Friday, July 8, 2011

"No respect for bicycles?"

"No respect for bicycles?" 

Part 1, 7:50 am. 

I had two things to do this morning, so I got early up. I needed to do some bloodwork and I had to transfer money trough Western Union, damn, I was quit nervous, I hoped everything will go well. First off to the hospital, I knew where to go but I was sure there was a shorter way to get there, I took the safe way so I was sure that I would arrive. It was quit a ride, it took me almost 30 minutes to get there. When I got at the hospital things has changed alot, I was searching for the polyclinic for the bloodwork. I went to the old entrance but a note told me to take the new entrance. But wich new one? There was no sign, nothing! I decided to ask someone, always a good option. A lady told me to go to the left cause there was the new entrance, okay.

Arriving there I saw a the new entrance and it looked very nice, I got in and I saw a huge line up at the info desk where I had to go. I decided to have a quick look around in the entrance hall for other signs. I saw right away where I had to go for the bloodwork, but first I wanted to ask if I need a card for proof for the bloodwork. It was my turn in the line up and a lady helped me out and after I asked her what I wanted she asked me for my information, what my adress is and my phone number, aswell what doctor and dentist I have, etc,etc. I though she's gonna give me the card I asked for after telling her my information, but she didn't. She gave me a piece of paper with all stickers on it, with every bloodwork visit I needed to put one sticker on the bloodwork sheet. 

 Off I went to the needles section, I needed to go to section 11a in the green zone. I followed the signs and saw a sign saying 'Section 4/11,' meaning section 4 till 11, I was on the right way. It was actually not so hard to find. I handed in the paper when I arrived at 11a and another lady told me to go there at the corner and then left and then left again, that was easy. The waiting room was packed and I sat down and waited till they will call my name. There were enough nurses who did the bloodwork so it went fast, I waited 20 minutes until it was my turn. The nurse asked me my when I was born and grabbed the needle, I answered her question and she said, "Here it comes." She put the needle softly in my left arm, nice of her to warn me of the needle. I looked up when she putted the needle in my arm. Just a little ouch and that was it.

It reminded me when I was young that I absolutely hated needles, since I got older I'm fine with it. I won't say it's fun! But I'm not scared anymore like I used to was, lol. It was time to go, go to a gas station near the hospital where I heard from a resident that  they have a Western Union section there . Across the hospital there is a huge mall and I decided to go there first, so I could prolly see the gas station, cause I hadn't had a clue where to find that gas station. The resident told me it's near the hospital in the same street. Just before the hospital, I couldn't miss it. Right, well, it was a disaster to get off the parking lot from the hospital and to cross the highway and then to get to the mall. There was one bike lane and it ended dead! Although there was a bridge but that was for pedestrians, sigh!

After biking from left to right and up and down I got across the highway.... On a safe way, I almost decided to cross the street where the cars drove (Absolutley not done!) I found a little tunnel ten minutes from the hospital. At the mall I parked at a store so I could look for the gas station, I saw it after five minutes, I saw aswell the sign of Western Union. But how to get there with a bike? The same way back trough the tunnel? Yeah, and then? I was kinda lost but tried it anyway. It's much easier to get to a gas station with a car then with a bike it seemed. After a few curses I almost arrived at the station, I saw a little path behind a car dealer who was the neighbor of the gas station. Do they have no respect for bicycles, lol! Anyway, I found it, and I almost gave up 10 minutes before I found it.

A Turkish guy was standing at the desk and I thought to myself, "Oh no, I hope he can help me." Sometimes these Turkish people don't seem to understand what you want, or they don't want to understand what you want. I told him what I wanted and he had bad news, he told me that I could transfer money only after 2pm, WOOT!! I looked at him for five seconds trying to find a solution but, there was none. 2pm is 2pm. "I will be back then," I told him. Damn, all that driving and cursing for nothing, lol. On my way back though I found a shorter cut to Humanitas, yay!

Part 2, 2 pm

Hi ho, hi ho, here I go! (again) I jumped on my bike again heading towards the hospital/gas station, the weather was getting grey but it was still dry. There was a strong wind though and the wind was not in my back. This time I took the short cut, hehe, and this time the gas station was easy to find. The Turkish guy regonized me right away, he was busy though with other customers aswell. When he helped me out other customers kept comming. I told him to take his time, cause I wanted this transfer to be perfect. The transfer sure took a while, after he scanned my passport it was all done. Pffeewww, mission accomplished! Now hoping the transfer is going well. Only two things to do, and it took me almost a whole day. But okay, next time it will go better and faster. It's been a while since I used Western Union and I had to find my way first at the hospital. 


Another resident is leaving this week, this guy came a month after me. He was sure suprised when he got the news that he had a house, he's happy with it. I think it will be my time soon aswell, you never know it here. Guess who's comming back? Johannus's ex-girlfriend! Johannus came here with his girlfriend and there two kids as a family, then after four months they got seperated. The girl left Humanitas and Johannus stayed with the two kids at Humanitas, after one and a half month Johannus found a house and left with the two kids. And now his ex can come back to Humanitas, I already talked to her this morning with the coffee break. Humanitas. Never ever a boring moment at Humanitas, there's always something going on. It's almost like a soap serie here. 

Sometimes I like it and sometimes I dislike it, it's sure teaches you how life can be, in a good way and a wrong way.