Bucket Baths and Lots of Laughs

Writing blogs takes so much more energy than I had originally thought. Not to say that I’m going to stop writing them, of course, just to say that recounting all the major events that have occurred since my last post is quite tiring to say the least. There is so much that I would love to share with all of you, but at the same time, it’s entirely impossible for you to understand completely what I have been going through these past few weeks. But let me try. :)

So, I have officially gotten sick. :( Two days ago I woke up with a headache feeling pretty nauseous and tired. Before I left for school, I vomited. Afterward I felt much better, so… hating the idea of missing school and thinking that it was just a onetime sickly feeling in the morning, I grabbed my bag and started the hour walk to school. (I REALLY didn’t want to miss that day because we were taking a field trip to meet with one of the top guys of the World Bank and I wanted to drill him with uncomfortable questions.) However, 10 minutes into my walk, I realized that I didn't really feel up to walking, so I turned around, went back home, grabbed some cash, and caught a cab to school. Halfway there, I realized that the smoggy carbon dioxide saturated air was NOT helping my nausea (which had quickly returned upon my entry of the cab). As soon as we arrived at WARC, I practically through my cash at the driver, whipped open the door and booked it to the bathroom where I proceeded to empty the contents of my stomach, including the malaria pill that I had taken just half an hour before. Just as I was beginning to collect myself, the biggest most disturbing cockroach I have EVER seen comes crawling up from behind the toilet which obviously triggered my gag reflexes and obviously I puked again.

It was at this point that I decided I probably couldn't make it through the day at school... I let the staff at WARC know that I wasn't feeling so hot and headed home. Marie (our domestique) was there along with her sister (whose name I ALWAYS forget) along with her sister's two ADORABLE children: Fatou (6 years old) and Magguette (1 year old). I let them know I didn't feel well, headed to my room to eat the cookies I had and drink some sprite to retake my malaria pill (which needs to be taken with food). Of course, as you can imagine, by this point, no food was going to remain in my system.... unsurprisingly I made many trips to the bathroom. By this time I had a fever and the worst headache ever. My maman came home and came into my room to check on me... I broke down and started crying hysterically like a 5 year old, gasping for air and unable to get a word out about what was wrong. She must have thought I was a complete and total psycho. She just sat down on the edge of the bed with a concerned look on her face, picked up my fan, and started fanning me. Cute. Anyhoo... after I pulled it together, I called Adji (one of the MSID staff) and she came and picked me up to take me to the hospital.

Our insurance doesn't count for anything over here, so of course I was expected to pay for everything, in cash (since no one takes credit cards because very few people have them in the first place). Adji told me that I had to pay for her taxi to pick me up, and then for the taxi to the hospital, and then both our ways back. I would also have to pay the doctor who served me and then for medication (if I ended up needing it). I only had 30,000 CFA (roughly $60) so we were going to have to stop at an ATM for me to get more money. The taxi ride was the most uncomfortable thing EVER. Unstoppable nausea mixed with a jaunting, bumping, slowing, and speeding taxi ride and lots of honking does not make for a fun time. We FINALLY made it to the hospital/ATM. As Adji was leading me to the ATM many men were trying to greet me and talk with me... I almost punched them all in the face. NO I DON'T WANT TO MARRY YOU.

So we get to the ATM. (The ATMs are all inside little rooms with a security guard sitting outside.) I started to go inside one of them and the man told me to wait, but he spoke in very fast frenlof (french/wolof combo) and I didn't understand, so I started to head in again...and both him and Adji forcefully told me to STOP. I finally got the idea and started to cry. again. (basically I'm a big baby) Adji was very nice and comforted me and told me to sit down if it would help. And of course as soon as I sat down, the man inside the ATM room exited and I had to stand back up to enter. I got some money and we headed to the hospital.

I saw a doctor for 10 mins who told me that I was feeling like shit due to something that I had eaten... He wrote me a prescription and sent me on my way. It was interesting because I didn't need to provide any kind of identification or anything. He was writing the prescription and then realized he didn't even know my name, so I had to write it down for him because he couldn't understand me when I was speaking... I paid 20,000 CFA and left to head to the pharmacy to buy these meds. I had to get 2 different kinds (one of which was completely in Arabic/French, and the other which had English directions). So I'm not exactly sure what they are, but they're definitely making me feel better... so I think I'll keep taking them.

I'm feeling much much better now. Sometimes a little nauseous, but pretty much back to normal. So yay for the first sickly experience! I'm glad it's over. Even though there could be more.... I really hope there aren't.

On a much happier note: I've found that laughter is a key factor in survival here. It's a great release of energy and a good way to stay positive instead of getting bogged down in all the negative/frustrating stuff. It's also a universal language! The other night, I came home from school and Marie, Fatou, Maguette, and their mother were there. I was so excited about learning some new Wolof terms, that I booked it inside and started to say "Salaam Maalekum" but as I opened the door, I completely biffed it and fell flat on my grande derriere (big bottom). We all instantly started cracking up. It was hilarious. And then the little one (Maguette) wouldn't stop laughing. Which made us all laugh even more. Beautiful.

The electricity and water have been non-existent lately which means lots of bucket baths! yayyyyyy..... not. I'm definitely much more appreciative of all of the utilities back at home that come with ease (a flick of a switch, a twist of a knob). SO MUCH EASIER. But the people here just keep going when everything else stops. They don't complain. They don't moan and groan. They just light a candle, or turn on a flashlight and continue living, laughing, loving. I love that. I'm a pretty go-with-the-flow kind of person, but all the people here more than put me to shame.

I went to the market the day before I got sick! It was absolute craziness. There were sooooo many vendors trying to sell things. Lots of beautiful fabrics. Lots of mud (since it had rained the day before). I was completely overwhelmed. I was so excited to go to the market and buy some fabric to have a dress made, but upon my arrival, all I could do was just aimlessly wander around and stare at all of the stuff. Again, after some time, I pulled it together and whipped out my mad bargaining skills. I got 2 different fabrics (one for a sundress, and one for a traditional dress) as well as a pair of shoes, a bracelet, and a pan skirt. I was quite proud of myself. There was one point at which I came up with a price that I was willing to pay this one vendor for the pan skirt, and he said no, so I said “fine,” handed him back the skirt and quickly walked away with Lauren. He literally came running chasing after me and gave it to me for the price I had previously stated. It was hilarious. Shortly after that, there was a whole crowd of vendors following Lauren and I, so we just looked at each other, laughed, and RAN.  We were too fast for them and all of the stuff they were trying to sell apparently because we didn’t see them after that.

Well, I better end this book now because I have class soon. I tried to post pics the other day, but the internet was totally flaking on me, so I’ll try again soon! Miss you all dearly.
Peace,
<3 Hal