Positive

    

    Scheiße.

    Well, the Rona finally got me.

    I managed to avoid it for so long that I was hoping to be one of the lucky ones who never catches it. At the very least, I wanted to be the last untouched member of my household, but that crown belongs to Mom. Congratulations Mom, you are the Sole Survivor of the Schneiders. Guess I'll have to settle for runner-up and maybe Sprint's Player of the Season.

    The physical symptoms are horrendous. My whole body is sore, even my bones. My head feels hot even though I don't have a fever. My nose is stuffed and my sinuses are dripping down onto my throat. I have a cough and my voice is weak and breathy. Worst of all is the headaches: whenever I change positions, like sit down, stand up, or simply roll over in bed, my head explodes in pain. In addition to all the medications, I'm constantly going through tissues, drinking hot tea, and sucking on cough drops. They are the only reasons my head feels okay enough to type this now.

    It sucks being alone, abroad, and sick. This week, I'm missing work, my first week of university classes, and my first choir rehearsal, and I had to cancel my upcoming trip to Berlin. More than before, I ruminate about home. I dreamt about being home the other night, about lying on the couch watching The Great British Baking Show with Dad, about petting Calvin, about just being with the people I love. It's hard, and being quarantined in a small apartment only exacerbates that.

    However, I've been pleasantly surprised by the outpouring of help and kindness I've received from my support system here. Upon hearing I was ill (before I tested positive), my two university buddies put together a goodie bag for me filled with tissues, tea, ibuprofen, a thermometer, and more. One of my partner teachers offered to pick up anything I needed from the grocery store. In addition to my requests for tissues and mandarin oranges (one of my favorite snacks), she also surprised me with Lebkuchen, delicious sugary ginger cookies traditionally eaten during Christmas time. One of my new friends, another American Fulbright Scholar in Erlangen, dropped off some snacks for me today, despite feeling a bit under the weather too. I've received messages from my fellow teachers and my friends here in Germany, which has comforted me and helps me feel less isolated.

    When I apologized for my illness and absences, my partner teacher reassured me, "Take your time getting better." She told me that there is no rush to return to work and that recovering is most important. I have experienced environments where I felt guilty taking even a single sick day, so it's nice to feel like my health is the priority.

    Even when we feel at our lowest, at our loneliest, at our sickest, people can be kind. I've been in Erlangen for less than two months and I've already found people who care about me.

    For now, I'll try to stay positive (heh heh) until I'm negative. Any words of encouragement, pictures of cats, or videos that made you laugh would be appreciated now. Thanks :)