February 13

What a weekend! On Saturday, as my friend and I were going for a walk from her house to my house, someone tried to steal her wallet, but luckily, I saw it and the two of us were able to prevent it! Success! I grabbed her arm, she tightened her grip, and I yelled "No, no no!" and the guy ran away! Woohoo! But I was still pretty shaken up, and when I walk here in Tana, I feel pretty skiddish and a little paranoid, which definitely isn't a good thing. So for now, in order to limit my exposure, it has been advised that I take cabs for a few days and try not to be walking around, just so that I have time to cope with and process the three things that have happened in the past week. But unfortunately, since this morning, I have realized that cabs can be a little sketchy as well, since my cab driver whispered in my ear that he loved me, after telling me that I was beautiful. At first I didn't understand what he was saying because he was talking in Malagasy, but then I figured it out, and when he told me he loved me, and honked as he drove away, I was definitely sketched out. Love is certainly a strong term that wouldn't be used in the US as a way of hitting on someone.

Then on Saturday night, we went out to a wonderful restaurant (which just so happened to be in a red light district of Tana, so the view from the car was an interesting one to say the least, on the way there). We went out for dinner and drinks as a group of students, and it was a great time, but I started to have a headache while we were out. Uh oh!

Then on Sunday, I started to get more sick. Stomach issues, head ache, etc. But I didn't feel like it would keep me from doing anything, so I went to a concert with my host mom, brothers, and friend, which was awesome! It was like an old school 1980s romantic sort of concert, with a Malagasy singer who has been performing now for 20 years! It was super crowded, so he was apparently quite popular. We were there for three hours, and left before it finished, so I don't know how much longer it was going to go on for. But then on the way home, I started to feel more and more sick, and ended up with a sick stomach, sore joints and muscles, head ache, and fever. I went to bed as soon as we got home, before dinner, and slept through the night until this morning. Today I still wasn't feeling well, so I've started taking antibiotics to help fix things and kill whatever is trying to attack my body, and as of this evening, I'm starting to finally feel better. I went to the doctor today and she was great. She was very helpful, and said to keep taking the antibiotics, and if my joints keep bothering me, to buy some sort of gel to put on them.

But for now, it's antibiotics, rest, and hydration! Speaking of which, I have to buy a few extra bottles of water on the way home because we have a cyclone headed our way that will hit tonight or tomorrow, and in case we lose power and can't go out to buy water, I need to stock up a little. But luckily, by the time it hits us here in the highlands, it will probably be downgraded to a tropical storm.

Well, that's it for the updates for now! I'm about to head home for the day. The question now is, taxi-be, taxi, or walking....all of which sound potentially threatening. Awesome.