Adjusting

Getting used to the altitude and environment in Sana'a is not a trivial matter. S and I don't sleep well here, probably because of the thin air. I've had lucid dreams almost every night and S makes weird breathing noises when he sleeps; they get so bizarre and loud (like he's scared of something) that I have to wake him up.

This morning I got my first nosebleed in my entire life.

And a few weeks ago, I had a triple whammy infection (gastro-intestinal, bacterial and fungal) and the doctor sent me home with 6 types of meds that made me miserable for 10 days (water tasted funny, no appetite, gastric pain, headaches). On top of that I had to submit a stool sample!

So since coming here, I've been googling all sorts of physical ailments to see if these things are normal. Today I learned that nosebleeds are normal, unless you get more than 1 a week. Thank goodness for the internet. If not, I would have gone to the doctor (again) and looked like a hypochondriac in overdrive.

Living in Angola, I got my fair share of illnesses and infections, the best one being the company's Santa Barbara do in December 2005 - a few months after we'd arrived. Let's just say, it was a good thing there were 2 bathrooms in the flat and I'd rank it as the second worse case of food poisoning I've ever had (after Syria). Another first (and worst) was a really bad allergic reaction to some frozen prawns that I was cleaning for a dinner party; I had to take 3 different types of antihistamines and two injections in my butt each morning and afternoon for like 3 days. And those tablets were so strong, I was a zombie all week.

So, I told S, I don't think I could carry on with this nomadic lifestyle - it is physically and mentally draining. And the danger is that you may not realise that your body and mind are in distress. I think I was when we went home for Eid last month. A couple of times, when something was stressing me out, I felt myself starting to get a panic attack - also another first.

But (I think) I am ok now. I'm guessing part of it is living in countries (i) with extreme poverty and feeling guilty/helpless about it, (ii) where you feel pressured/restricted because you can't move freely, (iii) where you're on edge (civil unrest could erupt any time, anywhere), and (iv) where stuff you take for granted at home or elsewhere is just not that simple here (e.g. having to fill up the water tank every day, getting several power cuts each day, having to order drinking water, having to soak veggies in Micropur every time you cook, etc. on top of not speaking the local language etc.).

Having said that, we're well taken care of here, but all the same, I think it does affect you and can grind you down.

Above: I took this picture a few days ago and just realised that my clock (wrongly) showed Friday the 13th.