Insight #2: Remember to wear your good underwear.

I had my first doctor's appointment this week. (Mom if you're reading this, I'm fine...and no, I didn't get knocked up.) I just went to get my annual girl check up. You know, the annual pee in a cup, step on the scale, let's check your blood pressure, scoot down further, this is going to be a little cold, wow that's a lot of lube day.

Well the doctors do things a little bit different here. There was no peeing in a cup or stepping on a scale. There wasn't a nice wax paper covered bed or a flowered hospital gown to put on. I was just asked to come in and sit on this dentist looking chair without the bottom leg rest part. All I was thinking was, "Ok, how is this going to work?"

As I sat in the chair, the nurse took my blood pressure and the doctor began to ask me the normal questions.

The doctor: Why are you here? Do you have any health problems?

Me: No, I don't have any health problems. I am just here for my annual lube day.

The doctor: (Blinked a couple of times and stared at the clipboard.)

Me: I was just joking. I need the annual Pap and some pills.

The doctor: Oh ok...then go ahead and take off your clothes.

Me: Ok. Right now?

The doctor: Yes.

Me: Ummmm...now? (I stood up and was still waiting for the doctor and nurse to leave the room so I could change, put on the hospital gown and cover up with a sheet. They weren't budging.)

The doctor: Yes, you can take off your pants off first. Then your shirt.

Me: Well you could at least take me to dinner first.

The doctor: You are hungry?

Me: No. I was joking. Ok, I'll take my clothes off now.

So there I was...exposed. No hospital gown. No little blanket. Not even a comforting sheet or a piece of wax paper. It was just me, the doctor, the nurse and the lube. They were professional and respectful. I just felt weird being balls out in front of them. But had to remember where I was and that was normal for them.

I sat back down on the chair and waited for the doctor to pull up a stool too. I heard a soft buzzing noise and realized my weird dentist chair was being raised up. The doctor still didn't have a stool. My chair kept going higher and higher until my nana was at eye level with the doctor. So not only was I butt naked but I was also six feet in the air. All I could do was laugh.

I left the doctor's office still laughing and thinking, "Whoa, that's one I have to write about." I can honestly say that was my first experience of culture shock. I know Europe is more liberal but I didn't see that one coming. Later I started to wonder if I was modest or if I was just American.