Being Sick In W. Africa = No Fun!

I am sorry for not posting lately. I have been battling with my first Africa cold. I had the toe incident and as my toe healed I grew more sick. It’s like a sinus infection that ebbs and flows. This creates an “I’m better” thought and then the next day it rises up only to knock me flat again. I have looked like I’ve been hit by a train for almost a week now, but I’m not the only one. I know many people with it too. The local people swear it’s the change in weather. I’m not sure a 5-10 degree jump in the weather can create sickness like cold weather does in the states, but anything is possible I guess. I would like to mention that I rest and sleep a lot. There is nothing like laying in bed dripping sweat literally from all the pours in your body, while you’re sick knowing that you don’t have a fever and even the healthy people are this miserable. So I rest, take vitamin C, drink lots and lots of water, and have even been using my coveted alka-selzer plus cold medicine from America. Oh I sponge off with clean water to help me sleep too as my fan is still not fixed and I haven’t been well enough about nagging the guy who said he would fix it. I really need to have that done!
I hope that I’m feeling better soon as my roommate might just tie me up (along with one of my friends) and haul me to the doctor. I really don’t think I like this option as everyone I know who is sick has waited hours at the doctor or hospital. They were then given injections in their bottoms and sent home. All of them are still sick. I DO NOT want injections where the sun don’t shine, thank you very much.

But life continues to move along even though I’m sick. I witnessed a Voodoo parade last weekend, right down my street. These people were dressed in full costume and dancing to the drums other men carried. It was creepy and weird and I hope that it doesn’t happen again.
There was a dead chicken in the road earlier last week and my roommate swears that it was a voodoo sacrifice of some sort. I hope that this does not continue.

On another front, Roxy took her second moto ride to the vet. She is going to start her puppy shots (almost a month late…oops!) next Wednesday. I thought we would start when I actually took her to the vet but apparently he doesn’t make vaccination appointments on the phone and wants to look at her. Or I live in a society where there is a lot of red tape and nothing should be expected to be finished or done when you go the first time. Oh and I am seeing the government veterinarian. Oh the cycle.
The look on the Togolese children’s faces as I walked down the road to catch a moto was priceless. I had put Roxy in my backpack and let her head hangout (see picture below). I was quite a sight. Then the moto drivers didn’t even notice when I was speaking to them about where I was going and how much. It was funny. Just think, I get to do it all again next Wednesday too.
I have also posted a new picture of Roxy and I. She is huge now and grows every night, I swear! She’s great and I love her but trouble and stubborn are her middle names! I guess dogs do take after their masters. =-)

Part 2
I’m finally well after 2 and a half weeks of having a respiratory infection. Not so much fun, but today I got to smell for the first time! It’s too bad that it was such a hot day and all I really smelt was body odor of my students and the taxi moto drivers. All the same I’m happy to smell again!