Everyone get your violins out because as the title of this posts suggests I am sick. I am not dying or anything although my nose may disagree with you, no I have your everyday common cold. I never used to think much of a cold or think it was that bad until now when I have none of the comforts of home to help. My nose is so blocked that I have lost my sense of smell (I think I am using up the world’s supply of tissues) and my throat keeps threatening to become a tunnel of razors every time I swallow (too much information?). Well anyway when all I want to do is lie in bed and do nothing, unfortunately I can’t. Firstly I have to go to classes which is not the worst thing and I can handle it, I just have to keep thinking I can get back to my bed soon.

When treating a cold at home it usually involves hot drink of honey,lemon and maybe a dispersion if it’s really bad but here that it not so easy. One my kitchen is down the corridor and I don’t have a kettle,so to get hot water I either have to boil it in a pan or pop it in the microwave which is what I have been doing as I don’t have time to wait for it to boil in the pan. Then I have to bring it all the way back to my room and when you have a cold believe me this seems like the longest walk ever. I also only have honey so I am relying on its magical (??) healing properties. Toast is another simple thing that can make life so much better, I don’t now why but for some reason that golden brown hot bread with a smearing of butter just makes everything seem okay. The only problem with this is that I don’t have a toaster and toast in the frying pan just doesn’t taste the same. Another great comfort food for a cold is a nice hot bowl of soup. I have had this and it was amazing but its just not the same as a nice ‘Super Value’ carrot and coriander or a tomato and basil soup from home. Also there is the whole walking to the kitchen to heat it up and then walking back that sort of makes it too much like work and tiring.

Finally the most important thing that is missing is the ‘Mammy Factor’. My Mam is wonderful and for some reason she just knows how to make everything better. Whether its bringing me a hot drink or making me soup , she just makes being sick so much easier. Even if she is just there to listen to my moans about being sick and my exaggerations of how ‘I feel like I’m going to die’ or ‘Why can I not smell anything?’, she just makes things seem better. This makes being sick on your own in a room in a foreign country feel so much worse.

I am feeling extremely sorry for myself right now and have probably exaggerated a little in this post but that’s all part of being sick. Right now I am going to watch my new favourite show White Collar (amazing!!!) on Netflix, eat some chocolate and feel sorry for myself then probably fall asleep by like 10 o’clock.
All sympathy is welcome.

Emma
xx