Since joining Peace Corps, Tim and I do everything together. We eat all three meals together. We lesson plan together. We work on projects together. We socialize together. We travel together. And, apparently, we get sick together.
Two weeks ago, Tim and I woke up with what turned out to be dengue fever, a mosquito-borne illness that’s pretty widespread in these parts. We had muscle aches, sore eyes, nausea and neither of us could stay awake more than a few hours at a time. Although I’m not happy that Tim was sick too, the old saying rings true: misery loves company. We spent the better part of two weeks laid out in bed, groaning together, popping pills together, and feeling sorry for ourselves together. We eventually went into Phnom Penh on medical leave, and at that point, our routine changed just slightly, with us also watching bad TV together and ordering American food to our hotel room together. In fact, I think we may have broken a record for the most sub sandwiches eaten in a 6-day span.
The mosquitoes beat us despite our best defenses
We got cleared to go back to site and are definitely on the up-and-up, so no worries about us. I’m just happy I had someone to be sick with. Our lives have certainly never been as entangled as they are here in Cambodia. Now, Tim and I just need to make the transition back to productivity together. Good thing this weekend is a four-day weekend – the transition will be a slow one.
Katie
