Friday, April 6, 2012

Trent battles with a freezer... its a draw.

So this is a special update to keep you informed about the various hilarious ways that Africa likes to cause me pain/ tries to kill me.

So last night I am going to the shop that is near my house and I am trying to buy some ice. I say " ye zaabre" (Good Evening) to Assami (my friend and shop owner) and ask him if he has any ice. He apologizes and says no. I ask him if he at least has some bissap that is starting to turn into ice (or bien forme). He tells me that I have to look. There is a little girl who is near me and tells me that there might be some in the back.

I touch the first one and it is not that icy so I reach into the back and grab one back there... at this point I start to get electrocuted. Now, when I say electrocuted, I mean really electrocuted. This is not like the times when I have been shocked at my house by various electronic devices.

My body tenses and I am not able to move and I stiffen. I don't think I screamed because my mouth was tensed shut. I got electrocuted and couldn't move for about 5 seconds and the other people around me start screaming and Assami runs to turn off the power. I fall face first into the upright fridge and take out about 4 shelves of bissap/ zoom koom/ other various drinks and fall to the ground covered in said sugary drinks of various colors.

Two Burkinabe men carry me to a bench and start talking to me. I was impressed that after being shocked that I could still talk to them in French. They tell me I need to go to the hospital (across the street, literally). I tell them no and call my PCMO. The PCMO asks me to look out for electrical burns and stuff, but if I am not burnt... I'll live. I had the shakes for a good 10 mins afterward and felt like I ran 5K... at least I am assuming that is what my legs felt like, lord knows; I have never ran a 5K and have no plans of doing so in the future. I would also be worried about brain damage, but even if it was there... I doubt too many people would notice.

I feel fine now and the PCMO even called me later that night to make sure I was ok. I know that I am integrated because I just kept thinking, I need to go down and show everyone that I am alright; or they will think that Assami tried to kill the Nasaara. So everyone saw that I was alright and people feel better. They are going to get an electrician to look at the freezer.

The PCMO told me that I should write a book. That is bad coming from someone who has been doing medical work for over 20 years. What can I say... I'm my dad's son. We get hurt in hilarious ways that continue to amuse people for years to come.

Also it was fun because I got visited by 3 different groups of people this morning all making sure that I was ok. It goes to reassure me that I am integrated and they don't want me to die.

So the freezer electrocuted me and covered me in sugary colored drink, but I took out 4 of its shelves... I consider it a draw.

3 comments:

  1. I love you Trent. please be careful for a few more weeks and get home safe. Get well and stay well.

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  2. You really should write a book! You know what they say "that which does not kill you makes you stronger".. you'll be a freaking Hercules by the time you get home. Take care; love you.

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  3. Hi trent! We were just talking on Omegle. I'm the one teaching in China. It was great talking to you and I'm looking forward to working my way through your blog. In case you want to read my blog or get in touch, I'm at furtherbulletins.wordpress.com.

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