Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Sick of being sick

Last weekend our Chinese New Year celebration with friends was canceled because my friend's husband and kid fell sick (flu and cold). I have heard that many people fall sick this winter, the viruses are everywhere!

Well, we have been sick too, actually since the beginning of winter. Aelig had fever before Christmas holiday, I got serious runny nose during Christmas vacation, hubby stayed home several days due to digestion problems. I started having runny nose again during our ski vacation, and it got worsen and two weeks later I still need to blow my nose every 30 minutes. And now hubby is down again with ear infection.

Looking at Aelig's health book record she didn't get sick last winter. So, we are being attached by viruses due to two changes:

1. Aelig goes to school and brings back plenty of viruses every day. Every morning she has to kiss her teachers (imagine 25 kids kissing the same teachers), interact with her classmates, all these increase the circulation of viruses and contamination.

2. I moved to an open space. Now instead of greeting two coworkers, I have to greet (air kiss, shake hands) 20++ people per day.

I seriously urge the French government to discourage people doing air kissing and hand shaking during the viruses outbreak. When I'm sick I refuse to kiss / shake hands. Hubby said he feels that the Malaysians are cold, they don't have physical contact when they greet. Well I actually miss the little head nod in the morning, that sure prevents virus transmission! I don't remember that we have a season that everyone is falling sick back home. I feel surprise that winter sickness affects so many people here. Almost every week we have a coworker on sick leave, or who's who's kid is having stomach flu...

So sick of getting sick.

3 comments:

  1. Urgh I'm tired of being sick myself, although I don't faire la bise with my colleagues at all and I have no kids! So not sure why I'm constantly being bombarded this winter... Similar case with another close friend.

    On the other hand, F told me he hasn't been sick as much since we live together - it's like I've taken over his illness quota because I used to not be sick at all!

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  2. How do you manage to avoid faire la bise with your colleagues, tell me tell me!

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  3. We simply don't do it here. Maybe because we're all awkward scientists? :P (That's not just - but basically, we all keep relatively varied hours so we don't arrive/leave at more or less the same time, so the tradition of faire la bise doesn't stick)

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