Don't Drink the Water
While I may have a cosmopolitan mind, I've come to realize that I don't have a cosmopolitan stomach. Whether it was the water or something I ate makes little difference, as I've spent most of the last three days in bed. What have I eaten in the meantime? A bowl of soup, a banana, some crackers and two pieces of paratha (flat-bread). The good news is that this happens to most foreigners and it's what I expected to happen sooner or later. The doctor whom I saw at the International Centre for Diorrheoal and Disease Research, Bangladesh, said I had nothing to worry about and that it's better to get it over with early rather than later. I guess a willingness to try new food doesn't serve as a vaccine against ingestable bacteria...
My appetite seems to be coming back so I think I'll be back on my feet in a couple of days. I'm not sure I can say the same for my colleague Marc, however, who fell ill last night and much more violently than myself. He thinks it's food-poisoning but I suspect it's just a more severe case of what I caught...possibly even from the same meal. Isn't it a little too coincidental for both foreigners to fall ill only a day apart? Very strange, either way.
I'll have some pictures up soon illustrating the view from my soon-to-be penthouse apartment for which I'll be paying $150/month. It's actually BRCT's guest house and in the same building as their offices. There are two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large kitchen and huge living area, and it shares the floor with BIHR's (Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights, BRCT's partner organization whom I'm officially working for) future office. The only thing is that it is still in the process of being renovated from the vacant space it once was. The landlord's been delaying the work so our first move-in date of September 10th quickly came and went. The next projected date is the 15th, but I doubt that they'll be able to install the windows, bathroom fixtures, necessary appliances and furniture by then. Cleaning the place will take an entire day as well. In the meantime I'll continue to pay the $15/night at my relatively comfortable hotel down the street where I get a free breakfast at their restaurant, a daily newspaper, a bed of adequate length, my own washroom (despite the cold shower), and TV with access to BBC World, HBO and a few international sports channels airing mostly cricket matches - all of which come in quite handy when one has to spend close to three days in bed.
Speaking of which, it's time to get some rest and try to eat something. Here's to hoping it will stay down where it belongs.
My appetite seems to be coming back so I think I'll be back on my feet in a couple of days. I'm not sure I can say the same for my colleague Marc, however, who fell ill last night and much more violently than myself. He thinks it's food-poisoning but I suspect it's just a more severe case of what I caught...possibly even from the same meal. Isn't it a little too coincidental for both foreigners to fall ill only a day apart? Very strange, either way.
I'll have some pictures up soon illustrating the view from my soon-to-be penthouse apartment for which I'll be paying $150/month. It's actually BRCT's guest house and in the same building as their offices. There are two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large kitchen and huge living area, and it shares the floor with BIHR's (Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights, BRCT's partner organization whom I'm officially working for) future office. The only thing is that it is still in the process of being renovated from the vacant space it once was. The landlord's been delaying the work so our first move-in date of September 10th quickly came and went. The next projected date is the 15th, but I doubt that they'll be able to install the windows, bathroom fixtures, necessary appliances and furniture by then. Cleaning the place will take an entire day as well. In the meantime I'll continue to pay the $15/night at my relatively comfortable hotel down the street where I get a free breakfast at their restaurant, a daily newspaper, a bed of adequate length, my own washroom (despite the cold shower), and TV with access to BBC World, HBO and a few international sports channels airing mostly cricket matches - all of which come in quite handy when one has to spend close to three days in bed.
Speaking of which, it's time to get some rest and try to eat something. Here's to hoping it will stay down where it belongs.
posted by Per at 6:07 a.m.
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