Malades in Mali

Check that title out!! Dang.  It involves alliteration AND it lets you know a little taste of what is to come in this post.  The ideal title.

Okay, so the last week has been rough.  I managed to catch malaria.  This was not fun.  Last Sunday I started feeling kind of yucky, and then I got a really persistent and terrible headache.  That lasted till Wednesday at which point I decided the pain was too much to handle in the heat and went to Bamako.  The doctor tested my blood and discovered that the prophylaxes I am taking apparently didn't work completely, and I had malaria parasites in my blood.  I got a pretty mild case.  My fever wasn't too high, but I did feel yucky.  I've been staying at the peace corps house in Bamako since late Wednesday night.  I've taken the required meds, and the blood test I took today came back negative so I will be heading back to site sometime in the near future.  I learned the following: Don't get malaria.

Other than that, things are relatively peachy.  I've enjoyed being able to stay in the air conditioning, but it comes at the price of being ill.  Site is the same, I'm starting to sort of make friends.  Though I still can't speak to them really.  Our conversations are usually roughly the following:

Friend: Do you have beans in America.
Me: Yes
Friend: Do you have motorcycles in America
Me: Yes, we have lots of big motorcycles.
Friend: Do you have corn in America.
Me: Yes, lots of corn.
Friend: Do you have onions in America.
Me: Yes.
Friend: Can we go to America together?
Me: Sure, in two years.  Do you have a lot of money?
Friend: How much is it to go?
Me: A lot.
Friend: Oh.
(Silence while we drink some tea followed by a few more questions followed by silence).

I think that's all I've got for now.  I'll be sure to write again soon.  I'll be coming back to Bamako around June 11th or so for In Service Training.  I'll be at the training center.