I have malaria; but I'm feeling perfectly fine, now, after treatment at the UN military hospital. This is a little excerpt from a message I wrote to my friend last night:

I thought, this afternoon sitting outside the mobile clinic after a rainstorm, that I might be realizing something very important. That I can be happy, because I have a great ability to make happiness-- out of nothing! That indeed, for a very long time, I have cursed the fact that happiness--joy--might come too easily. I began jabbering away to myself, aloud, not really caring if anyone heard. I said what ever came to mind: I swore profusely! I laughed! I pretended to be other people, trying out different accents. I thought, "Sparking laughter and conversation or meaningful contemplation is positively natural, and should be practiced uninhibitedly with others!" I can clench this present time in my teeth and wag my head like a wild, mad beast. I will have controlled time. And for a while today, I did that. And I think that I can do it, again.

What roaring fires we can build! Gathered together as kindling, breaking our laughter and words into smoldering bits over our home-made furnace! Create. Create. Create.

"The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes 'Awww!'"
-Jack Kerouac, On The Road


I have lots of ideas for my involvement with the English students here, but as nothing has really happened yet, I will save that topic for later.