Few days ago,I had the extreme pleasure of meeting a 7 year old Kenyan girl whose dad had just started an ER residency in the US this July.
Our conversation was revealing of the sheer innocence of childhood and the irony of life for immigrant phycisians.
Hey Abi,how are you?
Am fine charles...i love your son,he's so handsome.
Be careful there though,you have loads of competition.
I know...he has more friends than i do...thats unfair!
So tell me Abi,how are you settling down to life in America?
Well,i haven't seen any kangaroos yet,all i see are deers in our backyard!
America has no kangaroos.
So i heard...that's why i miss Australia.I don't know why daddy left!
Sometimes people have to do what they have to do..
I know that.I even prefer Dublin and London although mom says I was too young when we left.
I see.I agree.We lived in Dublin too and it was such a lovely place.
I'm sure it still is,charles.
Sorry,pardon my inappropriate lexis.
That's OK.I know you guys grew up in Africa...it can be difficult...the language thing.
Abi!
I'm sorry,i didn't mean it that way.
Arite...so what would you like to do when you grow up?
Of course i would love to be a doctor!
Why would anyone wanna be a doc these days?
What other profession allows anyone to be born in Kenya,then live and work in Dublin,London,Australia and the USA all before they celebrate their 35th birthday?!
Unfortunately,Abi..that don't count as holiday trips because people struggle with all sorts of uncertainties before they settle down in a new country.
Well,one man's uncertainty is another man's adventure!
So do you ask your dad about Kenya?
Well,all I know is that daddy's so excited about Barrack Obama...
Don't you wish you'd see the safari someday?
Well daddy,lived there the first 26 years of his life and never saw the safari!!
You see..that's probably because he couldn't afford it then...African governments underpay phycisians y'know...
That's so unfair...don't they know that doctors save lives?
Abi,the world is not always fair....
That's a shame.
Well,we have to leave soon.Make sure dad takes you to Kenya to see the safari someday...I'm sure he can afford it these days!
Ok.
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I feel you,Jack.
At least one good thing about globalization is that world citizens can now shop around for a wide variety of things ranging from lead-poisoned kiddy toys from China to a brand new kidney from India!
I do hope that help for patients like you will motivate any lobbying in congress rather than pointless partisanship.
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