check off one more day

Scorpion in my room ticker count: 2
Snake ticker count: 3 (Why is it always me who sees them?)
Small mouse that lives in my room sightings: 2. This mouse is very cute, by the way. The funny part of being here is that my perception of which animals are dangerous has totally changed. A year ago in New York, I freaked out when I heard mice in my room. Now I’m positively fond of this one. I am also completely used to bats, which I no longer consider to be any sort of threat.

When I was in (I think) fourth grade, I memorized Shel Silverstein’s poem that starts out:

“I cannot go to school today,”
Said little Peggy Ann McKay…
(blah blah blah)
“I have the measles and the mumps
A rash a gash and purple bumps…”

And many another ailment. But that’s pretty much what I remember, up until the end when she says,

“What? What’s that you say?
You say today is… Saturday?
Goodbye, I’m going out to play.”

I feel approximately the same regarding the multiplicity of physical ailments I could (legitimately) complain about today, but how boring is it to list off all of one’s ailments? Anyway, there is nothing to get out of, because it is a public holiday today and any work I’m doing is all of my own volition.

I shall mention only one, which is the rash that has broken out on my arm. This is a known side effect of metronidazole, the medication I am taking for the amoebas, but my internet sources seem to differ on whether it is “a side effect. eh.” or “a side effect that necessitates immediate medical attention.” Since I am in the middle of nowhere and I already bothered the nice US American doctor two days in a row (once to tell him all about my intestinal issues and once to ask “UM, IS THIS PRESCRIPTION ENOUGH MEDICINE PER DAY, BECAUSE I GOOGLED AND I THINK IT MIGHT NOT BE ENOUGH AND DIDN’T YOU SAY 1.5 GRAMS AND THE PHARMACY ONLY GAVE ME 1200 MILLIGRAMS PER DAY” only to have him tell me that it’s fine, FINE), I think maybe I will keep the little blisters on my arm to myself. I’m sure it will be fine, FINE.

So today is a public holiday. I can’t spell the whole of it, and I have no internet on which to look it up, but it is Eid, the end of Ramadan. I don’t know if it’s sort of cheating to celebrate the end of Ramadan if you aren’t Muslim and you haven’t been fasting, but since I was invited to Eid parties in Rwanda and I really don’t mind if people of other religions celebrate my religion’s holidays, I shall assume not. Therefore, in honor of Eid, I intend to make cinnamon rolls, stove – er, coalpot-top style. We’ll see how this turns out. It is my first attempt at cooking here.