Monday took an unexpected turn. The night before, I (Mehek) started feeling a bit under the weather, likely due to all the weekend adventures and the exotic foods we tried. A visit to the ER confirmed it was a viral infection, and I was advised to rest at home. Unfortunately, this meant I couldn't spend my last day volunteering at the hospital, as I had planned to leave on Tuesday.
Grace, although not sick, had to take a day off too. Since we’d been in close contact, she needed to wait for the doctor’s clearance before returning to the hospital. This precaution was crucial because the children we work with have very fragile immune systems due to their treatments, and we didn’t want to risk passing anything on to them. It was a disappointing day, but these are the kinds of realities you have to prepare for when travelling. I stayed in the hotel room, getting ready for my departure the next day, while Grace moved in with her cousin to avoid close contact.
Since I (Grace) wasn’t sick, I decided to explore a bit of the city. On Tuesday, I visited the Carbon Market in downtown Cebu, where you can find everything from fish and fruit to furniture. The market was a whirlwind of activity, and at one point, I spotted a massive rat scurrying around one of the meat stands. That sight convinced me to swear off any meat from the market! On the bright side, I did pick up some new tropical fruits I’d never tried before, like mangosteen, and a few handmade souvenirs from local artisans. Tuesday evening, I got a call from the Kythe Foundation letting me know that the doctor had given me the all-clear to return to the hospital on Wednesday.
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