So this past week I was sick... The cause is still at least partially unknown, but with this blog post I'm going to talk generally about being ill while abroad - an occurrence that is more common than it should be and less pleasant than we expect.
The most important thing to remember while on exchange is to be careful and self-aware. That being said... I don't regret a single bite of the sketchy gas station sambusas that gave me my food poisoning. BUT If you can restrain yourself and be smarter than me and my see-food diet, you're much less likely to wind up ill in a foreign land. Here's why you don't want that to happen: 1. You're away from home. Everything you normally do to make yourself feel better has to be modified to fit your current situation, and suddenly you don't have your family or friends there to comfort you (although you do have your awesome new host family and friends). 2. It's easy to sink. By this I mean that a small illness a few months in can easily turn into a pit of despair and homesickness for you to fall down. DON'T DO IT. Keep yourself out of that pit at all costs. But here's why it'll be okay anyway: 1. Your host family and new friends are there for you. Ask and ye shall receive. No one wants to see you suffering... Let them help you. 2. You have a myriad of new things you can do to amuse yourself. No, maybe they're not what you're used to... But at the end of the day you're in an amazing new country that has a lot to offer you. 3. You'll get stronger. Once you make it out of the sick-induced coma you may (at least I did) fall into, you'll have an easier time taking everything as it comes because you know it doesn't get worse than that. I hope you enjoyed my pros-cons lists... But don't be fooled. Just because there are more points under "why it will be okay" does not mean you should go out and get sick. (HINT, HINT) In all seriousness though, I'm glad I had those sambusas. If I hadn't had them I would have felt like I was missing out, and this year that's one thing I don't want to do. On that note, I'd like to announce a very exciting opportunity I have through school - a week long community service trip to Sri Lanka! I've checked with AMIDEAST, and I'm officially allowed to go. The trip is at the end of February... And I'm already excited. I'll fill you in more on that as I get more information. Until next time, I leave you with a song I've been looping the last few days 🎶Centuries - Fall Out Boy🎶
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AboutHi! My name is Karla Cox. This blog is a compilation of notes, thoughts, and photos from my travels around the world. Categories
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