I have been sick the past two days with a fever and some stomach issues. All I wanted to do yesterday was lay in bed and sleep. Which all my American roommates were happy to let me do, because its normal to want to be alone when you are a sick American.
But in a culture where families have multiple wives, ten to twelve kids is normal and everyone lives in a three room home until they are married (even if they are 40), loneliness is one of their greatest fears. It is a neighborhood duty to visit a sick friend and keep them company.
So yesterday, when I was sleeping and my fever was breaking, our house helper comes in a wakes me up and is trying to touch me. The last thing I want when waking up from a nap is to have someone try to touch me and speak to me in a language I know maybe 20 words in. She went away for a little bit so she could make me various cocktails for healing (a cold drink of lemon and garlic and a whole thermos of hot watered down orange juice), but then her cousin who came to visit her at work took it upon herself to keep me company. She sat with me and talked at me for a while, before commanding my roommate to sit with me before I got any worse.
Our house helper left me in her cousin's care, while she went to our neighbor to get me some entertainment. She comes back with our neighbor's wedding slide show and they all sit together while we watch it. This was not what I thought I needed. But they were convinced that if I was alone I would get worse and laughing was the best medicine (along with my thermos).
At least I know they love me.
