Yeah, many students gets sent out to study abroad by themselves for highschool (or even as early as grade 8 and 9).
These students are usually sent through agencies that will take the role of their guardians.
It's quite common here, since the parents usually have careers in China that they cannot leave, but wants to send their kids out for a chance at a better future.
Some students actually thrive like this, becoming independent and liking the freedom. While others take freedom a bit too far and just go wild cuz there's nobody to closely restrain them

On the doctor note. I've been using the health services from my university, which lets you book appointments with doctors from the university hospital based on your needs. It works pretty well, the only issue is the long wait times.
Before, most clinics also offer walk-in appointments, that went down since the pandemic though D:

As a parent, that sounds scary. Being so far away from your children of young age.
Actually most parents here would think twice (or thrice) before their 16yo children live in another city so they can study in the vocational school of their choice. And I'm talking about another city in the same region, where they can return home every weekend.
A whole different continent? WOW.



It's interesting how health services work so differently around the world.

I think it's a cultural thing, really. In China immigration and studying abroad are super everyday, common things. Really, the parents have no choice sometimes because of the overpopulation and cutthroat education system.
Before Covid, these students usually return to China 2-3 times a year (summer vacation, winter vacation, spring break), so it's still bearable. Since Covid, many have been suffering more because they're going full years without seeing their family in person :(

How does the family doctor system work where you are, Amura? :0

LOL I can relate so hard to "menstruating zombie". What a bum deal that women have to deal with that >:U

Ohh a whole book on menstruation? That sounds interesting. What kinds of stuff does the book talk about? I feel like I know a reasonable amount about the process, but certainly not enough to write a whole book, so I much be ignorant to a lot LOL

@Natsu:
Well, here we have a free health care system. Which means everybody pays for it with their taxes - so the more you earn the more you pay - but you are covered for everything you need (but dental care which for some reason has traditionally stayed out of it).
When you move to a new place, you go to the medical center and ask them to assign you a family doctor - whoever has less patients at that time. You can't choose, but on the other hand there are no doctors with too many patients and other with too little.


@Hana:
Yeah, it's quite interesting. I suppose I should say it's not about menstruation but about the whole menstrual cycle.
It explains how it works, all the hormones and everything involved in each phase. So for example why it makes sense that we feel different in each stage.
But that some things that we take as "normal" (such as pain or PMS) simply are not. Just as any other pain: it's the way the body explains that something is not working well, and what you should have checked.
For example the last chapter was about what means not having a period, and it used as an example the case of Bobby Clay: https://athleticsweekly.com/performance ... are-70422/

Amura wrote:@Natsu:
Well, here we have a free health care system. Which means everybody pays for it with their taxes - so the more you earn the more you pay - but you are covered for everything you need (but dental care which for some reason has traditionally stayed out of it).
When you move to a new place, you go to the medical center and ask them to assign you a family doctor - whoever has less patients at that time. You can't choose, but on the other hand there are no doctors with too many patients and other with too little.

Oh wow, that is pretty much exactly how it is where I am too :D
The issue right now is that there's a shortage of family doctors, so you're put on waitlists. My mom found our current doctor through the assignment system years ago.

Also, it sucks that dental isn't covered QAQ my teeth are so cavity prone (I'm getting deja vu I think we had a dental conversation before LOL)
Not to forget mental health too, that's also not really covered here. Though fortunately most schools and universities include very very good coverages in their health insurance package that comes with tuition, so that's a saving grace!

Yeah, sure we did. Because Moi was suffering from her dental issues :|

I am cavity prone too; I inherited it from my father, my son inherited from me.
You have to pay fillings out of your pocket.
Public health care does include dental extraction and any surgery, but I can't help feeling that they are neglecting the preventive side.

Same with mental health.
They only assign you a psychologist for a few certain issues, everything else you need to figure out on your own.
But they have psychiatrists for those cases which require it.

Amura wrote: I can't help feeling that they are neglecting the preventive side.

This! Exactly this!
Here, even check ups and cleanings aren't covered. So if you don't have insurance, it's stressful to think about taking care of your teeth D: and the idea of going to the dentist is stressful enough already....

I hope your son keeps having good dentists and good dental experiences!! The worst is being cavity-prone AND extremely scared of dentists >_<

I remember the first time I took him to a dentist, he was little more than 1 year old.
I had scheduled a cheack up and cleaning (I try to do one every year, but I often forget and end up waiting two years) and brought him with me. Asked the dentist to check him too, but he did not want to open his mouth and took quite a bit of convincing xD

Anyway I think visiting the dentist from so young, only to be checked up, made him fearless.
And when he needed fillings (four cavities at the age of 3!) he was not scared, just a little nervous.

That sounds like a really good way to do it.
I had some really traumatic dental experiences as a kid, and now I have to talk myself down from panicking each time I go to the dentist

Btw does your dentists do numbing gels for kids when filling cavities? Like to lessen the discomfort and pain?