I have a cough

I have recently wasted a great deal of time trying to upload videos on here. The long one didn't load, and the short one didn't load, and I'm honestly not even sure why I just tried another medium sized one (it wasn't 'just right'). Maybe I should just take a hint.

I have been kind of sick for about a week. Actually, a week ago, I wouldn't have admitted that I was sick. I just lost my voice. It was touch and go in the classroom, which is a lot of fun for me and even my students liked it! One class told me that my voice sounded, "cool," and they hope it stays like that forever.

I walked into anpther class and my students heard me talking and one immediately asked, "Did you eat too many hamburgers? or sing too much karaoke?" I also get advice from all of my students, and everyone I talk to actually. Everyone wants to help me get well. It's annoying though because it's all the same and it's all told to me as if I've never been sick and I'm sitting at home wondering what I can do to help myself.

Anyway, other funny things my students have said.... One boy was reading the text and he got to a part that said, "No...." He read it, "Noooooooooooooooooooo...." And looked up at me, as if I would let him know when he needed to stop. I thought it was funny so I never said anything about it (don't judge my teaching methods).

In that same class, I was trying to teach the group of 12-13 year olds to say my name correctly. I've had a few people call me, "heroine," so I wanted to nip that in the bud... (please read this, "buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuud). And I heard a few of the boys try to say my name and said, "Ca rót" instead, which is Vietnamese for carrot. They thought it was hysterical and laughed the entire class any time someone said, "Cô Ca Rót (Miss Carrot)." It made me feel a little like Anne of Green Gables.

And one last funny thing, which I don't think will come across as amusing in the written form (dang, I knew I should have caught him on video!), happened in another class of 12-13 year olds. I was playing Simon Says with this class of 11 girls and 2 boys. One of the boys has an almost unnaturally low voice and every time someone was caught doing the thing that Simon didn't say, he would announce that he didn't do it. "Didn't," he would say, though it sounded more like "Dnnt." Every single time, "Dnnt," and he would giggle like a girl each time.

This whole past week has been kind of funny, with my voice acting up and everything. I think I got more flowers on Women's Day because of it too! Below are flowers that I bought this morning; only the carnations, rose and flowers in the mug in front are from students. The rest I bought because I couldn't choose between the two, and when I asked the prices, I realized I didn't have to.

So, all this to say, now I've got a full blown cough. For a few days now. And-- I'm SICK OF COUGHING. I cough in my sleep and I dream about coughing. I'm out of cough drops, I've had about 72 cups of tea this week, lemon, salt water, blah blah everything except go to the hospital, which I'd like to put off (though it's the only thing my insurance covers, so if I'm going anywhere, that's where it would be).

The hospital is the last resort, but there is a 2nd to last resort. Something that I've never done here, and I've always dreaded. I have no reason to dread it I suppose... but I'm going crazy. I need a decent night's sleep; I'm at the end of my rope, I HAD TO DO IT!!

I went to a Vietnamese Pharmacy.

3 unlabeled (and colorful) pills in a little baggy. And I have 3 baggies. I received advice that I should take these today, 3 more tomorrow, and the last ones on Saturday and by then my cough should be "finished." I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little nervous about this. That's why I'm blogging. If I don't make it, I just want to say that I love you all and thanks for reading. Those of you who don't read regularly might just be too late this time.

I was told to take them early and with food. Then another friend of mine told me I should wait 2 hours after eating. And just now, someone advised me to take them right before bed and go to sleep after. All of the contradicting advice is just making the whole experience more thrilling.

I'm taking them now. Goodnight. This is Carolyn, signing off.