Portugal is a country with a very big paper industry, which influences the country in many facets of the day to day life. Except for the changes in its biodiversity of the forest, where the fast growing eucalypthus smothers the natural vegetation, it's reach goes as far as having a major influence on politics and economy. The "paper farmers" are rich aristocrats, who feel the depression as any common man would do, because of the low density of roads in Portugal that stretch their sales' reach.
The entire country has to boost this industry by using as much paper as possible, and preferably not recycling it. Portugal had it's first recycling adds on television around october 2005, when sorting containers were posted at various street corners. The ending message of the add was "if you make a mistake, that's no problem..." Students have to write exams on special exam papers they have to buy in packages of five, where one to two pages is enough for an exam. It is much more common to use napkins here, even when consuming beverages, than in any other country I have visited.
I think one can truly say that the Portuguese people tries to help it's industry in any way possible to get out of the European depression.
On a totally different matter, today I wanted to have my gastroscopy done, so I went to my appointment with a nice smile said "Bom dia, tenho uma endoscopia marcada". The answer to this, was the request to show my "cartão de utente".
I don't have that card, I am a belgian student here for only one year...
Ah, than I cannot let you have that exam today...
What? why not?
interval of 40 minutes
Because the insurance will not pay...
Doesn't matter, I'll pay then...
That won't work either, your appointed time already passed... If you arrange that paper, you have my word that I will arrange you the soonest spot, but we're already talking about end of the month.
Went to two different hospitals that day, still without eating. Both didn't want to treat me. The first one didn't because it was no urgent treatment. They send me to the second one, where they wouldn't treat me because my prescription was for a certain health insurance company they didn't work with. I said, ok, I'll pay it myself, but please let me have the exam. Ah no, she said, can't have that because I need a prescription for that. But I have one, I say, this paper here you just gave me back. Replies she, but that is for another insurance, it doesn't work...
Well, if I didn't have an ulcer, I surely have one now...
Finally gave up of having an exam done today and ate the sandwiches I prepared (It is about 13:45 now). I went to the Centro de Saude to get that cartão de utente made, I don't know how exactly everything happened, but I got outside with a paper and an appointment for next tuesday, a week from now. And I would have to pay only 6.5 euros for it ! Amazing, knowing that I paid 8.5 euros in the second hospital just to hear that they wouldn't treat me...
But, on something completely different, look at these wonderfull pictures Mafalda took of Cláudia and me at Centro Cultural de Belem on Sunday 30 April...
Isn't she a beauty ? (That's not a retorical question, "She is" is the answer!)
Big kisses to her and a big hug to everybody else!
Madrid, February 2006
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