A Serious Case of the Raffreddore

Imagine this: you’re about to venture out into a brand new cultural experience full of great food, agriculture, people, and scenery and then BOOM. Your nostrils are suddenly stopped up, you cannot hold a conversation longer than 2 minutes without having a coughing attack, and your plane is leaving in less than 24 hours. Sounds…Manageable? That’s exactly what I was going to say!

I arrived in the beautiful city of Paderno rather under the weather, however, instead of laying in a dark room and waiting for my raffreddore (sniffles) to disperse, I was proactive in finding something to help aid my sickness. I’m here to share the wealth with five tips to combat a cold while abroad!

1. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! The city of Paderno is full of friendly natives that are well aware of the students enrolled in the CIMBA program and will help in any way they can!
2. When in search of a pharmacy, look for a green cross! Literally! All of the drug stores will be marked with a green cross and should read “farmacia”.
3. Once inside the farmacia, it may be a tad frustrating at first because all of the medicine is in a completely different language. No fear! It’s pretty simple to operate. Look for keywords and images such as “Oral, infante, etc”. That will make the hunt much easier!
4. If tip three does not work, you can always ask the pharmacist for help! There are at least 4 employees at the closest pharmacy to campus that speak good English, and are very friendly and willing to help!
5. If all else fails just take things old school and play a game of charades! By pointing to your nose, stomach, or ear, for example, the pharmacist can help you find what particular medication can help your illness!

I hope these tips will lead you down the road to better health!

A più tardi! (see you later!)