Getting closer...

Finally got the first visa applied for this week, which should take 10 or so business days to process, and then I'll be heading over for an initial visit for 3 or 4 days.  I guess they want to give me a chance to look around before I commit to an entire year, but I figure you'd look pretty bad saying no at this point, after all the work and money they've invested into sending me over there.  The airline ticket alone is $10,000 round trip (they send us Business class, thankfully).  

My biggest concern right now is staying healthy over there.  Little things you can take for granted here, like getting a drink of water, become something of a challenge.  The water in India is a mess. I'll be sticking to bottled water as much as possible, but I'm looking into some filtration solutions when I get over there.  For now I got this nifty bottle, which should help with the biological issues, at least.  The arsenic and lead, on the other hand, is another story.  

It's a real party over there

I've got one more round of vaccinations to go, so that will be done, at least.  They gave me a prescription anti-malarial pill to take every week, but after reading the side effects, I think I'll just skip it, and risk malaria.  I mean...seriously..how does a drug like this even get approved?

Mefloquine may cause serious side effects that include nervous system changes. Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had seizures. Your doctor may tell you not to take mefloquine. If you notice any of the following symptoms while taking this medication, call your doctor immediately: dizziness, a feeling that you or things around you are moving or spinning, ringing in the ears, and loss of balance. These symptoms may occur at any time while you are taking mefloquine and can last for months to years after the medication is stopped or can be permanent.

Mefloquine may cause serious mental health problems. Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had depression, anxiety, psychosis (difficulty thinking clearly, understanding reality, and communicating and behaving appropriately), schizophrenia (an illness that causes disturbed or unusual thinking, loss of interest in life, and strong or inappropriate emotions) or other mental health disorders. Also tell your doctor immediately if you develop the following symptoms while taking this medication: anxiety, feelings of mistrust towards others, hallucinations (seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist), depression, thoughts of suicide or harming yourself, restlessness, confusion, difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, or unusual behavior. These symptoms may occur at any time while you are taking mefloquine and can last for months to years after the medication is stopped.

 I guess the "unusual behavior" part wouldn't seem so out of the ordinary to most people that know me, but I don't think I'll amplify it with that drug, thank you.

I've had a great deal of fun lately watching the horror on people's faces when telling them about the bathroom situation in India.  People really have a hard time wrapping their heads around it.  This guy explains it better than I ever could:

Long story short, don't chew your fingernails.