Senegal part 6

I started feeling quite sick during the days. Cramping, lightheadedness and weakness told me I either a) had food poisoning or b) had malaria.

I guessed it was probably food poisoning as I had yet to get a mosquito bite.

I started decreasing the amount of food I was eating as we were given literal feasts at every meal. Jerri told me that this was not normal and most people did not eat like this on a daily basis. Rich sauces with oil slicks glistening on top. Couscous and various grains. Thick, greasy slabs of meat. Marinated potatoes and carrots. No desserts.

I tried to eat moderately but it was hard since each mealtime ended up like a festival. Many of the participants were Muslims practicing Ramadan and could not eat during daylight. The rest of us were starving when we were finally served. To the point where Jerri almost passed out the final day.

Strangely, the food wasn't especially special. Most meals included a grain, whether couscousm pasta or rice with a meat and oil sauce with marinated vegetables or a salad on the side. We were served fish one evening with fresh grilled vegetables and that was the best meal of the week. Especially since they used a big tomato and lemons for the eyes.

Our last night, we had mutton. We in North America are used to foods hiding where they came from. It's hard to link a pink chicken breast to a feathered clucker. Beef comes from a beef tree, not placid cows. This mutton really was mutton. I have never before stared into dead sheep eye sockets before. The participants reached into the carcass to tear off bits of meat. It was delcious.

Anyways, all the oil I was consuming was giving me the runs. I only drank bottled water, but I was experiencing severe cramping and stomach problems. I would be huddled in the bathroom for half an hour at a time. I figured it was food poisoning, my poor body not used to the foreign ways of cooking. Sadly, this was not the case, and it was only the beginning.