My Life in Azerbaijan - Doctor's order

October 23, 2009
Since I came back from Ujar, some people from my group noticed that I am getting too thin. My clothing all seems too big. My pants no longer fit; my shirts are falling off my shoulders. I look at myself in the mirror and see my face becoming thinner. Even my host mother notices it after I returned from the Ujar. My site mate Carol is concerned so she tells our LCF. (LCF is responsible for our well being during the training) Therefore, today, my PST pays a family visit to my host mother. She wants to find out why I continue to lose weight.

I have not been feeling well and gotten sick a few days since I arrived in Azerbaijan. My stomach does not agree with the water and foods here. In addition, the food here is just lack of variety. I am missing lots of vegetables and fiber on my diet. My host family is not feeding me enough good and nutritious foods, plus I am not crazy about the Azerbaijan cooking. It is too oily. Everyday, I go to school only with 2 small potatoes, a cucumber and an apple. Dinner, I eat very little if I do not like the food.

I am kind of embarrassed about the whole situation. My culture taught me to be humble when living with others. I should not demand for extra treatment while I am staying in other people’s home. If I do not like their foods, then I should just be hungry. I think that is how I have been dealing with my situation for the past few weeks. As a result, I lost more and more weight.

My host sister and I work out a plan. Monday, we will go shopping together and I will buy all the foods that I want. I can either do my own cooking or continue eat with the host family. I hope this plan will work, or I will end up less than 90 lbs by the end of the training.