China Health Check

Andrew is currently a holder of a Chinese work visa and me, a multiple entry tourist visa. As part of the China via process, once Andrew and I arrived in China we both needed to apply for a Chinese resident permit. A requirement to apply for the Chinese resident permit is to complete a China health check. These are some of the questions/words that are asked on the health check form:

• Development
• Nourishment
• Neck
• Colour sense
• Abdomen

Individuals initially applying for a work visa, such as Andrew, are fortunate to complete the health in the U.S.A. Dependents, such as myself, do not have this opportunity. Today I went for my China health check. I heard horror stories and was warned by other Intel wives that it wasn't a pleasant experience. Per their advice, I wore yoga pants and brought these items only:

I met my assigned translator in the lobby of a hotel and took the elevator to the 8th floor. The "clinic" was very sterile, but looked clean. It was also cold since the government controls the heat in China and it will not be turned on until November 5. It was about 55 degrees inside. After checking in, providing my passport and having my photo taken by a digital camera, we paid for the health check and then I went to a room for an EKG. The EKG consisted of me laying on a cold metal table. I was asked to raise my shirt and bra. The technician/doctor then placed clamps on my wrists, ankles and chest. I looked like I was hooked up to jumper cables. She then checked my blood pressure. We were then off to another room where I had a chest x-ray taken. Off to another room for an ultrasound. I was again asked to lay on a cold silver table and raise my shirt. We then went upstairs to have my blood drawn. I sat on a stool and stuck my arm under a glass pane window. Thankfully it appeared the latex gloves the technician were wearing were new. Well, I assume they are new because they didn't have anyone else's blood on them, which I was told was normal. Finally, I had to provide a urine sample. I was provided a tiny plastic cup. The toilet provided was a squat toilet, which essentially is a hole in the ground, thankfully I brought my tissue, but there wasn't any provided. After providing the sample, I was told to pour the sample into a test tube. The area provided was two buckets where the cups and excess urine are dumped, not only my excess urine and cup, but everyone else's. Thankfully I had the tissues, hand sanitizer and wet wipes. Overall fairly painless and not nearly as horrific as what I imagined. The standards are a bit different, but than again we're not in Kansas anymore...