On disinfectant
There have been many things to adapt to for me since moving from France to Australia, and this is the beginning of an attempt to explain.
Some things are strange when you live in a different country than your own. Like what people use to disinfect wounds. Or what they don’t use. And how they look at you when you ask for what they don’t use (but what is traditionally used in France).
Take the first time I asked for 70% alcohol in a pharmacy: I was looked at with a mixture of bewilderment and suspicion. It turns out 70% (or 90%) alcohol cannot be gotten here.
I felt like saying ‘What lady, do you think I’m going to drink it?’, but I thought she might take this as an admission of guilt so I decided to keep my mouth shut*.
Except now, I have a contact: a French chemist who relates because she’s been given the same response (and look). We didn’t just bond over our nationality, but also our love for disinfecting wounds with virtually pure alcohol. And since she’s connected and she can get the stuff, she gave me a small bottle of it. Yay!!
I am almost looking forward to having a wound to disinfect… Take that Dettol.
*I really don’t drink it. I use it as a disinfectant.
oh my! i have been having this same issue the last 1 1/2 years.. I moved from the States to Norway.. and cannot find Rubbing Alcohol or Peroxide!
Congrats of getting your hands on some, I am jealous!
aha, je vois que tu t’es fait un petit réseau! Trafficante, va!!! bisous
Fonda: I hope you manage to find some – it’s amazing how happy it makes me feel to see that little bottle in my bathroom now :)
Sophie: ha ha, et en plus comme j’ai l’air au-dessus de tout soupçon il est bien protégé mon réseau.
‘Papy ne soyez pas sadique, attendez au moins que ce pauvre garçon ait bu un peu d’alcool!!
Mais c’est une femmelette!! En 14 j’ai opéré l’oeil d’un roumain avec une grosse cuillère, et bien le gus était ravi!!’.
ah ce papy! C’est cultissime aussi!
I should have called you 2 nights ago when Steve cute his toe quite badly on a sharp metal thing – I had to make a midnight run to a service station for Dettol! Actually, you might not appreciate emergency phonecalls at midnight so it’s a good thing I didn’t :)
You should totally have called me Jess! I think I was still awake, and I will always have your back and fix you up with some alcohol now that I have a stash :)
Is Steve’s foot better?
It still looks very sore, but slowly starting to heal. I think he should’ve had stitches but boys always play tough! Hopefully it will be okay. Silly Steve.