moment of uneasiness, I just had a feeling . . . but she was so certain and so taken aback by the request that I figured her signature and “Clases de Preparacion de Parto” written on a slip of paper was too much to ask for “just in case.”

So we went to the office here in Torrejon, talked to the same woman who had spoken to my friend on the phone and were treated very well. We will start classes next week Friday at week 23. “And all you need is the volante from the doctor.”

Of course. We told her that the doctor was very surprised by this, blah, blah, blah . . . but she was equally insistent that we MUST have this slip.

“Well,” I thought, “we still have nine days. Maybe the office could just mail it to us?” So we got home and I asked Eunice to make another call for me. After explaining everything and requesting this simple piece of paper with five simple words on it to be mailed to me, they told her they cannot – I must come to the office to get it in person.

This is not only frustrating, but expensive (4Euros = $5.35; twice that if we both go, just for a silly piece of paper the doctor all but refused to give me when I was actually there!!). These are the moments I long for the simplicity of living in a small city in the U.S. where I own a car, speak the language fluently, and work for my insurance company!

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