So thankfully, my fever finally broke, the body aches have slowly gone away, and so has the headache. The cough has not though. I think I’ve given up on cough syrup though. We’ll see.
Jon and I were able to return to class the next day like I’d hoped. The professor was sympathetic, and concerned that I was sick. A change from what you get from your teachers at home. Jon and I only walked far enough to get something to eat, and then again with Jerome to see if we could resolve our no Internet problem. Turned out to be a bad router. He replaced it, Jon installed it today, and voila! Interwebs. Thank goodness.
So, since I don’t have much to share from the past couple days, I’d just like to share some things I forgot to share in previous posts.
1. They are very blind-friendly in France.
When was the last time you picked up your box of cough drops, or tea, and braille was on the package? I could probably say that I have only seen braille on a box of bandaids before, and only once. I see it on a lot here. Its really kind of neat.
2. Doctors make house calls.
So, unfortunately, I think Nicolas caught what I had. Hopefully its just a coincidence, he’s definitely still running around with as much energy as ever, but regardless. After dinner last night, the doctor came over, usually only a luxury for those willing to pay the large fine in the US. Though I don’t believe the doctor came over for free, I do believe it was for a very small fine. One of the benefits of free health care? He came over, looked over Nicolas, gave his parents a list of things to get from the pharmacy, all well past 8PM. House calls are whats expected from doctors in France, and probably most of Europe, maybe similar to the western medical ethics we’re familiar with? Who knows.
3. Watch where you step.
No, I haven’t stepped in dog doo yet, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t had the chance. Yuck. The Swedish girl (Zandra) in our class has a dog, and our professor was at first teasing her, upset that there are too many dogs in France! Sandra assured the professor that unlike everyone in Nice, she picks up after her dog. Basically, they think they’re too good to pick up dog doo. I guess a few stereotypes remain true.
4. The bums are not at all different here than they are in the US.
Yes. They beg, plead, hold out cups for you to throw your spare change in, they’re loud, often drunk, and whenever they have a dog or another pet with them, they sure as ever make them look sad and hungry to get more pity out of you. Now, I don’t remember all of the bums in Sevilla, Spain, but I remember some, and they’re similar to the ones Jon encountered in Prague last Spring. In Prague, they do not beg, or anything. They don’t even look you in the eye. I remember this specifically from Spain. They kneel down on the ground, put there head on the knees, and hold their hands out, cupped in front of them. They do this because they’re ashamed. Now, I don’t know about you, but I would be considerably more likely to help this sort of bum than the one who yells at me.
Jon looked over and told me I was writing a book. We’re hoping to make it to the harbour today, so I could probably be on my way.
Parlez Lentement. 