Blog Being Sick Again

It seems every time things begin to pick and I get really busy, I get sick. I mean I get it. But I guess I wish it just wasn't so true. In the US this happened to me too but just not so severely and without such a direct relationship between action and my body's reaction. I think it highlights how hard it is on your body to live here. I don't know if it is the altitude or a set of new germs but I end up getting really sick. I thought I had figured out how to stay healthy, e.g. filter my water, be careful what I eat, always wash my hands, and it seemed to be working. But here I am again on anti-biotics with some kind of bacterial infection.

This time I went to the doctor myself. Thankfully, the doctor spoke Tibetan so we were able to communicate fairly well. I told him my symptoms in a simplified way and he asked me questions just like any doctor that I was able to predict fairly accurately.Some similarities between this and my last doctor visit are they still call all kinds of ailments, types of "colds." And like I had before and have again an "infection cold," type cold which brings us to the second similarity with my last visit, the medicine. I don't know if they just give everyone the same medication all the time or if they accurately gave me similar medication as during my last visit to the doctor (because I do have similar symptoms) but it seemed to have worked the last time, so I'll go with it again.

But definitely being sick here is worse than being sick in the states. I was able to slowly clean my room a little and made sure to keep a steady intake of fluids. Movies are also a great way to kill time while your sick, especially comedies. The only downside to watching movies and escaping from being sick in a foreign country for around 2 hours is that when the movie finishes you find yourself still sick in a foreign country and it's a little depressing. This time in particular because I feel like I got the same thing I had last time (and I don't know why), plus the movie I ended up watching was particularly significant to my current situation.

The movie I wanted to watch was "Scott Pilgrim vs The World," however it didn't work so I ended up watching Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator" from an 8 in 1 Chinese DVD. I realized I had only seen certain parts of the movie and I remembered one in particular where he dances with the balloon globe. However, this movie is much more than just that one famous scene. It is full of hilarious references and the names of the characters alone are much more clever than most comedies being made today. If you haven't seen it or it has been a while since you have, you really have to re/ visit it. Charlie Chaplin plays two parts and is his usual amazing self where he combines unique physical comedy with his impeccable timing. Note: this is a talkie so you get to hear him speak. The release of this movie must have been timely seeing that it parities the period just at the end of WWI and Hitler's rise to power, ending with the invasion of Ostertg (Austria).From what I can decipher the Chinese packaging of the movie says it was released in 1937? Which makes the film and Chaplin's vision (written and directed by him) inspired and gutsy.

I was actually moved by his approach to the film and found his mixture of comedy and commentary ingenious and inspiring. When art can entertain, transport and move its audience in a productive direction I am always astounded. Because doing any one of these things alone ends up being good art and not easy. But if you are able to achieve all three at one time, then this type of art surpasses any kind of normal everyday art and achieves a new higher level of meaning. This type of art could definitely be put on par with organizations that help the needy and politicians that represent their constituents.Because this type of art in the form of film has the power and breath to affect and change peoples minds and lives (as I'm sure it did at the time of its release) I imagine Chaplin meant it as a means to push for the Allies cause and to motivate and inspire people to hope for the good of humanity and for what was right in the world at a not so happy time in our history.

The ending scene in particular where Chaplin finds himself in an uncomfortable situation (as only Chaplin can), is the most inspiring part of the film and really hits home as Chaplin's message to the world. The comedic Chaplin takes a step aside to the visionary genius and it seems he is no longer speaking to the people within his own world that the film has created but to you the viewer sitting in the audience (at that time movie house). It must have been so dramatic and moving sitting in a theater with fellow movie goers as Chaplin's character looks you straight in the eye and lays out the meaning of his vision for the film and humanity. After laughing for two hours you are moved to tears (no joke) at his inspirational words that resonate today and for myself studying where I am studying and seeing things I'm seeing. The gravity of his message really hits you when you hear his words from back then and think of the current policies of modern governments whom we both consider friends and foes.

This was probably more than I expected or wanted during a morning home sick but despite this, I was really happy to have accidently watched this masterpiece of comedy and commentary and hope you watch it sometime soon. Sick or not, it's worth it.