Things have changed since Kazinga. I do not know exactly if it is because of that or because I got sick. So, yeah, I got water poisoning again. This time, I first thought it was food poison. A stronger pain paralyzed my belly last Sunday, just after lunch. I felt miserable until night. I had to wait to take my pills for pain, other wise I would have a difficult night of sleep. The guys were not back from Kampala yet. They just came Monday morning, and the first thing D. answered me, when I asked about how was it: “It was fun. A lot of fun.”
Monday morning I feel better but I cannot do anything because the boys sleep until late and haven’t really gave me anything to do. So, when me and D. finally start working, moving the bricks in front of the house, to make that area cleaner and then usable, I start to fell stomachache again. I try a few times but it is obvious that as soon I moved, the pain starts again. So I let it go and I really thought the guys would understand but then this weird thing happened. D. goes to talk with K., I do not know exactly why, but I hear they arguing about the volunteers, who D. defended, saying he sees a lot of accomplishment of our part. In the end, I think D. it was criticizing the fact that he invested his money in the project but now actually he is not get anything back. I will not go further in their financial problems but I have to say that I felt really bad about it because it happened exactly when I could not keep working, so definitely sounded as it was my fault.
They suggest I buy some fruits and cook my own food for two days, as D. did about four weeks ago, when he also got sick. In the evening, I asked him to come with me to the market. I get mangoes, avocados, tomatoes, pasta, bread and the tooth paste I needed. I cook pasta at night and even shared with D.
Next day I feel better and I even do some hard work, by watering the watermelons: we must bring water from a distance of around two hundred metres, to irrigate the watermelons. The thing is: each cane can irrigate just three planted area. How much do we have? At least thirty… by line. I manage to finish two lines.
Around five in the morning it happens again: the horrible pain, followed by the cold sweat. I woke up the guys but again, as back in Senegal, I regretted later. I barely explained what was going on and I felt so helpless. I mean, they basically just said I needed some air and everything it would be all right. What? I was dying in pain. I do feel better after going to the toilet though. Now I think I should’ve just kept to myself and never bothered telling the guys. They say something about getting a doctor but because I still have some medication with me, I just start taking them.
Next day, of course, I sleep until later. It would not make any sense getting up if I could not work at all. I feel rejected and avoided by the guys the whole day, which is completely ridiculous because I did not choose to get sick and almost die. It happened. What else could I have done?
I decide to take my risks and go to town alone to buy water. In the end, it works, with the prices and everything. I just almost get killed because the boda-boda it is “new” on business, or had just bought that motorbike, because he has no idea of how to use.
Back home, I did at least one more hour of watering. Do you think I got one single “Wow! Thank you, Lei, for doing all of that even one day after you almost died.” Of course not. D. do not even waited for me to go to N’hamamba.
I am trying to keep the good mood and keep doing my best to avoid any kind of disagreement. But the truth is I am very disappointed.
10 Years Around the World 