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Santa Pola, Centro de Salud,time and place vaccination, language problems - Page 3

ronjohan

Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 7:00am

ronjohan

Original Poster

Posts: 237

38 helpful points

Location: Sax

Joined: 29 Jan 2019

Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 7:00am

Snowbound wrote on Wed Jan 13, 2021 11:25pm:

Get a translator, it may be expensive but not understanding medical advice or instructions can be life threatening. Imagine you were a UK General Practitioner faced with a spanish speaking patient, would you be expected to speak spanish. I think not

Yes, I agree with you. Under certain circumstances and for specific medical problems I would be eager to know what the medician has to  advice. In this specific situation i just need his cooperation.

Ron

Keith29

Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 8:03am

Posts: 30

12 helpful points

Location: Calp / Calpe

Joined: 30 Oct 2020

Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2021 8:03am

Kimmy11 wrote on Thu Jan 7, 2021 1:14pm:

Hi Ronald,

Details of Spain's Covid-19 vaccination programme are available on the government website:

https://www.vacunacovid.gob.es/?s=03

Regarding translators, although some medical centres do have English speaking doctors, State healthcare provision is not obliged to provide translators and they usually have a sign up at receptionsaying you need to take one to appointments.  I can recommend a Spanish to English translator, but as you'll have to pay for the service, perhaps it would make sense to find one who can translate from Spanish to your native language?

Kind regards,

Kim

Hiya

We just use our free translating app on our phone it is excellent but it makes you not want to learn Spanish does every language in the world not gust Spanish 

Thanks 

Keith

Boandtia

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2021 7:48am

Posts: 27

21 helpful points

Location: Torrevieja

Joined: 4 Oct 2019

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2021 7:48am

Kimmy11 wrote on Tue Jan 12, 2021 12:35pm:

Hi Ronald,

Do you have a smartphone?  If it's Android (rather than Apple), you will have Google pre-loaded with a search field on the home screen and if it has a microphone symbol in the field, you don't even have to type anything, you just say, "Hey Google, translate Spanish to English", or vice versa...

....  

I remember a (very rare!) occasion in a Spanish shop, when I spoke more Spanish than the shop owner spoke English, so he grabbed his phone, spoke Spanish into it, then showed me the translation on the screen.  It's proved invaluable on a number of occasions.

Kind regards,

Kim

I have used that and it works fine, however you will almost certainly find that even English speaking Doctors will require you to take an official / registered translator with you.  Look at it from their point of view, if they speak to you in English and make a mistake, the results could be catastrophic, leaving then open to being sued.  A Doctor actually told me that on one visit.  We are talking often technical medical things here not just normal conversational Spanish where the odd mistake is of no real consequence.   Surely a few Euro for a registered translator is good value when it comes to your health.  Frankly if you cannot afford it then I suggest you should not be living here. 

ronjohan

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2021 8:00am

ronjohan

Original Poster

Posts: 237

38 helpful points

Location: Sax

Joined: 29 Jan 2019

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2021 8:00am

Boandtia wrote on Sat Jan 16, 2021 7:48am:

I have used that and it works fine, however you will almost certainly find that even English speaking Doctors will require you to take an official / registered translator with you.  Look at it from their point of view, if they speak to you in English and make a mistake, the results could be ...

...catastrophic, leaving then open to being sued.  A Doctor actually told me that on one visit.  We are talking often technical medical things here not just normal conversational Spanish where the odd mistake is of no real consequence.   Surely a few Euro for a registered translator is good value when it comes to your health.  Frankly if you cannot afford it then I suggest you should not be living here. 

Hi Kim,You might be right about the importance of SOME medical matters.I did NOT ask suggestions  about staying or  leaving though... Regards, Ron

Kimmy11

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2021 11:23am

Kimmy11

Legendary helpful member

Posts: 6872

12569 helpful points

Joined: 8 Aug 2017

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2021 11:23am

ronjohan wrote on Sat Jan 16, 2021 8:00am:

Hi Kim,You might be right about the importance of SOME medical matters.I did NOT ask suggestions  about staying or  leaving though... Regards, Ron

Hi Ronald,

It was not me who made these comments, it was Boandtia.  If they'd read the entire thread, Boandtia would have seen that you and I have previously discussed options for a translator and that the suggestion of using a smartphone was for short notice and/or general advice, when you are unable to book a translator in time.  I absolutely agree with Boandtia, as I believe you do too, that specific medical matters are extremely important and not the time to use Google Translate; if they'd read the entire thread, they would have understood that they're "preaching to the converted"  ;o)

I hope you are well.

Best wishes,

Kim

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ronjohan

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2021 12:38pm

ronjohan

Original Poster

Posts: 237

38 helpful points

Location: Sax

Joined: 29 Jan 2019

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2021 12:38pm

Kimmy11 wrote on Sat Jan 16, 2021 11:23am:

Hi Ronald,

It was not me who made these comments, it was Boandtia.  If they'd read the entire thread, Boandtia would have seen that you and I have previously discussed options for a translator and that the suggestion of using a smartphone was for short notice and/or general advice, when you are unable ...

...to book a translator in time.  I absolutely agree with Boandtia, as I believe you do too, that specific medical matters are extremely important and not the time to use Google Translate; if they'd read the entire thread, they would have understood that they're "preaching to the converted"  ;o)

I hope you are well.

Best wishes,

Kim

Ok, yes I am well. Trying to accomodate to this country after 20 years living in the tropics...

Thanks for explaining the sequel of conversations!

L181SKY

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2021 1:21pm

L181SKY

Helpful member

Posts: 410

283 helpful points

Location: Santa Pola

Joined: 15 Mar 2020

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2021 1:21pm

ronjohan wrote on Sat Jan 16, 2021 8:00am:

Hi Kim,You might be right about the importance of SOME medical matters.I did NOT ask suggestions  about staying or  leaving though... Regards, Ron

   To quote Boandtia.       “  Frankly if you cannot afford it then I suggest you should not be living here.”.  

      OMG.    I CANNOT believe that someone would say such a thing to you.    SUCH A CHEEK.   I’m gobsmacked.   WHO do they think they are to tell anyone where they should live.     So. Bo and Tia  have no manners   ,Or they are translators lol.   

L181SKY

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2021 1:22pm

L181SKY

Helpful member

Posts: 410

283 helpful points

Location: Santa Pola

Joined: 15 Mar 2020

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2021 1:22pm

Boandtia wrote on Sat Jan 16, 2021 7:48am:

I have used that and it works fine, however you will almost certainly find that even English speaking Doctors will require you to take an official / registered translator with you.  Look at it from their point of view, if they speak to you in English and make a mistake, the results could be ...

...catastrophic, leaving then open to being sued.  A Doctor actually told me that on one visit.  We are talking often technical medical things here not just normal conversational Spanish where the odd mistake is of no real consequence.   Surely a few Euro for a registered translator is good value when it comes to your health.  Frankly if you cannot afford it then I suggest you should not be living here. 

Why do YOU need to be FRANK with anyone. Your comment was condescending and awful.  imho.    

Boandtia

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2021 6:32pm

Posts: 27

21 helpful points

Location: Torrevieja

Joined: 4 Oct 2019

Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2021 6:32pm

L181SKY wrote on Sat Jan 16, 2021 1:21pm:

   To quote Boandtia.       “  Frankly if you cannot afford it then I suggest you should not be living here.”.  

      OMG.    I CANNOT believe that someone would say such a thing to you.    SUCH A CHEEK.   I’m gobsmacked.   WHO do they think they are to tell anyone where they should live.     So. Bo and Tia  have no manners   ,Or ...

...they are translators lol.   

No  just stating facts 

L181SKY

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2021 12:35am

L181SKY

Helpful member

Posts: 410

283 helpful points

Location: Santa Pola

Joined: 15 Mar 2020

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2021 12:35am

Boandtia wrote on Sat Jan 16, 2021 6:32pm:

No  just stating facts 

That’s not stating facts at all.  It is throwing insults.  You are entitled to your opinion But Keep It To Yourself, if it is going to hurt someone !   

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