failed immune systems and time warps.

the most recent adventures have unfortunately led me through a brief stint in the hospital here, for a case of food poisoning and a bacterial infection. poor stomach and intestines really. luckily, my roommate ja and three friends i've made while here, accompanied me through the ordeal. admission was quite a process as was communication but all worked out reasonably well and after an inconceivable number of hours i made my way to a bed accommodating my full length. quite a feat really, i've never felt like more of a jolly green. then after many more hours, every medication in existence, and bags of iv fluid later i talked my way into discharge. now safely at home and in my own bed i'm on a continued assortment of  medicines and a course of antibiotics, that i envision as small warriors defeating the tiny thai bugs inhabiting my insides. all in all it was quite an experience and allowed me to live for a short time in the open-air hospital portrayed in every vietnam war movie created, where the hero either dies or emerges unscathed. i'm happily playing the part of the latter. unfortunately though due to my immune system failings i was unable to leave with the rest of the international students on monday for our village home stay at mae chaem, but will be meeting up with the group tomorrow, wednesday. instead my friend shannon and i have been taking a day of much needed rest and wandering through the city. we have stumbled upon an area of the city, inhabited by a population of crunchy granola yoga types and  vegetarian hole in the walls with delicious veggie burgers, a much needed find due to my recent digestive upset. basically, i've found my home away from home in chiang mai. otherwise there hasn't been too much aside from a nightly display of fireworks for the chinese new year, and my recent fascination with the thai weather channel. it seems to be solidifying my distance from the known lands of the eastern seaboard  knowing that now my cold fronts come from china. this is entirely okay though as cold fronts only drop the temperature to a breezy 78 during the day, and the sun seemingly never ceases to shine.