So far the Beijing Olympics have been going pretty well for China, except for the part where an American was killed in a random act of violence.
On Friday afternoon I went to the UMass Memorial travel clinic with my mom, which was… interesting. Since I was just in China last year, I didn’t need to renew any of those shots (typhoid, hepatitis A, rabies, etc.) But since my tetanus, diptheria, and pertussis shot was almost expired, I had to get it again. My arm still hurts! Believe it or not, that wasn’t even the worst part. The doctor was definitely trying to scare me, and even said “After I’m done with you, you won’t even want to leave this office!” I was more just worried about my mom, who is already very nervous about me going to Vietnam especially.
There were two things in particular that freaked me out. First, the doctor said that dengue fever is a risk in Vietnam. People get it from mosquito bites, and there is no preventative vaccine, but it can be life threatening if not treated right away. To prevent getting the dengue, she recommended spraying all my clothes with insect repellant before I even leave for Vietnam. She told me to wear long linen pants and long-sleeve button down shirts, but I’m not going to do that. People are going to be taking pictures on this tour – I refuse to be the ding-dong American in safari gear! Secondly, the doctor told me that I have to wear “travel stockings” on the plane. She said since I have low blood pressure and I’m on the pill, I’m at a higher risk for blood clots (aaaah!) To prevent this, I’m supposed to get up and walk around every two hours, and wear those pressurized socks that old people wear. I told her, “I took a 13 hour flight last year and I didn’t have to wear any…. socks..” and she just said sharply, “Wear the socks!” Mmmmmmkay.
When we got home, my mom and I watched the Opening Ceremonies for the Olympic Games, which were amazing! China wanted to use the Olympics as their debut into the developed world, and they couldn’t have done a more perfect job. The ceremony combined ancient arts with modern dance – all in all it was very artistic (directed by the famous film director Zhang Yimou), perfectly executed with precision and grace, and showed China in a warm and welcoming light. I was talking to Emily B. about the Opening Ceremonies, and she just said “China is terrifying.” It’s true – I don’t think the United States could have pulled off such an impressive performance. I don’t know if any non-communist country could have.
