I looked in the bathroom mirror this morning and noticed that the skin around my eyes looked like a bruised banana, and it dawned on me that I have been sick all week. Not dramatically ill, just some kind of low-grade infection. It explains the headaches and stomach problems I’ve been having and also the sore spot under my jaw and the constant fatigue. I hadn’t noticed. I thought I was just sad about R’s husband, and about Kir being away. And I am upset, especially about R’s husband, but I am also sick. It’s almost a relief to realize it – I am not lacking in motivation, I am ill. I’m going to work this weekend to make up for my lessened productivity at work.

Not realizing I was sick makes me feel like a bit on an idiot, though. I mean – I’m pale, my face broke out, I’m tired all the time, my scalp hurts, my stomach is weird, I’ve been having headaches, and my lips are chapped and peeling. How did I not figure out this was a physical problem and not an emotional one? My face even broke out in that specific way that means my immune system is struggling.

Jeni and Dorothy came over last night. Each of them called separately to invite herself over. It was nice. We lounged around the couch and talked. Dorothy brought chocolate. Odd, though, because Jeni and Dorothy don’t like each other all that much. So there was a lot of potential awkwardness that never quite broke through, but did lurk around making me nervous.

My office is right across the street from the botanical garden. From what I heard, it was really pretty in the Soviet era, but has been de-funded since then. One of these days I will go see what’s left of it.

I’m looking forward to spring flowers. It’s one of the reasons I wanted to get a car – so we could drive around outside the city and see the wildflowers. Poppies grow wild here, and tulips – the hills are just covered in red. It’s something I have wanted to see since I came to Central Asia.

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USAID is one of many donors for the project I work for. The views expressed herein are the author’s own views and do not necessarily reflect those of the author’s employer or especially those of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. And I mean it. I probably give the US government heart attacks.