Still vacationing in India

We just visited the South Indian hill station, Kodaikanal. I always loved Kodi...the chill air and the wonderful aroma of Eucalyptus trees.

Take a look at the pictures I just uploaded. The mountains, lake, interesting bugs and insects we saw and the resort where we stayed.

Have to tell you that...two months in India and we have gotten completely spoiled with maids, cooks and drivers and even a guy to iron our clothes for us. In two weeks we leave for Canada, and I'm thinking...oh no, I will have to go back to doing all those things by ourselves.

I have been doing some shopping while we've been here......things like books, branded shoes and clothes are much cheaper in India, especially during the sales. The kids last winter, got bored staying in the house all day. When we went to pick up some board games from the stores in Canada, we found the prices to be almost double what we would have paid for the same games in India. So I've picked up board games for the coming winter too.

Other things that are much cheaper and easily available are medicines, eye check ups and getting glasses or contacts, dental and health check ups. So if you are in Canada and are planning on coming to India for your holidays, plan on getting health and dental check ups for the family here. Also, the health check ups in India cover a lot more tests (the package at Apollo hosptials for Ladies, called the Well woman check, costs Rs.2800/- and covers x-ray, dental, abdominal scan, blood tests to check cholesterol, blood type, etc, general physician check, gyno tests and urine and stools) than the Canadian ones. Also, the waiting times are less. All Doctors speak in English.

Yes, we will miss India a lot...but are now waiting to get back to our home in Canada. The kids will be starting fourth and seventh grade. Will keep you posted on that. My son is in the school band this year, and will be playing the snare drum. So we are all excited about the new school year and the new things that they will be learning.

Thanks to all of you who have been posting comments and wrote to me with questions. Makes my day!

Immunization shot

We got a letter from the Ontario health dept saying that our eleven year old son had to have one more immunization shot to be allowed to stay in school. In India kids get one MMR shot, but here they get two.

So one Saturday morning, I took him to the nearby Walk -in- Clinic. These are clinics that you literally walk in to, and after showing the receptionist your Health Card..she asks you to wait to see a Doctor depending on what your problem is.

These clinics are free if you have a health card.
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A resident of Ontario must have a health card to show that he or she is entitled to health care services paid for by OHIP. (Ontario Health Insurance Plan) The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care pays for a wide range of services, however, it does not pay for services that are not medically necessary, such as cosmetic surgery.

Most of your Ontario health benefits are covered across Canada.The province or territory you are visiting will usually bill the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care directly for hospital and physician services.

Eligibility

Ontario residents are eligible for provincially funded health coverage (OHIP). To be eligible for Ontario health coverage you must :

• be a Canadian citizen or have immigration status as set out in Ontario's Health Insurance Act, and
• make your permanent and principal home in Ontario, and
• be physically present in Ontario 153 days in any 12-month period.

OHIP coverage normally becomes effective three months after the date you establish residency in Ontario. The ministry strongly encourages new and returning residents to purchase private health insurance in case you become ill during the OHIP waiting period.

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We waited for half an hour before we were called. The waiting room was FULL of kids waiting to get flu and immunization shots.

They asked us to wait in room 5, (they had about seven or eight rooms). A nurse came in and double checked that we were there for the MMR shot. She filled the syringe and then we waited for the Doctor. He turned out to be a young Indian Doctor, who asked us routine questions like, if my son was feeling fine, if he had any allergies etc.

Then before we knew it, he had given the shot....and we left. A family with three children had come in without health cards and they were told that they would have to pay $50/- per child. This was the Doctors fees as the immunization shot was free. I guess they were new to Canada and had not received their cards yet. This takes about two to three months after you get here to come to you in the mail.

Kids from the Middle East end up taking about three immunization shots here. So depending on which country you are coming from, you will get a notice from the health dept as to what shots your kids have to take.

The Doctor filled in a form, we faxed the same to the health dept and they inform the school.

That was our first experience with the Walk in, and now we're waiting for the letter to come for our eight year old daughter. She has to take the same MMR shot too!