Cambodian Blahs

I can't believe my time here is half over. I'm on the downhill to going home now. But I feel like I've just hit my stride, and I'm just getting the hang of this place. I'm not ready to leave.

Unfortunately on Friday I ate something that decided it hated me. Within minutes of lunch I got horribly sick. Five days later and I'm only just now keeping everything I ate in me. On top of that we've had a head cold passing around the volunteers, and it is my turn to deal with it. It is minor and a little Nyquil and Dayquil are doing the trick. But yesterday was just plain awful between the stomach problems and the sinus problems. I spent the whole day literally in bed. The other volunteers made regular trips up to see me, and it even resulted in a fun and impromptu girls night in my room. We all just hung out, laughing and talking like girls do. In the middle of it all I just stayed curled up on my bed, but participating the best I could.

It is moments like these where you find your inner strength. There are no familiar foods to help you. And the pharmacy is questionable at best. I spent a lot of money to come here and I'm not going to waste it stuck in bed, no more than 10 feet from the loo. I got up and went to work today, and was only a little sick. I'm pretty happy that so far dinner has not come back to bite me yet. I'd rather be completely well, and not awkwardly eating and timing myself before daring to leave my bedroom. But I'm glad to be well enough to be back at work. I only have a few more days left at the placement, and I want to get so much more done.

The Cambodian equivalent of Christmas vacation has begun. Everyone is traveling home to see their families in far off provinces. Over the weekend the girls and I will be taking a small vacation to a popular resort town to see Angkor Wat, the most popular tourist place in Cambodia. Our house mothers, drivers, and guards have all been given a few days off for the big holiday. I'm looking forward to our weekend excursion as it will be my first and only chance to see “real Cambodia.”

I guess there isn't much of a point to this post other than to whine. Sorry about that. Hopefully tomorrow will be more interesting.