Written by: Martine Cardichon | Fall 2022
ISEP Exchange in France – Institut National des Sciences Appliquees de Lyon
If I could characterize this semester with one song it would be “Down With The Sickness” by Disturbed. Ironically, even as I write this blog, I’m fighting a weird mix of congestion and sinus pain. My semester in Lyon has been a life changing experience and I wouldn’t trade it for the world but to say that it was a nice and easy experience would be a flat out lie.
Anxiety
The realization of being in France did not hit me until I had to order something from Charles de Gaulles airport in French (I could’ve easily asked in English but my pride told me otherwise). The newfound self confidence I had from my Duolingo streak had evaporated so quickly. This was the first part of my “sickness journey” if you will. My pisces self being particularly prone to anxiety was even embarrassed to speak the minimal french. The fear of being sneered at (even though most Lyonnais, people from Lyon, would appreciate the attempt) was too great. This fear slightly intensified after my mother and sister left for home after they helped me get settled at INSA. I felt too shy or awkward to speak to the other international or French students even though most of them were in the same boat I was in. When summer school began and I started to recognize some faces, I began to ease up. I organized my room and bought groceries. I felt that trying to adopt habits similar to what it would be at home. There was a sense of normalcy up until I got sick for the first time.
First Real Illness
It started out as a mild, seemingly innocent cough (one that seemed to spread among some of the summer school students). Thinking it was my asthma, I thought nothing of it until I found myself shivering whilst it was nearly 27 celsius (about 80 degrees Fahrenheit) outside.
Rummaging through my luggage I realized that I had forgotten my blessed Dayquil. I began to look for the French equivalent of Dayquil and headed to the pharmacy. Once I reached there I was perplexed to see that there were few meds like cold medicine, so I just grabbed the vicks and some cough drops. In France, most medicine is not available over the counter and requires a pharmacist’s assistance. I finally was able to get my hands on some Humex (French Dayquil) and with a little sleep I was able to bounce back.
Homesickness and the Second Mystery Illness 😢
As the summer came to a close, the homesickness and loss of comfortability I was feeling began to remedy itself. However at the start of the school semester, homesickness reared its ugly head in the strangest form, my appetite. As a connoisseur of all things spicy, the lack of spicy in most French restaurants and at school was killing me. At a certain point I began to skip lunch because the food made me sad. One of the ways I was able to connect with Haitian heritage and with my family was through my parents’ cooking. The lack of goya and maggi cubes really cemented the fact that I was in a foreign country all by myself for the first time. Also I just really missed the familiarity of home. It was a lot harder navigating myself in France. I tried everything, buying various hot sauces, making my own food but nothing really helped. This homesickness began to translate into a physical illness soon after. Thinking that I could handle my sickness with a little bit of sleep, I took the day off and let my body rest. The next day I woke up feeling worse than before. I was coughing up phlegm so hard my back hurt. Soon I could not keep anything down and barely left my room. It felt like my bed and I were becoming one sluggish entity. A sense of panic set in because I was gravely ill in a non-English speaking country. It didn’t help when I called my parents and they seemed just as worried as I did. By the next Monday, slowly but surely, I made it to the Emergency Room (urgent care isn’t really a thing in France). By this time, I hadn’t eaten or drank anything substantial since the previous Thursday. In all honesty, as grateful as I was for it, my ER experience was frightening. I was too overwhelmed to explain in French that I had international insurance and I could barely explain my symptoms. Luckily some of the staff spoke English so I was able to more accurately explain my pain. After four grueling hours of being poked and prodded, I was released with a prescription for antibiotics. Slowly but surely I began to recover.
Conclusion
To say that my second time being sick would be an understatement. It was terrifying but I was never truly alone. It taught me that I should not be afraid or ashamed to ask for help. When my friends found out I was sick, they offered me help, my one friend even bought two bottles of cranberry juice and continually checked up on me. Being sick physically or mentally can be scary but you’re not alone. There are so many others who are in the same boat or care about your well-being. Don’t be afraid to express your feelings or concerns. It can really help alleviate whatever pain you’re feeling.