B.A.D.

It has been a little over two weeks since I left the states. The two weeks mark is significant. It is similar to Day 4 in any biking trip I have had. It is the point at which you get a little sad, loneliness sets in, the cultural differences get irritating, and being home starts to sound nice. Most people would refer to this as culture shock, but those words do not really resonate with me, at least on this trip. I am not feeling "shocked" by the culture.

Instead, I have renamed it Being Away Depression (B.A.D.).

Description of Ailment
B.A.D. usually comes in spurts and most often appears at night time. It can have physical symptoms such as exhaustion, head aches, diarrhea. It can result in a lack of motivation. At times, when experiencing B.A.D., you may question why you are even away at all. Doubt about the way you are spending your time can arise, often manifesting as fear that you are not doing enough.

With proper treatment, the ailment has a positive prognosis.

Treatment

• Let yourself feel BAD for a little bit. Be lazy, cry if you need to, talk to people from home.
• Take care of your basic needs. Eat, drink water, get sleep.
• Go watch a sunset.

When not experiencing B.A.D another common ailment that can set in is Fear Of It Being Over (F.O.I.B.O.). Both are normal and will pass with time.