And then there were three . . .

The cold was not a cold. It was a very mean Indian flu that has swept through our group at alarming speed. Everyone has been losing fluids through ever possible orifice rather violently. The good news is that once that stage is over, you are on your way to being well. Three out of the sixteen people on our trip have not contracted this virus. We are also considering the possibility that these three plotted to poison the rest of us. :)

I have made it into the final phase now where I am just trying to rehydrate and replenish the energy I have lost. Today, I am returning to classes, and I hope to lead a poetry discussion without passing out.

While I was in denial about the true nature of the illness, I drugged myself up on Saturday and went with the group who was still standing to buy books for the library of the nearby village school. This was an amazing experience. If you remember correctly, I was raising money for this a while back. We went to the Indian equivalent of a Barnes and Noble, and purchased what would have surely cost over $1,000 in the U.S. for a mere $320. There is still quite a bit of money left from the fundraising, so the people here will buy more books for the library and sports equipment for the village school. To clarify, this is not the school I am visiting, but a nearby village school that Sreenidhi International School helps out. The kids here go and have sports with them once a week. The people here are so excited about the $2,200 that our kids and teachers raised for that school that they are having the local media out to cover the delivery of the books. It's interesting what makes the news here.

Time for Monday morning assembly, so I'll be signing off now. Here's to a healthy final week.