Joke's on Me!

I thought I was just being cute and witty with the description of my blog (see above). I was tucked safely away in my little cubicle that overlooks the Red's stadium before I left, trying to think of something clever to capture your attention, so you would add me to your favorites, and read everyday. Oh and I wanted to gross you out a little too. Turn's out, you really are enjoying all this at my expense. Let me explain:

Diahrrea. This one's for real folks. I couldn't make this up. Karen Ramos from UC International warned me of this before I left, even told me to go to the doctor and get a prescription for it before I left. I traveled to Europe last year, diahrrea-free, for 6 weeks. Naturally, as I do most UC faculty, I blew her off. Wow am I paying for that now. I've been bed-ridden for nearly 48 hours and all I can hear is my stomach making the oddest gurgling noises. My stomach likes the breast of a chicken, not the butt of a duck or something.

Language Barrier. I thought I had a pretty good grasp of the "Spanish Language". As defined by the American education system I would have a 4.0. Riiiight. I'm staying in a flat/hostel/apartment until I find a place to call home for 5 months. As I call on rooms for rent I have to speak to them in Spanish. If I can manage to get past that stage and set up a time to look at the room, I go and they explain everything about the apartment in Spanish. I'm really fluent in two phrases: "Como?" "What did you say?" or "Repita por favor" "Please repeat everything you just said." The search for a room and a set of friends continues...