Verbal Abuse

It was never a realistic delusion that I would be able to write my verb phrase chapter in only one week... but two and a half weeks in to writing all about the verb and the various bits that attach themselves to it (tense, aspect, auxiliaries; all those things you learned or never learned in language classes school) and I'm beginning to feel there is no end in sight.

This isn't surprising - it's one of the most difficult chapters to write, and every exception needs to be accounted for. I've already got a massive list of things to ask about/check/check again for my next field trip.

It wouldn't be so bad, except that I know that when it's done and looks all shiney I'll wonder to myself how it ever seemed to messy and horrid and complected. Let this post stand as testament to how whiny and petulant I am being in this endeavor...

The Hole Truth

Today I went to visit my dentist for the first time since spending three months in Nepal bathing my teeth in sugar tea. I was so excited to find out that I have no cavities that I almost fell out of the chair.

A big hazzah for fluoridated water!

Slow Mail Month

Yesterday, my handsome Australian penpal received a letter from me that I sent a few weeks before leaving Nepal.

Most mail took 2-3 weeks to get to its destination, but this correspondence wandered around for two months before finishing its journey. It made me think how glad I am that we live in a world of telephones (and skype), instead of relying on letters alone.

No TB for me

Yesterday I got the results of my post-trip TB test, having spent the preceding 72 hours staring at the test site on my forearm waiting for a reaction ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantoux_test ).

Given that almost half of the population of Nepal has tuberculosis, and spitting is the second favourite national pass-time - pipped only by eatting daal and rice - I'm rather glad to not have a TB sized souvenir from the trip.