Strikes, Sickness, and Some other word that begins with S for alliteration's sake...

I am beginning to write this blog at 5:46, precisely one minute after my 5:45 ESL class is supposed to begin. However, the language institute is not bustling with Peruvians scurrying to their various classrooms and conversation groups. Why? Because today, October 17th, the transportation drivers decided to hold a one-day strike.

No transportation=No Students=No Classes=Happy Gillian.

Ok, Ok, the transportation strike in general is probably a negative thing; but because we all have selfishness issues, I was thankful for this today. Working on the mission field often means that you do not have a 8-5 job and the weekends off. Many times, I feel like we work in three and a half week cycles and then have 5 days off. Sort of like a five day weekends...that occurs once a month and takes the place of the rest of your weekend. But I do love it, I couldn't picture myself anywhere else right now.

In other news, I am currently sick. Those that know me know that usually being sick is a silly little thing that slows me down a bit, but I ignore it until I feels better. Unfortunately, I've had this pretty persistent cough that eventually, as I found out yesterday at the clinica, has turned into a bacteria, thus requiring me to get antibiotics.

I actually was pretty stubborn about not going to the doctor, thinking that I surely could kick this thing with plenty of green tea and as many home remedies as I could try. Peruvians are awesome for knowing home remedies to get rid of the cough, including such favorites as drinking tea with honey and cayenne pepper, gargling water and a slice of ginger root in your mouth for a few minutes and this next one, that I sort of regret.

I went to a little market in Peru and found a vendor that had all sorts of honey. The honey here is amazingly good because it's all fresh, so I was pretty excited when the vendor told me about this product called Bronco Miel (Bronchitis Honey). It's a jar of honey that supposedly gets rid of what ails ye with only 1 teaspoon, three times a day. I was personally excited to learn that honey is a natural expectorant, so I quickly bought the jar for a mere 8 soles (roughly $2.50) and went on my merry way. After I returned home, I grabbed my little teaspoon, ready to enjoy a delicious spoonful of honey, but before I did, I decided to take a whiff of how awesome this honey smelled. I put my nose to the jar and inhaled deeply. Then jerked back wondering how and why a seriously offensive odor creeped into the Old Factory. Surely this rancid scent could not be my newly purchased honey?!

Then I turned the jar over and read the back: (Translated from Spanish)
Recommended for coughs, it serves to cure asthma, and facilitate the secretion of phlegm. This formula is processed with honey, eucalyptis, and garlic.

Yep. That'll do it.