Man Man Zou

Due to spending too much time on the computer, my back’s been in pain for the past week. I decided to try out acupuncture yesterday, because it’s traditional practice in Taiwan and I wanted to see what it’s like.

Good old Taiwan. I love the fact that I suggested to my roommate that I should try acupuncture, and then just 10 minutes later, there I was in the doctor’s office, getting treated. No lineups, no appointments, and just 100NT ($4cdn) to see the doctor. And I pay 50NT for any additional appointments. Joy came along, because the doctor couldn’t speak English. Most doctors in Taiwan can speak English, but I guess since she’s just an acupuncturist, that it’s not a requirement for them.

The doctor felt my lower back, and guessed that I’ve had back pain before. Then she pressed in different areas on my upper chest (it kind of hurt, I guess the chest is one of the points for the lower back), and then took out a tiny circular thing, with a tiny little needle (maybe just a mm long?), and taped it onto my skin of my chest. Just to give you an idea…:

oh and yes, I have agitated ‘beauty marks’.

Anyway, it’s cool. She said to leave it on for 3 days, and then come back. So that’s what I’ll do.

I’ve seen these little nubby things taped onto areas of the face before too, for treatment I guess. Another foreigner in our Chinese class from last year was trying to quit smoking. He went to an acupuncturist and the doctor put a couple of those things just inside his ear. If he craved a cigarette, he was supposed to press on the nubby thing. I also knew a foreigner who went to an acupuncturist for weight loss as well.

Now whether any of this works or not, I don’t know. But I thoroughly enjoy the fact that it’s natural.

And Joy told the doctor that I want to try the needles. So tomorrow when I go back, she’ll try that.

Now that we’re on the subject of doctors and such, I just wanted to bring up the health care system in Taiwan. I honestly don’t know how it manages to work here. I pay 250NT ($10cdn) a month for health care. My employer pays the other half I think. Every time you go to the doctor, you have to pay 100NT ($4cdn), and I think follow-up visits are 50NT ($2cdn) or something like that. I pay only 10% taxes, or just 4% if I stay in the country longer than 180 days. I don’t know how such little money manages to cover health care for this country, as well as all the other public things our tax money goes towards. It’s pretty cool. Sometimes the quality isn’t as good, but it’s not great in Canada either. And I’ve heard the waiting time for important operations and things is not at all bad like it is in Canada. And the doctors offices are everywhere here. Same with dentists, you don’t even need to make an appointment, and dental is included in the medical insurance as well! I know foreigners who got their wizdom teeth removed for $4!

On another note, my mom called yesterday (hi mom!). That was nice, and I realized she also phoned on Saturday. It’s a bit surprising that she phoned twice in one week, considering sometimes we go weeks without phoning (for no reason in particular, we just don’t get around to it). So then I was thinking, aha! Mom’s worried about me being alone in Taiwan for these two weeks! Maybe she doesn’t even realize it, maybe it’s just in her subconscious, but I know it’s true. Thanks mom, and don’t worry, as long as I keep updating my photoblog, you’ll know I’m fine : )

And one more thing. There sure are a lot of new things happening in my family and friend’s lives. In just the last month, Keri had a big baby boy, my sister got married and bought a house, my brother bought a house and is also planning on getting married, and Mark’s sister got married. And Sarah got into Nursing at BCIT. Congratulations to everyone! I think that’s all…