Jennifer Perkins is an eighteen-year-old girl from St. Paul, Minnesota. She is a very good senior in her high school and an excellent athlete who plays multiple sports, such as softball and cheerleading. Among all these very competitive sports, the one that she masters the best is gymnastics. She had won two gold and two silver medals in state gymnastic competitions in the past years. Being such a high-flyer in gymnastics, her parents and coach wish her to compete at the state level and, eventually, the Olympics. To reach the goal, her coach signed up for the international young gymnasts training camp for Jenny (short for Jennifer). After submitting her profile and interview with some officials, Jenny is selected for the training camp this summer held in Potsdam, DDR.

Jennifer is so excited about this gymnastics camp not only because of the honor and qualification it gives but the rare chance to see how people live on the other side of the Iron Curtain. Upon arrival in East Berlin, she and the other nine girls from the Western World are warmly welcomed by the receptionists and one of the instructors who come to pick them up from the airport. On the bus to the training camp, Jennifer and other athletes are informed that some athletes will not start the training at first. Instead, they will go to the clinic on campus, where they will receive a medical assessment if they have not submitted their medical record or if their records are "incomplete". Jennifer’s name is called by the instructor. Although there are rumors that the exams are going to be rather “comprehensive”, Jennifer does not give it too much attention since she has been subjected to multiple health assessments in her past 18 years. After all, how bad can physical exams be?

After two hours of driving, they finally arrived at their destination: the Olympic sports training center of the DDR. The instructor tells them that this place used to be the estate of a Baron back in the German Empire, hence why the five-story luxurious baroque castle, which is now turned into an athlete dormitory. Several modern sports complexes, including a volleyball stadium, gymnastics/track complex, and a swimming pool, are located within a 1-kilometer radius of the castle.

Unlike other girls on the bus, Jennifer is being led to a three-story brick building behind the castle, where the campus clinic is. She is told by the nurse (who speaks good English) that her assessment will take about two days, a little longer than expected since her medical record has not been updated for two years. During this time, she needs to stay at one of the wards.

In the waiting area, she is told to fill out a basic information form containing information like injuries, drugs, and alcohol usage. Apart from these questions, other unordinary questions are also asked: at what age did her first period come, when did her breasts start to develop, any pregnancies or abortion, and whether she is sexually active.

These questions make Jennifer frown and blush a little. She doesn't consider herself as a very conservative girl. In fact, she has been dating a boy since sophomore year and already had sex several times before. But questions like these are still embarrassing for her.

“Why would anyone want to know it for sports physical," she whispers, “I have only seen such questions on my mom's……” Suddenly, an ominous feeling strikes her, giving chill down her spine.

“My god, it cannot be like this. John (her coach) didn't tell it is going to be like this. No way I am going to be forced through the ‘grown-up’ physical”.

Jennifer has heard about what these kind of sports exams are like from some older girls in the team. That means no bra and panties under the gown because the doctor would like to have a better evaluation on athletic development as young athletes. Gyno exam is a sure thing. Naked, or if you are lucky, semi-naked agility tests are also part of the exam.

To add to Jennifer's fear, the series of exam, told by her teammates, are standard for US team, not East Germany team. “God knows how extensive the exams are going to be in evil ‘commie country’”, she thinks to herself.

“Jennifer Perkins from the United States?", her terrifing thoughts are interrupted by a very high-pitch female voice, “the doctor is ready to see you”.

Here it comes!