Médicine du travail

Gotta love the French employment system… most jobs require that you meet with a médicine du travail, or work Doctor before starting new employment. I was a bit surprised that this was a requirement as I was hired to work in a kitchen for personnel and not patients, but a hospital it is and as such the rendezvous with the médicin was not only extensive but invasive! I should mention that my dad, who also started new employment around the same time as a guardian of an apartment complex, also had to undergo an appointment guaranteeing he was fit to work by a médicine du travail as well.

At my appointment I was coolly greeted by the médicine du travail, who did not speak a word of English, or if she did she was neither obliging nor courteous. So, I proceeded to answer a variety of work related and personal questions in my best French as she glanced down at me in annoyance over the rim of her glasses. Feeling very frustrated by the process, but also grateful as many of the medical terms used were very close to their English counterparts, I think I was able to accurately answer most, err… okay maybe a handful of questions, the rest I responded with oui ou non, hoping I was giving the right answer… yikes that can’t be good right?

Well, I am sure I did fine, until I was asked one personal (not work related) question, where I answered non, and she stopped, smirked and responded ‘non’. To which I became even more confused than my constant state of confusion, and repeated back what I understood the question to be, only to realize that I had reversed the context of the question and as such incorrectly answered it. So after changing my answer (which was the actual correct answer), the Doctor was a bit happier and a tad more pleasant and proceeded to continue asking about allergies, medications, family history, why I moved to France, what I went to school for…. and other relevant and non relevant interrogative style questions.

I should mention that to start off this whole process I was asked for my carnet de vaccination (vaccination card), which naturally I do not travel with (I don’t even know where it is). Well this was a bad way to start off the appointment and when I responded that I did not have one and that all of my vaccines were received in Canada, the médicine du travail, appeared offended and irritated that at the age of 33 I would travel without it. Now I don’t think it takes a Doctor to figure out that like France, Canada is also a 1^st world country, and as per WHO guidelines certain vaccinations are required for all citizens. So I was now faced with getting re-vaccinated or producing proof of vaccinations at my second appointment…. Yes that’s right, in order to work in a kitchen I had to undergo, not one, not two, but three medical appointments….

Following the barrage of questions, I was weighed, poked and prodded and made to touch my toes all while stripped down to my bra and underwear… really is this job even worth it? Then…  I gave a blood and urine sample, took a TB skin test and had my vision tested. Then I was sent across campus for a pulmonary x-ray, and finally I was sent home with a small plastic jar for another bodily sample to be returned my first day of work… really, I ask again; is this job even worth it?

So after tracking down my vaccination card… thanks Mom, and bringing it to my second appointment, (hee hee it’s all in English, which the witch, oops work doctor was annoyed with); I ended up having to get most of my previous vaccinations all over again. So what were initially two appointments now turned into three, with the third scheduled the following month for my second set of vaccinations.

All of this for a one month contract!! Good thing it was extended for an additional month until the end of March for a total of two months. And thankfully, it has been extended once more until the end of April. I can now say, that the experience with the médicine du travail, while somewhat excessive, was worth it, and I hope I never have to do it again!

Le Boulot

So I am officially French-fried and in addition to my French citizenship, bank account, address and pending health card, I am now employed!! Let me start by saying a grand merci to mes cousins Nathalie & Dominique! It initially began with a one month contract covering a vacation leave and has since been extended for an additional month… So what is this new job……?

At the end of January as I was awaiting news of whether I would be accepted into a free, intensive, full time, 3 month long French language course; I was offered a short contract at a psychiatric hospital working in the staff kitchen, by my cousin Dominique who is the chef there.  Not knowing if I would be accepted into the French program as it required very specific reference requirements, I opted to take on this new opportunity and experience. In hindsight this was a good choice, as a few weeks after the course start date (and 2 weeks into the new job) I finally received notice that I was not accepted into the program. I would say c’est dommage to this, however, the work medical required for employment was an experience in itself and not about to be put to waste… (but more on that event in another blog).

Aside from the French program and the work medical, this new job finally meant that I could get my Carte Vitale and enjoy the world renowned benefits of the French health care system; without having to declare my global income from the last 2 years, while paying a percentage of the difference on any earnings over €9000.

So… the job… or boulot (as referred to in French slang or argot)….

Well as humbling as it is, as mentioned, I am working in the staff kitchen at Vinatier, a psychiatric hospital. I hesitate to call it a hospital as it does not compare to a standard Canadian hospital. Rather it is a very large and intricate campus divided into 5 zones, with 2 small zoos with goats and sheep, a cathedral, onsite laundry, uniforming, ambulance service, and a locked facility for psychiatric offenders to name a few of the services. Vinatier employs over 2000 people and as such there is a definite need for a staff kitchen, aka SELF, as it is organized in a self serve fashion offering well made meals and an abundance of choices. In many ways it reminds me of Maryvale (one of my former jobs), as it is multi-disciplinary and community focused. Each day as I look out the cottage style windows toward one of the many entrances it is as if I am looking at the College St. entrance of Maryvale, and as I watch the various delivery and maintenance vehicles come and go, for a split second the surrounding landscape is transformed into the quaint parking lot off College St., with McIsaac and the shop, and it is as if I am enjoying my daily lunch staring out the windows of the Convent.

While I am not working in same capacity as I was at Maryvale and I do not interact with or assist the clients and patients, this new experience is rewarding in a new and distinctive way… I have joked to a few close friends and family that it is humbling as I wear a hairnet, but the truth is that it is an experience I would not otherwise encounter; a job I would likely not seek nor accept, and not because of its nature but by experience, however, my actual employable skills do not exist to the same degree here, and as such I must make concessions and compromises and broaden my horizons so to speak.

And so, this new job, where I prep, clean, sort and shelve, has provided the perfect backdrop of realization and appreciation of the countless sacrifices, compromises and concessions made by my grandparents and many others who in seeking a ‘better life’ (or in my case a ‘richer experience’), accepted and endured opportunities of humble gratitude.

Le temps

While this current post has been pending for a few weeks due to intentions of adding new thoughts and memories, I have decided to post it as is, in hopes of renewed motivation to expand and reflect on this very real concept and experience of time... So here is the previous blog which should have been posted several weeks ago...

Time, weather, moments, phases... can all use the french term temps; which is of course dependent upon the context, content and speaker. While it has only been two weeks since my last post, it feels like months, and the concept of time is surprisingly and continually illuding. On the surface it feels as if time is passing in perfect rhythm and cadence with... time; but upon further contemplation I often find myself taken aback by the how much time has yet to pass.... I often find myself reflecting on accomplishments and unrealized ambition and I am always reminded of the reality of how little time has actually gone by. Perhaps it is because experience and opportunity should not be measured by time, or because time is merely a mental and social construct designed to measure success, but I am happy that for a change I am actually surprised at the infinite amount of time that is available.


So, on a lighter note these next few posts will be a summary of my last two weeks, including a new job, work medical, the french health care system, Perouges...

And here's to the intention that the next few posts will be a summary of the past month and that I will be motivated and inspired to continue to blog and share and explore the journey!