Parasites...

I've decided I now have a debilitating disease. When I got to this island it was a few weeks after the filariasis craze. Filariasis is a really big deal here so the government provides free medication and prevention to keep you safe. It is passed from mosquitoes, and places the larvae of parasites in your blood stream. I hear the commercials but everyone acts like I really don't need to take the pills because they will make you sick for a few days. Well I have decided that being sick for a few days sure beats elephantitis. I have been doing my research and have decided that I have some of the symptoms. Of course, the symptoms that I have (headache, fatigue, swollen feet) could also be from living in the most hellacious climate I've ever lived in, or from teaching five to seven year olds all day long. I am going to try to go ahead and get the pills tomorrow so that I can make sure that I don't have any pesky parasites in my bloodstream. Thank you mosquitoes.

Not a lot happened today besides school and Survivor. I did finally get my webcam up and working so I was able to chat with my aunt. I don't know who started the web cam calling phase, but I am very thankful that they did. Web cams are the wave of the future. (so if you don't have one...you need to get on board) The great thing is that you can see each other and hear each other while talking for free. Free is the icing on the cake. I get really excited about getting things for free that are so cool that I would even be willing to pay for it. That's when you know its a deal.

I received a compliment today that no one else realized was a compliment. I met a lady from New Zealand recently, and I thought that she was nice but didn't really think anything of meeting her. I found out today from another New Zealander that she told her that she had never met a Texan, but if she had to dream one up I would be it. Isn't that great? I have been living my life "do or die Texas" for good reason. I knew that I loved that state. I asked the lady who told me about it what made her think "oh, that must be a girl from Texas" and I was surprised by her response. Her initial thought was that I had an accent. I have been in the dark for at least 23 years, because I have always thought that I was accent free. Turns out...I'm not. But now that she said I have one my new philosophy on accents is "go big or go home". I have been trying to refrain myself from talking as country as I can. The other thing that tipped her off was (suprisingly enough) my teeth. She said that they were both white and in line. Correct me if I am wrong, but I've seen quite a few Texans with messed up "grills" and wouldn't hinge the mark of a Texan on teeth, plus to tell you the truth I don't have the greatest teeth ever. I would go so far to say that they are okay. They have served their purpose for the last 23 years of my life, but they aren't so great that I wouldn't be willing to get venners. I have always thought of both whiteness and relatively straitness as signs of good hygiene. I would have gone with more obvious sings of Texas heritage than teeth or accent if I were her. The fact that I wear one of my many t-shirts with the state of Texas on it once or twice a week should have been her first clue, but I guess to each their own...