Welcome to the International Community!

On Saturday, I was invited to go to an iftar (a breaking of the fast during Ramadan) with a friend. I was totally psyched and was ready to eat with gusto. I entered the room and the table was covered in amazing food...most of which I wouldn't have eaten at home b/c they all had red meat. However, I swore before I left that I wouldn't say no to anything so that I could really live this trip to its fullest. Big mistake. In case some of you may not know, people who don't eat red meat, can't digest red meat. Add that to the fact that most travelers can't handle real, regional food in their first week. Double hit.

Within 20 minutes after finished this amazing meal (which it was...it was really delicious!), I felt a rumble in my stomach that only meant one thing....diarrhea. No biggie. Not my first time. So I just went home and talked to my parents. IMMEDIATELY after I got of g-chat with them, the Apocalypse rained on me. The Left Behind people need not search any further, the end of the world was in my room. Not only did I explode in the familiar way that most travelers experience, but I began to get the chills. Now, when I say the chills, I don't mean, "burr. It's chilly in here." I was convulsing I was shaking so hard. Nothing could warm me up. Eventually, I feel asleep, only to wake up 3 hours later sweating (like I have never before in my life) and feeling like I had an elephant weighing me down. I tried to walk to the bathroom (to-once again-explode) and I couldn't walk. I had to crawl to the toilet. Have I mentioned that you can't flush toilet paper here? That's usually fine, but not when you have the black plague it gets nasty and smelly quickly.

I didn't sleep the rest of the night and the next morning was no better. All of Sunday, I was too weak to walk, yet I had to-for obvious reasons-, my skin hurt, I would have more attacks of convulsing chills followed by the most disgusting sweats. I grossed myself out. I thought I was doing relatively OK until friends came over like Mother Theresa with water and crackers. They're first comment walking in to the door was, "Man! It's really hot out today!" Then they saw me. I was wrapped in blankets and North Face fleece jackets. My response being, "Really? I'm freezing! Maybe it's where my room is." Not so much. Apparently, to top everything off I had a ridiculous fever. It was like having a fantasy football team of symptoms.

Here's what I expected: sympathy. Here's what I got: laughter. OK, granted I did get a lot of sympathy, but once I was in the clear for not dying I got...(chuckle)"Ah yes! Welcome to the international community!" These people said it like it was a funny initiation that they forgot about. Like blood in, blood out with gangs.

However, everyone was right. Once this happens to you, people who have traveled all over the world begin telling you the horrible thing that happened to them at this place or that place. And they DO become funny...with time. I think my mom is still pissed about hers from the 70's, but maybe next decade. I feel like I now have a really gross, yet cool membership card. I got my blood in...now I hope I never have to get initiated again. UGH!!!