Sick in Jo'burg

I'm sitting in the study of the old 1916 mansion of my host family in Johannesburg, accompanied by Phoebe, the talkative 5-year-old granddaughter of Beth, my host mother. I'm left at 'home,' ill today, missing out on Constitution Hill Museum and the Supreme Court in the morning, and a walking tour of downtown Jo'burg this afternoon (which surely I'd be too weak to do anyhow). Also, disappointingly, I'm missing the tour of Soweto, the country's largest township, consisting of poor blacks and slum-like conditions. Finally, I've also missed out on the tour of the new 2010 World Cup Stadium. :( Anyhow, it is raining and thundering out again now. The weather has been so apt to change with the snap of one's fingers.

Last night was a most turbulent, sleepless night, tossing and turning amidst the pounding of the thunder and flashing of lightning outside, accompanied by similar thumping and thudding inside my head! This morning, Beth took me in to see a doctor, who diagnosed me with just a viral flu (Symptoms include: sore throat, inflamed lymph nodes, fluid in ears, congestion in head, and a significantly-elevated body temperature. I've been running a fever for the last day.). It cost me $45 for the appointment, and I was instructed to just continue taking something that will keep my fever down and aid with the symptoms.

I sorely regret, to say the least, that I am stuck ill in this mansion of a house today- sore, unrested, and miserable, with noises of the maid cleaning, gardener snipping, men doing construction and woodwork painting & upkeep on this old 1916 house, and the driveway car-alert bell that buzzes loudly whenever something triggers its ringer (it's near to the road, so sometimes passing traffic will trigger it, and not just those who actually enter the driveway). At least Phoebe is here to brighten things up a bit; Tuesdays and Thursdays are the days that Beth takes her grandchildren for her daughters. I now have time to catch up on some journaling for school (when I'm not attempting to sleep, that is).

But being here this afternoon is interesting, as I've had the opportunity to observe Beth interacting with two of her grandchildren. They talk with such cute little South African accents. The word choice of the British English is so different from our undignified American slang. "You've given me such a fright just now, Grannie!" Phoebe just shrieked. Haha.

Anyway, I'm off to fetch my lunch now. Keep up my strength, even though I haven't the appetite.