Severe Food Poisoning

Today's weather: High = 8 Low = 5
Cloudy

Adverse health effects are beginning to show all over the city as the worst start to the spring season in over 60 years is taking its toll. A protracted lack of sunshine and constant wind, rain, and below average temperatures are increasing traffic accidents and hospital visits by huge percentages. The usual sicknesses are increasing such as colds and fevers as people grapple with the realities of this horrible weather.

Part of that includes heated debates on what temperature to put the indoor office thermostat at. This is a constant bone of contention between the foreign and Chinese staff. Foreign staff who prefer taking off coats inside would have the temperature well past 25 degrees, while the Chinese staff insist on opening the windows for fresh air and wearing jackets inside.

There is nothing new in this difference of opinion, but it reached a heated argument this week, no doubt influenced by the shitty and depressing weather outside. The argument broke down into yelling and name calling after nobody could reach an agreement of what temperature the office should be at. The Chinese side seems to have won, citing a Shanghai government regulation that it must be no more than 22 degrees in order to protect the environment.

Regretably, one of our colleagues has left the office for good and can't be in the same room with the Chinese staff anymore.

Hopefully in no way connected to this escapade, we were offered cream puffs by the Chinese side as a gift for international women's day.

But these gifts were poisoned. Whether or not it was deliberate, I don't know, but I ate perhaps 3-4 of these cream puffs and then began to experience a severe food poisoning sickness in my stomach some 40 minutes later while teaching class. This got worse and worse, to the point where I somehow made it home and spend 5 hours in bed getting rid of the toxins and running to the bathroom. This included severe vomiting and diarrhea, the classic food poisoning on both ends.

It was a concern as I haven't gotten sick from food like this in years! Last time was in India about 3 years ago.

Nonetheless I was still able to come to work the next day.