Je Suis Diabétique

For as long as I can remember, it has been my dream to set foot on French soil. When I think of France I think of chic shop windows, narrow streets, grassy parks with couples sitting on blankets, eating baguettes, and of course, pastries.

I eagerly look forward to the end of my study abroad semester when I get to spend three days under the Eiffel Tower, but in the mean time I had the privilege to experience another part of France. My school group went to Normandy and visited the Beaches that were stormed on D-day as well as the American Cemetery. It was a humbling, reflective, and truly inspirational experience.

We also went to Mont Saint-Michel, the beautiful monastery and village built on a small island that may look familiar to fans of Disney’s Tangled.

We stayed in a cute little town called Bayeux. The town is situated in between the beaches of Normandy and Mont Saint-Michel, not particularly close to either one. I say this to set up the situation: we were in the middle of France, away from tourists, where everyone spoke French...and knew limited English.

(pictured above is not Bayeux, but another town we visited)

Most anywhere you go, especially if it’s in a tourist area, there will be people who do understand English; however, when you go somewhere new it is important to learn a few key phrases to help with communication. For example: where is the bathroom? I would like to order. How much is the bill? Where is the train station? Hello. Goodbye. Please. Thank you.

This weekend I learned that it is important to learn some key “diabetic” phrases as well. Here's the story: I brought a sufficient amount of glucose with me on the trip but I pulled a classic "Rachel move" and lost an entire 50 tablet container. Without the extra glucose I felt uncomfortable getting on the bus and riding all the way to Normandy to explore the beaches. When I realized I didn’t have my extra glucose that morning, I knew I needed to get more before we left.

The group was to meet at a Patisserie to eat breakfast. On my way I stopped in a small pharmacy to find glucose tablets. I knew that in different countries glucose tabs can look different, so before I left the hotel room I studied up on my french so I could ask the clerks for help.

Me -Bonjour! (hello)

Pharmacist- Bonjour

- Avez-vous sucre pour diabétiques? (do you have sugar for diabetics?)

The pharmacist nodded and went to the back, returning with a brown container. It didn’t look like what I buy in America or London, and I was slightly confused by why it was so different. So I bought two... Once I got to the Patisserie I discovered I did not buy glucose at all. I actually had no idea what I bought. I decided to improvise just in case I wasn’t able to get the right kind of sugar, so I gathered sugar packs from the table and put them in my bag. Always thinking. (I was not completely out of glucose tabs, I had just lost my back up. Always have backup.)

Luckily there was another, bigger pharmacy on the way to the bus. I went in there and said my little french phrase: Avez-vous sucre pour diabétiques? This time I clarified, using basic english and hand signals, that I needed sugar to RAISE my blood sugar. The woman smiled and brought me a package that looked like just what I needed.

Instead of glucose tabs they sell tubes of liquid sugar. It doesn’t taste quite as good, but it does its job.

This seems to be an incredibly long post, and I apologize if I bored you, but I want to share with you what I learned: when going to a new country where they do not speak your language, learn key phrases that you might need as a diabetic in case of emergencies. For example: Do you have sugar? I am a type 1 diabetic. I need a doctor. (hopefully the last one will never be used)

To provide another anecdote: when I was in Belgium with a small group of friends I had a pretty severe low. We were sitting at a table outside in a mostly dutch/french speaking community. My friends were great in that time of need. They were so helpful and made me feel cared for and safe. They knew what to do. But as I worked to raise by blood sugar I wondered how they would communicate the issue to locals if I passed out. One girl in my group knew some french, but having a language barrier in a potential emergency added a lot of stress.

Don’t allow a language barrier to add stress to an already stressful situation. When you are in need it will benefit you greatly to be able to quickly express your situation to pharmacists, doctors, and locals. Excuse my french but, apprends ton français!!

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The picture of the pharmacy was taken by NEN Galleries.