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The Inevitable

Marta Armour Arcadia in Granada, Spain

Date

October 23, 2017
Image

You can’t escape it. You know it’s going to happen at least once or maybe even a dozen times while you’re abroad. You will get sick. But you’ll be ok, I promise.

This blog is a bit late because I got sick. Really sick, I was uncomfortably hot in temperatures that weren’t even that hot. I was extremely tired to the point that it felt like orientation week all over again. It was awful. I was so uncomfortable and in my favorite classes I could barely keep my eyes open. My poor host mom got so concerned when I didn’t eat anything at all for breakfast or lunch.

What was worse was that I previously planned a trip to Paris. Which I ended up having to cancel. Yes, I cancelled a trip to Paris. Health is a million times more important than a trip. Always. It was a long trip too. I would have had to wake up and get a taxi to a bus to a flight and then a taxi to the AirBnb. I barely had enough strength to walk to class sometimes. I had stopped taking afternoon naps once orientation was over but I would sleep every chance I got that week.

Your trip can wait. You need to take care of yourself first. I normally hate tea, honey, and a lot of times eating soup. But my amazing host mom made me tea 4 times a day with honey, made sure I drank lots of water. She understood that I wasn’t being anti-social out of rudeness but exhaustion. I am so thankful for her help and how she went out of her way to make soup for lunch and dinner until I got better.

If you’re abroad, chances are that you will get sick. If you’re in a home stay or living in student apartments, please make sure you take care of yourself first.