-“It’s the weather or change in
the weather as it has been especially hot.”
I, Erin, still am not use to the heat, so it always feels hot and to me doesn't seem
to change much, except the occasional rain which we haven’t seen in over a
week.
-“You shouldn’t take them out at
midday, didn’t you go out yesterday?”
Yes the boys and I went to an air-conditioned mini-mart at 11am. This is not a new activity for us. We usually go to the outdoor market
mid-morning as well, usually it is quite crowded at that time!
-“It is the boys’ fan; it blows
so hard every night.” To this I had to
reply, “They have been using that fan for almost two years now.”
-“Oh don’t give them fried
bananas, there is a lot of oil and it will just make their coughs worse, by
making their mucous thicker.”
Getting sick while living with a
family has provided a great deal of insight into their health beliefs. It has also been difficult to show them
appreciation when I don’t anticipate following their advice. Being from a western culture I know we rely a great deal on science and medicine. But as I try using terms like germs, viruses, and bacteria it does not communicate what I desire as these terms are not commonly used or seen as the sole cause of sickness. Then I think about trying to describe these unseen, by the naked eye, and very abstract things and realize I would not sound too different then they sound to me as they describe unseen 'forces' that effect people.
We managed the fevers with Tylenol and ibuprofen, and the overall sickness with rest, lots of fluids and vitamin C. I also found it difficult to explain, in another language, that the Tylenol and ibuprofen where both to manage symptoms, not actually solve the cause. These aren't even the most important truths, yet they are so difficult to explain in another language to people who don't start from the same foundation as us.
