Learning something new about yourself, in my book, is never a bad thing. While I had big plans for my first of "r&r" and nothing seemed to work out the way I had been hoping. However sitting here on Friday morning (sipping on some medicated liquid substance--- leaves much room for desired taste which does not pucker my lips together but… I've had worse), I am more relaxed than I have been in weeks.
My plans for r&r were to get away and "do something"--- whitewater rafting, safari, camping, etc. Anything, I just wanted to get out there and see something of Africa I do not see in village on a daily basis. In fact, I have been trying all week to do just that. I wanted to leave on Tuesday only to find a suitable (and affordable) safari leaving on Thursday morning. So, I got up excited and with great anticipation on Thursday morning, arrived at the meeting point for transport, only to find out it had been cancelled at the last minute (others on the trips had gotten sick and had to back out, prices went up, no one could afford that). So through the murky morning rain, my cabbie drove me back to the Medair guesthouse feeling rather defeated and deflated. Or in other words, I was feeling sorry for myself.
I laid on the couch and watched a movie on the TV here (the guesthouse has a couch and a TV here--- very nice) and felt sorry for myself a little longer and then, I started looking for another safari company to go to Murchison Falls with. Sure enough, I found one in about two calls; cheaper, better accommodations, etc. Sounded great and I was set to leave first thing Friday morning. So, all in all, things were looking up again. I had put together some packages for some family members, mailed a few, found a few people traveling back to those respected countries to drop the others for me there, etc. And if anything, that was my big wish for my r&r--- get a few letters and some gifts done for the holidays. Kind of nice to be around a post office again.
And sure enough, I did just what I was hoping to do this week. I might not be going on safari (there seems to be a bug or parasite of some sort throwing a party in my intestinal track again--- hence the lovely med substance I am sipping on at the moment), but without sounding like a total brat, I have been fortunate enough to go on safari before. The next "organized" safari I will be one will be around my birthday and will be with two of my best friends--- my parents--- so who could ask for more than that.
In the meantime, my "illness" has been the one thing to relax me this week. I've tried massage, sauna, sleeping, poolside, etc. but nothing has worked. I just have not been able to disconnect from work. A friend of mine from MSF-Suisse (we worked on the plague together in Congo) came to check on me last night and when I told her I was thinking of going back to village on Saturday she laughed and said "Absolutely not. You need to be healthy before going back there. And anyways, I am taking you to the Irish pub in town on Saturday so get to feeling better." She brought me proper meds and everything and told me she would check on me today but as a nurse and jokingly my "doctor" for my remaining time here, she instructed me to attempt to get out to the beach today next to Lake Victoria and soak up a little sun.
This morning, I woke up a little sick just before 5am, so I got on the internet and called home. Spoke with my little brother Joe and my sisnlaw Lynn, as it was only 8:30pm back home (9 hr-difference here in Uganda). I had not been able to properly talk to them in quite some time. It was great laughing, joking, teasing them. I even talked to them while I watched the sunrise on the upper terrace of the guesthouse here. It was beautiful, peaceful, and amazing. Had I not been sick, I am not sure I would have been able to share that with them. After that, I called my mom and spoke with her as the morning start to wake here. Again, I felt so lucky to share that with her. Just what the doctor ordered--- a little family medicine to help lift the spirits.
I find it ironic how at times we forget that things are only in our hands to a certain point and then after that, we just have to go with the flow and remember that we are not in control. I am not going to preach religion or beliefs to anyone here, my beliefs are my beliefs. However, I think more than anything this week I needed a little reminding that I am not immortal, not invincible, and not in control of everything. And I seemed to get just that.
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