Amoeba, Movies and Music...Oh My!

I haven’t posted a lot this trip.  I guess some of it is that I have settled in a bit.  I don’t feel as if I am on vacation; I am just living. My days are similar as I wake around 8, eat breakfast, read, prepare for school and then head off to Holy Cross.  We are working on 2 plays in Standard 4.  One class is performing Where the Wild Things Are and the other is performing A Melody Off Key.  So, I have been gathering props and working on choreography. 

Today, I also went into Infant 2 and did theatre songs: Bingo, The Shark Song, Head – Shoulders – Knees and Toes, The Hokey Pokey, The Moose Song and Jesus Loves Me.  My dear, sweet Garielle is in that class and wanted me to come.  They are adorable.

The big news has been my “amoeba.”  Over a week ago, I came down with a parasite.  I will admit, it scared me a bit.  I have never passed so much blood or been in that much pain – not even in labor.  Monday morning, I went straight to the clinic.  Want a true 3^rd world experience?  Head to the one of two doctors on the island on a Monday – all that was missing was a goat and chicken.  Babies were lined up for nebulizers; I guess this is common practice for colds etc.  One woman walked in dilated at 10. Less than 15 minutes, the baby was crying and 2 hours later, the whole family was leaving. I was still waiting to see the doctor. 

Once called, you sat opposite of the doctor in his office (the door never shuts, so you can watch each consult). I told him my symptoms; he never looked directly at any of the patients. Then – in the same room  -  he did an ultra-sound of my stomach.  I then had to produce a sample of the alien output.  He said, “You have an amoeba. Do you know amoeba?” Me: “Like a parasite?”  He responded, “Amoeba.”  The nurse told me she had seen worse as I had to leave the sample with her.  I can’t imagine.

I am on my 9^th day of antibiotics and feeling pretty crappy.  There is nothing like a parasite in your intestines to slow a girl down on Fantasy Island.  It has been a lot of Ramen noodles, crackers, diet ginger ale and cereal.  It is a lot like college but without the beer.  Also, I figure that I am only about 2 more bouts of dysentery away from my goal weight.

At night, I read a lot and watch movies on my computer.  There is a Chinese place on Front Street that sells movies for $2.50. They are new release pirates. I am sure it is illegal as the day is long, but the store seems to do well.  When I return to the states, feel free to borrow from my new collection: Moneyball; Eat, Pray, Love; The Runaways; For Colored Girls; Like Water for Elephants; Bridesmaids; Burlesque; Like Crazy; and Friends with Benefits.  Also, if you have anything you really want me to bring home, just ask.