Adonde fueres haz lo que vieres: More Chilean coneundrums

This past week once again flew by. I had all twenty four groups at school (first week I had), had my two clubs and worked with the debate teams for a bit as well. It was a lot for one week, but because of how busy I was, before I knew it, the week was over and we're back to Monday again. Once again I am looking at the same kind of week, and by the end of it I will be more than half way done with my teaching contract. Time is just flying by, I kind of want it to go slower, but also am so excited for it to be done so I get to Peru.

Playa el Laucho

This weekend we went back to Lluta for a day to finish some repairs on the house and get it prepared for this weekend's big celebration, for which they are expecting about 60 people to join in on. Plus the band they are hiring. Saturday was spent hanging the rest of the ceiling, building a wall to cover an uglier wall and tearing down a rotten raised bed out front to put up a new one. None of the things we built are straight, and neither is the house itself, no one planned what was to be done, but rather just kind of kept making the same mistake (like filling in the raised bed before finishing putting up the wall, so the dirt all kept falling out, surprise). It is really funny now, but was oh so very frustrating at the time. Especially for ''Bulgaria'', as he had to do most of the work, and then undo it, and then redo it. Now we are done, though the family is going up Thursday and Friday this week to finish a few more things before Saturday. I plan to go Saturday morning, although they are wanting to me skip work on Friday, something I can't do following my contract anyways. And three-four days would be a bit much, and maybe would be the death of me. Read on.

Martina and me hanging out

While in Lluta I was bit by a mystery bug, and as I found out Sunday morning, I am allergic. I grew what appeared to be third knee overnight, another ankle and my collar bone on one side was notably larger as well. Needless to say that as soon as I showed it to Claudia, she called to get my insurance figured out so I could go to a doctor for free here. We went to Urgent Care at a clinic, checked in and I was called back. It was my first experience at a foreign doctor, and to be honest I was nervous. I had no idea what to expect, didn't know what had bitten me (there is a type of fly here called jerejeles that when they bite me I swell and itch a lot, but never this bad, just like the dust mytes in Europe, a small allergy) and I went back alone. The doctor came in and asked what seemed to be the issue with the supposed bite, I explained that I had gone to Lluta, but that the bites from the jerjeles never had been this bad (keep in mind I use 100% DEET spray, so these little bugs are powerful enough to get past that), I lifted my leg, turned it to show the doctor the biggest bite and he let a long chuuuuuuucha (fuuuuuuuck). Professionally surprised by the size of my leg. After reviewing that I had no known drug allergies, he called for a shot and prescribed me some cream. A nurse came in, asked if I was going to follow through with the shot (lots of people don't have the money to follow through with the prescriptions, but my program provides insurance that covers all of this), then told me to flip over on the exam table and she'd be right back. I sat there thinking ''No way am I getting a shot in my ass in Chile. No. F-ing. Way.'' When she came back in and saw I still sitting normally, she said ''Oh, you know I suppose I could do it in your arm, it'd be easier anyways.'' Thank goodness. She then proceeded to give me an IV shot, which was weird as it was for allergies, the doctor gave me a list of hypoallergenic foods to avoid for three days as they could make my allergic reaction to a bug worse...no. The list doesn't even include some of the most common food allergies, like lactose and gluten. But it does include Milo, Chilean Nesquick. Oh the absurdity of foreign medical care. In a developing country. This morning I woke up to a practically normal sized everything, a small bruise where the shot was done (she was a bit rough, and they were all gloveless...) and I had coffee, despite what the paper says. I am not allergic to coffee. I am allergic to a bug. Overkill. Chilean conundrums at their finest this weekend.