Reposo?

So last Monday night I got sick. Not the usual cough, sneeze, snotty nose kind of sick that i've been getting used to. I'm talking I went to the doctor, which I never do. Here's a recap.

Monday Night:
At dinner Ruben, a dorm kid, made the comment that I had been quite and kind of separated from the group. I did have a ton on my mind at that time but I didn't realize I was being so obvious. As to not be a downer any longer I figured I'd just go up to my room and go to bed. On the way up I figured I'd take a long hot shower and then watch a movie, rather than going to bed like a kid who had been punished.
I took my shower, laid in bed, and watched an anime movie called Ninja Scroll. (Yes. An anime. Don't hate.) It was good, but not anything super cool like I expected from a flick that's raved about by everyone. Anyways, I got up from bed to brush my teeth and this is when it all went down. I got up from bed and started shaking like a mad man. It was ridiculous. It wasn't a shiver from being cold, I was shaking. It was scary. I stood in front of my sink and watched myself for a little just to make sure I wasn't changing colors or anything but I was ok on that aspect. I'm all about this mind over matter stuff so I grabbed on to the sink and I looked at myself and I said to myself. "Stop shaking." I did stop for a little but then I kept right on. I managed to brush my teeth and then I slid back into bed hoping that it would stop. But it didn't. It actually started to affect my breathing and I started breathing really, really hard. I was pretty sure I was about to kick the bucket by this point. I didn't know what was going on. I prayed to God and was pretty much ready for whatever when my breathing got back to normal and I managed to get some shut eye, but then IT hit. Diarrhea. Ugh.
Tuesday Morning:
Tuesday morning came around and I turned off any alarm that went off. I felt like crap and I was determined not to go to my one and only class of the day at noon. When I finally felt like it was time to get out of bed I went over to the computer and realized that I hadn't even slept past noon and that I could still make it to class. That was a bummer. Being the grand student that I am, I put on some clothes and walked to the university. It was probably the worst walk I've ever had. I felt like I was going to pass out the whole way there and I was praying that I didn't have the urge to...what's the word i'm looking for....diarrhea? Not have the urge to diarrhea? That work? Anyways. I made it to class. Afterwards I dragged myself to the API office and waited for Carmen, my program director, to complain to her about how I was dying and needed help. By this time I was dizzy, my body ached, I had nausea, I had diarrhea, my body had been shaking, my breathing had gone hay wire, and I wanted my mommy. But we went to the doctor instead.
Like I expected, he looked at me, felt me up, and made his diagnosis. Gastroenteritis. Sometimes I wish they would humor me and take longer than 20 minutes to diagnose me. It makes me feel like my trip was worth it and that I'm not being a baby about something minor.

Gastroenteritis. Don't know what that is but I had to stay in bed for two days straight and couldn't drink or eat anything. It sucked. By the end of day two I was so dehydrated and weak. I was going nuts. Then when I was able to eat I had to eat things that we didn't have at the dorm so I had to trek out on my own to find them. GAY!

I missed 4 classes and I'm pissed about that. I don't have too much class that I have to attend here and I feel like a jerk if I even consider not going. We had tickets to watch some famous dancer named Sara Baras so I went on Wednesday night, but I hated it the whole time. It was loud and I felt like death. I bet I would have enjoyed it a little more if I had been my usual self.

Luckily this week has been Semana Santa so we have no school. But rather than have fun and go out I'm still re-cooperating from my fling with Gastroenteritis. Hopefully I'll be back to normal by the end of the week or else I don't know what I'm going to do. I can't stand having health issues here. It's just not the same. I have to take care of myself!

Whatever... If it doesn't kill me it'll only make me stronger.

Hopefully this is as bad as it's going to get for me. I don't know if I can handle anything worse. Going through this whole ordeal has actually made me homesick for the very first time.

Spit Wads and Poop

Hello.  Since I arrived in Cádiz I've constantly had some sort of health problem.  I had a cold, then I had another cold, then I had some sort of allergies, and now I have a cough that just won't quit.  It's been pretty ridiculous.  Not sure what it is about this place but I just can't seem to be 100% healthy.  Luckily it's not to the point where I'm miserable, it's not really bothering me that much, but it's still annoying.  It can't last forever though.  Eventually these foolish Spanish germs have to realize that I have some Spanish in me and let me go.

Besides the cough things are good.  My dorm is nice, the food is great, I enjoy my classes, I love taking my siestas, and the weather is beautiful.  Even being the only foreigner in the dorm is starting to become a little easier.  Tonight at dinner we got off the usual argument about who's country was better and politics and we talked about a subject that has united men around the world for ages.  Poop.  It wasn't a long conversation but it's good to know that even here they appreciate a good poop reference.  It reminded of those times back home when I could sit around with some guys and just take up a good bit of time talking about poop or some other oddity.  Ah, good times.

A little later I was sitting at my desk when I heard a thud and my window shook.  I looked up and saw nothing.  I got back to work and then heard another, but this time I saw something. Since one of my buddies rooms' is below mine I figured he was throwing stuff up at me so I opened the window to see if that was the case.  It turns out it was the guy below me but he wasn't below me.  He was at a window across the court yard with another one of the guys throwing huge spit wads at me.  Why?  I think I'm officially their friend.  I mean how else do you tell another guy that he's your friend besides talk about poop and throw stuff at each other?  It's the international sign of friendship between two guys.  You don't walk up to another guy give him a hug and say "We're friends now."  I think I'd run.  That'd be uncomfortable.  One thing you don't do is throw poop at each other.  Maybe in some other country but not in the U.S.  and not in Spain.  At least as far as I know.

Something random but true.  Last night I had a desire to be back in high school.  It was really weird.  I think it's starting to get to me that I have to go off into the real world pretty soon so I'm running back in time.  If only I could have left these thoughts back in the states along with some others.  Whatever though.  We all have to grow up someway, somehow, sometime.

My regular spanish class that I started yesterday is great.  I'm already cool with the teachers and that's never a bad thing.  That makes it 3 out of 4 teachers that I've got my "in" with.  The 4th one is a little scary and intimidating but I'm sure she's nice once you get past everything that scares the bejesus out of me.  We'll see.

One of my buddies, Hector, plays guitar.  He and crew dressed like 16th century musicians came to serenade this girl, Andrea, that he's been flirting with/been trying to date since I've been here.  I was going for a walk when I saw the guy coming down the street so I asked him what was going on.  All he said was that he was playing outside the dorm.  I ran back ahead of him grabbed my camera and set up shop.  All I got were pictures of his face after he was rejected.  She went out to the balcony and then ran back inside after realizing what it was.  It was sad to see him get rejected like that.  But everything is cool between them now as far as I can tell.

Some random thoughts:  I think I lost this card.  I don't really need it, but I might.  I'm pretty sure if I get stabbed or something I'll need it.  I also thought I lost my cell phone today, but I had just left it on the bed.  The main light in my room went out last night.  I'm going to need a haircut soon, but I'm really afraid of what they might do to me.  But really I just don't want to pay for it.  I don't really want to spend anymore money.  I've taken 1045 photographs since arriving in Spain.  I miss having a lot of shoes to choose from, but only wearing one pair.