Frustration

When I was in Taipei, I noticed so many people running around with masks. We were told that these people want to protect themselves from H1N1 infections. But at the airport we read that the danger of infection has decreased. Also in Oita, H1N1 seems to follow me. Everywhere people with masks. On the first day of university we were given a ten minute lecture about the dangers of H1N1 flu and how to prevent the spreading of this disease. Everywhere on campus, the first thing that you see when you enter a building are bottles with disinfection liquid. These bottles also follow you everywhere in the city, in department stores, at the train station, in restaurants,... It is ridiculous - we think that this flu fear is really exaggerated.



When I woke up Friday morning I was sick. Haha. I got panicky, went to the doctor, but he said it was just a normal cold. Phew, that was close! But still, I cannot describe the amount of frustration I feel. I have to say that since I am in Oita I feel frustrated most of the time. Until Friday we have had only two days where the sun was shining. It was constantly raining, the city is small, I feel helpless because I cannot read or speak Japanese, the evenings are mostly boring, I hated my dorm room at first, ... And now the weather is finally good (!), we were planning to make a weekend trip to Nagasaki, some people went to karaoke, there was an opportunity to listen to some live jazz in a Japanese sakaya, there is a festival downtown (like Honky Tonk in Paderborn), people of the Kaikan are hanging out in the lobby ... and I am sick! I have to stay in my room, because I feel tired and sick, have no appetite, and could just sleep all day.

If I were home I would not be so frustrated about my sickness. I would probably eat some soup, lay in bed, watch TV and just wait to get better. But here the buzz around me makes me really nervous about staying in my room. Actually I should not be distracted from what else is going on around me, but it is not easy, especially when it is only the second weekend in Japan and everybody else seems to enjoy themselves. Now that there is finally a chance of getting out of all that frustrating boredom that I feel in Oita I am confined to do nothing. Great. Right now I only feel even more frustrated.