Whine, whine, whine

I'm sick again, and this time with a fever. Yes, that's my third cold of the school year--one per month. Unbelievable.

I know teachers get sick all the time, but even when I was running programs in California it wasn't this bad. And I seem to be the only member of the faculty so far who is flat on her back every three weeks or so. I blame the air around here. It is mind-bogglingly dusty and gritty, filled with smoke and smog all the time. (I taught the kids a new word--hazy--last month for our daily weather check. It's hazy pretty much every day.)

There's also just the massive change in nutrition and lifestyle. I take a daily multi-vitamin, but I haven't been getting enough fruit and veg, and my daily exercise has plummetted. In grad school I walked everywhere and went on exercise walks several times a week. Here there's really nowhere to comfortably and safely stroll down the road--to say nothing of the pollution--and I haven't joined a gym yet. Several of us teachers are planning to do so next week.

I took my monthly sick day today; The Pak Studies teacher and Philosophical T.A. held down the fort. Our school doctor called my cell about 9:30 this morning and suggested I take Tylenol and drink lots of water. He said everyone cares about me and is praying for me. Sweet. Then I sacked out for 6 hours.

Roomie came home and updated me on the week's staff meeting: we're starting our supply orders for the next school year already. Also, she was interviewed this afternoon by a journalist for PTV (Pakistani state tv) about the school and her work as Pre-K teacher. Should be exciting to watch, and easy too--PTV and old Indian movies are the only things on television now. (I take that back. We can still catch the Simpson's. Yay!)

So now I'm just waiting long enough to go to bed that I won't be likely to awaken at three in the morning or something. Still feel like hell. Sigh. At least I don't have to cook tomorrow: Witty T.A. and Philosophical T.A. have been showering Roomie and I with food this week. Ph.T.A. brought me a tupperware full of pumpkin halva yesterday--yummy!