Well, nothing makes you miss your mommy more than being sick away from home. Let alone in a different country where they speak a different language and their hospital system is completely different. So you end up confused with a woman yelling at you in a different language at the front desk about why you don't know how to make an appointment, and you can barely keep up because you have a fever and pain in your stomach. I just wanted to punch her in the face, if I had had the energy, who knows. If I worked in a hospital, I would be a little more empathetic towards people that came in, obviously they feel horrible, and just need some help. Just because she hates her job or is having a bad day doesn't mean she needs to wipe her issues out on me. Finally, I found the nice lady that had helped me back in November, she was more understanding, and spoke a little slower. Which is all I needed.
The hospital I am assigned to here is not the best, people say it is the "ghetto" of Cartagena. It's not in the best condition, is very small, and always packed with people waiting for their appointments that are an hour behind schedule. Then you have the gigantic hospital that is not exactly in Cartagena, but a 10 minute bus or train ride away. But what is closer, is always more convenient for the people.
Sitting in the waiting room I was so angry with that woman downstairs, and exhausted and helpless (at least that's how I felt). I wanted to cry out of frustration. Then I realized how good I have it. How privileged I am. Here I am actually being seen for being sick, and I don't have to pay anything, in a different country. In the United States, I am lucky to be covered under my parents. In the United States especially, so many people are not covered, and go untreated or in debt for the rest of their lives. Now, I don't have it great, not even close, but I do have it a lot better than a lot of people. I also thought of my mom, my tough woman of a mom. I remembered all the stories she told me of her as a kid in Thailand, the dentist trip she had to make alone to get a tooth pulled, and walking back basically through the jungle afterwards to get home, bloody napkin in hand. I hope I can do that if the time ever calls for it. I know a lot of people who couldn't. Well, all of that made me feel better, and re-think, and calmly wait for the doctor. Luckily I love my doctor. Even though she prescribed me nothing and I'm pretty sure something is growing inside my stomach! Unless I'm paranoid…I don't know why I think I know more than a doctor does…I wish she would have just given me something.
But being sick does make me miss home, specifically my mom. Moms know all.
Being cooped up inside for 3 days gives you a lot of time to think, and thus write. When I finally came out of my shell, the world was bright, people were weird, I felt like I was in a bubble. But when I got to spend an hour with my favorite two boys that I teach English to, by the end I felt a lot better! Surprising.
Tomorrow I have a full day of high schoolers. Have you ever wondered, how do teachers do it? How do they NEVER get sick? They are there, all the time. Rarely do they take a sick day. Maybe with high school teachers it's different, because in elementary schools, the kids cough, sneeze, lick, touch, whatever and everything. Imagine though, if I was the main teacher, and I had to take off 3 or 4 days off of work?? What a disaster.
You'd think that homesickness would be gone within the first 3 months, but oh man it does come in waves at random times. 5 months or something later, yea I'm sick, so maybe that's why. Hopefully I'll be better by Monday, I'm going to Valencia to see the festival Las Fallas. My friend Elena told me even before I came that I need to go, and she lived in Valencia, so she knows!
Now I have to finish my powerpoint presentation on St. Patty's day. It's an Irish now Irish-Northamerican holiday, that I have nothing to relate to except that it's an excuse to have a few drinks and put on a big green hat. I wonder how it feels for people in this program who come from completely un-Northamerican cultures or backgrounds, with different religions and everything, and who are expected to give presentations on all theses typical holidays. Holidays completely irrelevant to them. My last presentation I'll do before I leave is this epic, kinda long, presentation all about Thailand! With videos, photos, everything. It'll be great.
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