Illin'

If someone met me for the first time today, they would think that my favorite hobby were sneezing. I was keeping count for a while because I really never sneeze much, but at around 15 or so I got bored of the game, and that was in the morning. I took a little power-nap after work and when I woke up, I had four sneezes.

And even though all day I was swearing I wouldn't, after that, I caved: I bought allergy medicine.

And let me tell you, it is not an easy feat. Buying nearly anything in Prague is scary for me, because there's always the fear that they won't speak English. Something like the grocery store is easy. Everything has a bar code, I just look at the price on the register and I hand over the money. I can say "Hello" and "Thank you" so I'm good to go.

But a pharmacy? Asking for allergy medication? Asking which one is the best one to get, and trying to say that I'm allergic to springtime in Czech? No way, Jose.

But after how cloggy my head feels and how tickly my nose feels (constantly, hence all the sneezing), I had to brave it. I went to the pharmacy and waited in line patiently, after a brief look around the shop in hopes that I could just find the box myself. The signs at the top saying which line you should be in were all in Czech, so I just picked the shortest one.

"Dobrý den!"
"Dobrý den... do you speak English?"
"Next line!"
"Next line for English?"
"Ano!"
"Wait...máte...allergy medication?" (I learned "Do you have" from Jose one day.. unfortunately I didn't know 'allergy medication' in Czech).
"Ano! Next line!"

So I went over to the longer line. I was debating just leaving, but imagining the disgrace I'd feel having to walk out of the store empty-handed, sneezing, and puffy-eyed kept me locked in place. I had to try.

"Dobrý den!" Uh oh. That was how it started last time.
"Dobrý den...do you speak English?"
"Yes, I do." (omgomgomgomz!!!1!111!!)
"Oh, great - I need some allergy medication."
"What is your allergy?"
"Umm...maybe pollen? The air?"
"Spring?"
"YES, spring!"
"7 days or 20 days?"
"I guess...7 days?"
"Moment!"

She disappeared and came back with a box of Zyrtec. The name was familiar enough, but the box was all in Czech.

"One pill a day?"
"Yes! 105 Kc."

And that was that. After that I went to Tesco to treat myself to a Coke, a box of Kleenex with lotion (since my nose is raw from the wax-paper I've been using until now - damn the extra 20 Kc!), and once I was at the checkout line, a dark chocolate bar with pecans (I'm weak).

I left after that and ran into Francisco from work. We had a nice albeit short chat, I picked up some quick dinner sebou and watched an episode of Ugly Betty.

Despite the tickle in my nose, I am feeling pret-ty good right now. :) And come tomorrow, I will be going home in ONE WEEK!!

But don't worry, Palestina en Praga isn't ending there...