Steadily but very slowly, I'm becoming more Saskatchewanese.
There are a number of steps to take and things to do when moving from one place to another, or from one province to another. I haven't moved my residence across any international borders yet, but I know there a few more housekeeping issues that need to be handled when making that leap.
I didn't need any papers showing that I could work in Saskatchewan. One of the first things I did as part of my transition to this province was to acquire a new driver's licence.
My latest acquisition was a library card. I've been to the library on a number of occasions to cover something or snap a photo. I've been to the leisure centre, Lignite Miners Centre and Spectra Place-all of which share a building with the library-many times, but had never gotten around to picking up a library card. I guess I finally ran out of books in the house and needed a cheap outlet.
I still haven't made an attempt at getting a local health card. You'd think one would be more important than the other, but I'm a reasonably healthy person. My job doesn't leave me particularly susceptible to injury. I'm not going to fire a nail into my hand, something my brother did this summer.
Maybe I'll get a health card before Christmas, but probably not. I admit it. I am a procrastinator. I have a perfectly good Ontario health card that's as old as I am. I'm comfortable with it. It may not get me prime service here, but it sounds like there are a lot of people having trouble getting medical attention in Estevan.
While I was in and out of the library many times over my first nine months here, I have only driven past the hospital a handful of times. It's out of sight and out of my mind. There's such a problem with people here getting in to see a doctor and filling the emergency room that it's probably best I don't hold the lines up any more than they already are by applying for a health card.
Estevan doesn't need another person clogging up the medical works any further. I am also in the same boat as a lot of other people here without a personal doctor. That's not a big change for me. The last time I got in with a new doctor back home, he left after a couple of months and I never met him. I couldn't have pointed him out on the street. I've been without a doctor since.
My sister is studying holistic nutrition, so I'll just use her as my doctor and e-mail any questions I might have. She can be, as my uncle might say, my witch doctor, and she doesn't require a health card.
