Parasite Hell

So this blog post is going to be a little more sombre than the past ones.....As much as I love Peace Corps and living in Senegal, I still have my days where it's incredibly difficult for me, and I end up having break downs or really low points during my service. I've had 3 breakdowns in country so far.  Once was during training when I had this awful skin discoloration on my face.  I thought the sun was destroying me and I had a tearful breakdown that involved the whole family staring at me through my bedroom door and window. I later learned that I had a fungus on my face; therefore, causing the ugly discoloration. Ugh. Boo rainy season.  My second breakdown occurred in January, where everyone I talked to that day about potential projects asked me for money to finance their business endeavors, and I was chastised and treated with hostility when I explained that I wasn't a bank and do not hand out money, but rather, I share knowledge.  And the third was a little over a week ago, last wednesday, when I had the worst sisck day so far.  Parasite hell, as I like to refer to it....literally the worst day of my life in Senegal so far.  So as a means of therapy for me, I'd like to share some of the things that really bother me here in Senegal....
#1: Little Children who yell "toubako" at me: When i walk by or ride my bike down the street, oftentimes, I hear "Toubako".  It really means "white person" but it's really annoyinng to be screamed at repeadetly, day after day. (Most of the kids in Kounkane are much better about calling me Salimatu (my senegalese name)).  There are still those disobediant kids, however, who continue to call me "toubako" out of spite, or even worse, "toube haako", which is a derogatory/racial slur translating close to asswipe or asshole.  My solution? I tell the kids what my name is here (Salimatu Balde) and then I make them greet me.  Worst case senario: I bought a machete and i carry it around Kounkane sometimes. I tell the kids that if they call me "toubako" again, then I'm gonna hit them with it.  I really wouldn't, and I hardly ever carry around my machete unless I'm using it for work, but I like to make a joke about hitting goats and bad children when people ask why I have a machete.
#2: People asking me for stuff: I hate when people ask me for money or to buy them stuff.  Again, it's mostly bad children who I don't know, who will come up to me and ask me to buy them candy or give them 100cfa.  Even adults ask me for stuff.  I have a woman who hangs out around the garage and asks me to buy her a sac of rice at least once a week.  I usually hear, "Give me your cellphone" or "Hey Toubako, give me money." multiple times a day depending on where I am...(it's getting better in Kounkane because people know i live here).  I usually ignore these demands, and sometimes on a good day I will turn it into a joke and ask for something of theirs.  One time a child on a donkey cart was riding by me, and he yelled, "Hey toubako, give me your cellphone!" and I said, "Only if you give me your donkey first!" And we all laughed and that was the end of it. But some days, it just wears on you, and making a joke seems like too much work.
#3: People who tell me I can't speak Pulaar: I hate when people tell me I can't speak their language.  I honestly think it's their way of trying to encourage me, but I find it to be so rude.  There are 2 women who everytime I see them, they tell me I can't speak Pulaar. Pointing out the obvious and making people feel ashamed of it, is so common here...stuff like that is not acceptable back home.  I think that's why I have a hard time with it? I usually have to restrain myself from being bitch-y back by asking them whether or not they can read, or telling them that they speak French horribly....It's just frustrating sometimes....
#4: Weight Gain: Oh my God, my biggest issue here.  I never thought I would move to Africa and gain weight.  It's quite ironic to me.  But leave it to me to come to Senegal and in the 7 months I've been here, I've gained an unwanted/estimated 10 pounds! Yes, 10! FML. This is the most I've ever weighed in my entire life, and it's a hard thing to deal with :(  I feel I can contribute this horrible event to 2 possibilities: 1: I was very active in the States and I ate a very healthy and balanced diet, which I no longer have the luxury to do here and 2: The diet here is just straight carbs and fat--only.  My solution? I'm trying to be more active and exercise despite the heat and frequent guests who come to visit me in Kounkane (who cut into Sam's workout time--boo!). I may also start cooking myself to control what I eat.
#5: Illness: And last, but certainly not least is Illness, which I blame my 3rd breakdown on.  The biggest issue I've had has been parasites and it technically wasn't officially diagnosed.  For the last 2 months I've been bloated all the time and nausiated every time after I eat.  Not cool.  I talked with the PC doctors, sent in a stool sample that went M.I.A. (scary) and had to do a second one a month later that never made it up to Dakar thanks to a careless PCVL, which finally ended in a puke fest and a 3 day fasting period.  Let's just say, I couldn't keep any food down, including fluids, I was burping sulfur, and if I wasn't vomitting, I was (excuse the crudeness) shitting  bloody, green water.  Yes, worst day of my life in Senegal.  Solution? On-call PC doctors saved me! I took 3 rounds of Fasigyne over a 3 day period, drank disgusting rehydration packets, and slept for pretty much 3 days straight. Diagnosis? Giardia (known from the infamous sulfur burps)  and Amoebas! Read about the crazy things I had living in me! : http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/giardia/ and http://www.scienceclarified.com/Al-As/Amoeba.html
I am much better now, thanks to meds and rest :) But all these factors, over time of course, put me in such a bitter mood this week, I just had to get some of this off my chest. Thanks for letting me rant...and I would like to add that I love being a Peace Corps volunteer and I'm extremely happy in Senegal! I wouldn't change any of this experience.  Some days these things just really get to me. Next blog post should be much more positive :) Thanks for reading!
Love.
xxx