What Is An Expat?

Ok, so it’s probably not a fascinating thing to write about, and in fact that’s not what I’m going to write about. So there. I’ll have a number 7 plain with cheese, please.

I’ve been a little beatdown the past couple of days. Real tired, and I am going to lay it at a little disease I was exposed to that I call cowpox. I guess it’s better than having smallpox, though. 3 days ago I actually had a headache. Fairly unusual for me. I just dragged through the whole day from about 11ish AM on. Tired and weak, I barely made it. Hit the cot, fast asleep by 8PM. Get up in the morning at 6ish to do the shower run. Typical early morning slowness to move. Standing in the shower, not feeling so good, and SUDDENLY IT’S A LIGHTSHOW! THAT’S RIGHT KIDS, I MEAN GREEN AND RED AND ORANGE! WHAT’S THAT GODDAM BUZZING NOISE? OOH PRETTY LIGHTS! Mr Sensible had the foresight to grab one of the cross bars so I did not fall. Hey, important to breathe! Must…not…pass out…in shower! (more…)

Well, kind of a lot is happening this week, huh?

Started off the week with the malaria tablets. Haven’t had too much in the way of problems with that except for some rough dreams that seem to have gone away. Add to that my smallpox poke on Wednesday and I wasn’t much of a happy camper. The Z Monster came up and perched on my shoulders like a lonely vulture. Soothingly it whispered, “just close your eyes, it’ll be okay…all that stuff can wait. Sleeeeepppp…” From about 2PM on I was beat, among other things. “I will watch over and protect you, just rest your weary head…” But nay! The wanderings must go on! “Why? Why do you do this? Just a lil’ break…” Supper was uninspiring. That is to say, I simply couldn’t eat much. The food itself was probably fine. “Ah yes, after a meal, they always fall apart! Victory is mine!”

And it was. By 7:30PM I was a cot-confined individual. Just fine the next day. My blister looks like it is starting to raise up. Soon it will get nasty looking — I’d take pictures, but my camera died, sent back to the states for repair and those sorry bastiges won’t have it back to me before I leave on R&R most likely. Then it becomes a delightful scab before falling off in the third week to crawl away and attempt to infect other unwary souls. It’s not actually smallpox you get, but some live cowpox. Afterwards you are protected from smallpox, cowpox, and…monkeypox. Remember kids, it’s always a bad idea to consort too closely with monkeys. Sure they’re cute and all, and look like beloved members of your family, but they carry disease and throw shit. Nobody needs that. (more…)