It’s been a while since my last blog, but it’s definitely been for good reason. My first month here in Manica almost came to a perfect close. We had gone to two games with the club, and with every day that passes we became closer and closer with the team and people at the club. Also the coaching sessions were going great. I was really getting use to life out here and I was liking it more and more each day.
The one thing that threw a major curve ball in my month and also in my life is that I got malaria. Don’t freak out! The worst is already behind me. It first hit me on Tuesday in the morning. My stomach wasn’t feeling too well, but I didn’t think too much of it. I thought I may have had a bug because a couple of the guys here had it, so I wasn’t bothered by it. As the day went on I got worse and worse. Pingy the head coach at Desportivo took me to the hospital during the day where the results for malaria came back negative.
The next day was the worst day I literally couldn’t eat anything at all, and had zero energy and just laid around all day. They figured out quickly that I did have malaria. The nights were so hellish. On the third day I felt much better, but the next day I would have to travel to Zimbabwe because of visa issues. That’s the last thing I wanted to do the way I was feeling! The trip was an adventure in itself.
Today I feel loads better, but still very ill. I will say a special thanks to everyone here at the club that made sure I was taken care whether it was the staff of GDM or the players. They all would stop by and ask me everyday how I felt. Extra special thanks to Pingy, Waru Waru, Chot, Chichon, Trust, and finally my roommate big James Banathy. All these guys went above and beyond to make sure I was ok. The people here have been amazing to me! I feel like I need a t-shirt that says I Survived Malaria, once I do of course ha.
Let’s not let this week of hell take away the fact that the first month was a huge success in the sense of coaching and getting to know the people here. The guys we coach are amazing players. The conditions they play in and the way they play is amazing. I would love to see them play on a proper pitch.
