Your whole message seems a little surreal. From what I can see, you've been here in Argentina long enough to know how things go here.
I can empathize with your Spanish situation, to a degree, but many of us, even long term veterans, struggle with the language. When that happens, if you're already at your destination, you need to try, hard, to find another person who might be able to help you.
Some other things, in no particular order:
- You didn't even say where you went. I'm guessing you went to the UBA – Facultad de Odontologia – Hospital Odontológico, but you don't say.
- Did you read all the information on their website?
- It's a teaching hospital, and schools are in winter break. It's not surprising that they might not be attending full hours, or any hours, or with a full staff.
- On their site it says that they attend emergencies 24/7/365, and give several telephone numbers, PLUS WHATSAPP, which should make it easier for you to communicate in Spanish.
- How do you know that you need a root canal?
- If you do need a root canal, they will probably order estudios first.
- If they really are on winter break, they are probably short-staffed on the phones. Before asking someone to make a call for you (something I've never seen asked in these forums before), you should at least try calling yourself, if only to try to determine the hold times. But first, you should try communicating with them through whatsapp.
- If using Uber is really expensive for you, why don't you take the subway, or a bus?
I know this sounds critical, but if you don't get a bit more independent and resourceful, you're going to be miserable here. (I would make the call for you, but even after all these years, I'm absolutely terrible on the phone. I don't hear too well, and the phone makes it much worse.)
I'm sorry. I'm not sure what's surreal about it, but I do think I might have been having a panic attack while I wrote it. I've been getting a lot of harassment on Twitter for the last few weeks, and I think getting asked to come back next week again was sort of just the feather that broke the camel's back.
Sorry, I didn't realize there was more than one dental college. It's Facultad de Odontología. Hospital Odontología Universitario according to Google Maps, on Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear 2142, C1122 CABA.
I can't make much sense of their website, and not because it's in Spanish. I just don't know what I'm looking for or how to find it. I can't find anything about winter break or when it ends or if root canals will be available on a particular day.
I've already been through the emergency room, told it's a root canal, gotten an X-ray, and gotten an order to come back and get one. I didn't think that was relevant information, but I figured if it turned out it was, I could go over that with whoever DMed me, because I was expecting that was how this would go.
You're right about whatsapp. I'm still not used to that and didn't think about it. I'll try that instead. Thank you.
On the topic of why I don't call myself, though, it's because I keep getting this recorded message. I don't know what it is. It's the same voice and seems to be the same words every time, so I think it's from Claro. I couldn't find anyone to help me solve it, and after a bit, I gave up because I mostly don't need to make phone calls anyway.
I can't take the bus/metro for health related reasons. It's private, and I'm not going to explain.
And finally, yeah, I've been here something like six months. I do know how things go here. That's why this situation is so frustrating. I've done everything right as far as I know. I've followed their directions. Three times I've been there. The first time was my mistake. I wasn't able to get out the door fast enough, and arrived too late. They're the ones who told me to come back during winter break when no one was here. The security guard told me to come back this week because winter break would be over. You're right that I should have remembered whatsapp. That's on me. But other than that, I'm not sure what any of this has do with me not being independent or resourceful.
