Sick in Blantyre

September 16, 2009

Yesterday was a busy and fun day…for the most part. I went to Lunzu where Andrea’s Family Health and Wealth Study will be taking place. They had a meeting with the chiefs there. Although the meeting was lively and interesting, I kept dozing off- which is not like me. When we got back to the College of Medicine, I had to go and meet up with Camille and her parents, Jennifer and Eugene, to go to Limbe for some shopping. Limbe is just past Blantyre and has a lot more hustle and bustle than Blantyre does. People were selling all sorts of things and there was even a man just walking around holding a rat. I didn’t quite understand why. People here eat mice but this rat was much larger than usual (and uncooked!) We went to lunch and I had an omlette and chips. Afterwards, we walked around the town and I picked up some nice fabric to make some clothes with. Soon, the heat began to get to me and I started to feel ill. By the time that I made it back to the office, I was really feeling unwell and decided to leave and go back to my place. At this point, I didn’t feel like I could take the mini bus and walk from the market. I felt so weak. I got in and napped for like three hours and then got up to try to socialize and make some tea. A few minutes later, I had to go back inside because I was vomiting. Not really the best night I had had here… I slept soundly through the night (thanks to my sleeping pill) and woke up around ten this morning. I phoned the office and told them that I wouldn’t be coming in. Finally, I was able to get myself together and shower and start my day. I am now sitting on the patio area in the shade about to start work for the day. I need to go through the interviews that we have done and look at them for certain themes. I am supposed to have French class tonight and then go to a movie with a friend and finally go for a drink with my boss. I hate to cancel all of this but I don’t know if it is the smartest thing to try to do all of it- or any of it. In my quest to stay busy and avoid homesickness here, I think that I have overdone it with activities.

In other news, I have looked into my time left here and feel pretty excited. I believe that I can make it to Tanzania, Uganda and Botswana- I just have to start planning these things! Have been going through my travel guide and have mapped out a lot of my time here- even made reservations at some hotels in Mulanje and Nkhata Bay (my two must-sees). This weekend should be a trip back to Mangochi to see Jamira and Maxwell and the girls as well as meet up with an expat I know who has friends with water skis woohoo! Next weekend is Mount Mulanje followed by a trip to Liwonde National Park the next weekend. I will visit Nkhata Bay after that and then perhaps Tanzania and Uganda for about a week each. I haven’t seen nearly all that I would have liked to in Malawi but it has been a crazy trip. I am still hoping to see Brent in Botswana but perhaps after the Kampala trip. Sheesh- busy few months.

I am feeling confident and happy and independent (even though I am also feeling deathly ill!).