The blog has been on hold for a bit because I've been dealing with a couple of minor medical maladies and a lot of work. A cyst on my back ruptured (kind of like volcano Misti), which allowed me to sample the local clinic for treatment. For S/.10 ($4), Dr. Ortho at Espiritu Santo clinic checked me out and prescribed 10 days worth of antibiotics, which more or less did the trick. The cyst is back to its old solid self. Total bill: $16. Not bad. The only negative was when the doctor coughed on my back while checking me out. Oops.
Once recovered from the cyst I got mixed up with some kind of food poisoning. My stomach bloated like a beach ball and the pain was impressive. In fact, the stomach pain wouldn't let me stand up straight so I had to miss two days of work. That's two days of no pay, so that sucks. I haven't eaten for three days, but my stomach is still a little puffy. Guess I'll never have six-pack abs. I'm getting better, though, and will return to work Monday. I really hate missing work, and not just because of the money. I enjoy the students so much that I look forward to work. It's nice when you really like your job.
I've been trying my hand at a little Peruvian cooking (I don't think that's what made me ill -- really). Making some soups with mixed vegetables, ahi colorado (a kind of hot sauce), chicken or meat. It's pretty easy and quick, and the ahi colorado gives the soup a good flavor.
Speaking of flavor, I was teaching vocabulary to my 5 p.m. class, and we were talking about tastes and flavors. Hearing the word flavor, one of my students (she knows who she is) starts singing out flavor-Flav, flavor-Flav. It's nice to see the best of American culture is reaching Peru.
I'm still dealing with the short-change change issue. Bought a sandwich for S/.4, gave the woman S/.20 and got S/.6 in change. I could chalk that up to an honest mistake, except the woman complained to me about the 20 I gave her, asking if I had anything smaller. Same sort of nonsense at a couple of the little shops. My buddy at the corner store never tries to trick me, but when the other shops see the pasty gringo, they give the short-change trick a try. I always have them lay the change in my open palm so we can both see how much money is changing hands.
My son Jack is coming in about 10 days. We're meeting in Cusco, where we'll tour the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, and any other sites we can get to in our four days there. Can't wait to see him. I'm at that point in my stay here when I'm really missing family and friends back home. I'm taking December off, and may travel, or chill, or whatever. Return to work in January, and deciding what to do next -- again -- just like the last time I was here.
