Things Fall Apart...

is one of my favorite books. And like many things, people, too, also fall apart. I did earlier this week, becoming violently ill about an hour after landing in Cape Town from my mid-semester break travels across southern Africa. The last couple of weeks have been quite adventurous (to make an understatement) and I could write for hours on end about the things I have seen, have experienced. Now Thursday evening, I have been confined (still sick) to my bedroom for three days, and have come up with what I want to write about my trip. So I'll just throw out several posts about each trip within the trip: the safari in Kruger Park, biking in the township of Soweto, driving and backpacking through the countries of Swaziland and Mozambique. So brace yourself for some exciting (edited/watered down for my parents' sakes, they worry) tales from this side of the world. 

Concerning my health: I fell sick Monday evening, waking up by terrifying hallucinations. I spent the rest of the night in the bathroom, seemingly clearing my entire insides of everything but my organs, which I swore I'd lose by the morning. I have gone this far without feeling homesick, but during those hours I wished myself back to Chicago, to St. Louis. I wanted to be with my friends, and really with my mom. I didn't feel twenty-one, and if I did, I still felt it okay to want nothing more than to be with my mom. Being sick has that effect on me. The next day my friends

drove me to the physician and had to practically carry me in. I was treated with two shots and two prescriptions (South African wonder drugs, I swear). I also tested negative for malaria; the areas I traveled through are malaria areas. I also broke my pinky toe getting out of bed. You'd be surprised how much it hurts to break such a little toe. Days later, the hallucinations and vomiting have ceased. I am still weak and in a little bit of pain but am feeling much better, thanks to my friends here. They have taken such great care of me and made me feel okay about missing home. I spent a lot of my internet credits making international calls all week so I want to thank everyone back home for your comforting messages and emails. It made a world of difference, so thank you thank you. 

All of that aside, here comes the cornucopia of posts detailing my latest adventures.