Expect the unexpected

Well, you know how I always have said that I'm expecting the unexpected?  Just when I think I can't be shocked anymore, I am presented with a new challenge.....

I started to feel ill on Saturday - high fever and body aches.  Sunday wasn't much better.  I started to feel better on Monday, but was still very weak and by then had been alone with my thoughts for FAR too long.  I started to dream up what tropical diseases I could possibly be suffering from.  It wasn't until I was feeling better on Tuesday that I finally found a mirror to brush my hair and go out for the first time that it all came to me.  My face was covered in small red spots. (not sure why no one cared to inform me of this earlier) Upon further examination, so was my chest, arms and back.  MEASLES!!! Of all the things!  I was very relieved however - because of course I had predicted far worse.  We had 4 patients with measles last week and I had cared for them.  Thankfully, my immunization gave me a MUCH milder form, but it didn't protect me 100%.  So, I've been in isolation for a few days.  I actually just snuck out to get to the internet, but Sr. Martha Joan caught me.  She laughed when I said I was bored and she sprayed me with holy water and told me to enjoy technology.  ha ha!  I've had plenty of time to get my laundry done, clean up my corner of the room, read a book and rest up.  Not ALL bad, but I'm happy to be feeling better, and sister said I can go to work tomorrow.  I'm a much better nurse than patient!

This week has been challenging in other ways as well. We lost power and water for 3 days.  Not incredibly welcomed when these are among the few 'conveniences' we enjoy.  Still, we don't have warm water, but at least we can boil it to shower.  I'm hopeful it too will return, but I'm not incredibly expectant.  We got a new influx of non english speaking volunteers.  Living in community always has its challenges.  But, combine that with a language barrier and different habits /sanitation/ personal space issues and the challenge becomes even greater!  I've been praying for patience a lot! 

Leah and I have definitely decided we need a break! We leave Monday for some travel in the North.  We will visit Gondar and Lalibella as well as some other smaller places.  We're looking forward to having our own schedule and getting to speak English at a normal speed!

I can't say that things this week have been ALL bad though! I'm feeling well now, and I'm very rested.  The patients missed me, and I feel like every day I learn a bit more and I am able to help them better.  My Amharic is improving - slowly but it IS improving.  I'm finding my comprehension is better than my spoken.  Its nice to be able to understand a little when the patients talk to me - instead of just holding their hands and smiling.  A big victory - I found soya sauce at the market!!! We found a restaurant that serves GREAT Amercian food.  It was nice to watch a soccer game on TV and have a non rice meal.  It was hard knowing that 3 of us had a meal that cost half an Ethiopian's monthly salary.  I showed me that when your eyes are openned to the realities of poverty, you can't shut them so easily.  What a gift!

The longer I am here, the more I develop relationships, the more I hear people's stories, the more grateful I am for all I've been given.  Sometimes its very overwhelming.  I'm so grateful for an opportunity to give back - even just a small amount of what I've been given.  People here live such a challenging life.  Its so hard to get ahead.  Even just providing basics for a family is a challenge let alone an education or any kind of savings.  Its not a wonder that so many look for opportunities to go abroad.  This month is the American Diversity Lottery.  Its all the buzz.  Everyone who can afford 14 birr (less than $1) applies.  I'm not sure how many they draw a year (I think around 3000), and provided you have a clean bill of health and enough money for a plane ticket (I've been told you borrow from everyone you know and pay them back after you've struck it 'rich') you get to go live in America.  I'm not sure if you get a green card, or citizenship, but you get to live in America and that's what everyone dreams of.  It's amazing to think of how much I've taken for granted!!

I hope my blogs aren't too depressing.  I know my last one was a bit of a downer.  The truth is, I'm very happy here, and there IS a lot of joy here.  The people here have a great sense of humor and are a lot of fun.  There is a lot of reality here though too.  Sometimes the reality of it just seems to impact me more and that's why I share.

I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to blog again, but I'm excited to tell you more about the beauty of Ethiopia following my travels.  Hopefully by then, I'll have solved the picture downloading issue and I can include visual as well.